SAPD police officers were trying to investigate the theft of a stolen automobile but a resident who is apparently a YouTuber was interfering with the investigation by videotaping the officers. The officers responded by playing loud music from the Disney movie Encanto and that is when Santa Ana City Councilman Johnathan Ryan Hernandez got involved.
Hernandez did not reprimand the resident who was interfering with the investigation. Instead he zeroed in on the police officers asking them if they knew who he is. He then asked them a question gang members often pose “where you from” proceeding to reprimand the police officer for not living in Santa Ana and for playing the loud music.
It was about 10 pm at the time and the loud music was disturbing the residents. Hernandez was right to point this out. However he clearly had no issue with the YouTuber interfering with a legitimate stolen vehicle investigation.
Just a few months ago Hernandez’ own cousin, Brandon Lopez, was shot and killed after leading police from two cities on a police pursuit in a stolen vehicle that ran through four cities before ending in Santa Ana.
Perhaps Hernandez does not look at auto theft as a crime worth punishing? Is this any surprise given that he was groomed for office by his mentor, Roman Reyna, who was convicted of a felony in 2019 and ordered to pay $578,053 in an embarrassing election fraud case? Reyna to date has barely paid any of that back. Booted off the City Council Reyna now is trying to pay his bills by renting party equipment. Hernandez criticized the SAPD police officers over misuse of resources paid for by taxpayer dollars but what about the half a million dollars his mentor Reyna still owes to the taxpayers?
Hernandez and his City Council cohorts Jesse Lopez and Mayor Vince Sarmiento have painted a big target not on our criminals but rather on our police. Hernandez even spoke up at a recent Santa Ana City Council meeting against spending more money to cover up graffiti!
SAPD police officers should not wake up neighborhoods with loud music but they also should be allowed to go about their police business without getting interfered with by residents who believe the police, not the criminals, are the problem. That is the mindset created by politicians like Hernandez.
This opinion piece is utter nonsense! The police were obviously causing an unnecessary nuisance by blasting the loud music. If the YouTuber interfered in the investigation, he should have been arrested. He wasn’t arrested because he didn’t commit a crime. He was videoing the officers, an act protected by the 1st Amendment.
Again why record video of a stolen car investigation? What is the point of this????
Doesn’t matter why, it’s an American right
But is it the right thing to do?
Maybe, maybe not. However, it would certainly be the wrong thing and highly inappropriate for the council member to reprimand a citizen for not breaking any laws and exercising their first amendment rights.
Unless of course the whole stunt was set up by the Council Member…to shame the police and hurt their image.
Or, what if the whole thing was set up by the police to get that guy out there recording them so they could make bloggers write about how Hernandez isn’t supporting police? See how ridiculous things can get when you just start throwing out theories with no evidence. If you have evidence that the council are setting up the police, then write about that. Otherwise maybe don’t drag the council members through the mud because you want to try out a new conspiracy theory.
Is it the right thing to blast music in a residential neighborhood late at night?
Of course not but we don’t understand why anyone would interfere with a stolen car investigation.
Recording on a public street is certainly not interfering. Why blast music on a simple stolen car investigation, is it the right thing to do? No. Also, the recorder shouldnt have any verbal contact with the investigating officers. This blog is good btw, thank you.
Again we have to wonder what is the point of videotaping a stolen car investigation? That is the root of his entire mess.
Just because we have the right to do something does not mean we should. It is not illegal to fart in a crowded elevator but it is bad form to be sure.
Wouldn’t farting in an elevator be considered ASSault with a deadly weapon?
haha i couldn’t help myself.
LOL. Yes probably. 🙂
The point of videoing the police is to keep them accountable for their actions. Through many court proceedings we, as the public, have seen mistreatment and misbehavior by the police too many times to count. Now that civilians have the technology in their own hands to record their interactions, they should record every single one. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if body cams for private citizens became more and more the norm. The fact you are critiquing the public and elected officials instead of the bad behavior of the police is concerning. I definitely don’t hold your opinions very valuable or high in society as a whole if those are the conclusions you are drawing from this video.
But what exactly is the point of videotaping a stolen car investigation unless perhaps you don’t consider that a crime?
Whatever the case this is a waste of time. Get over it.
Is it? The real problem in this tien is the gangs. They just murdered a high school baseball player. But Hernandez says the cops are the bad guys.
Exactly. The councilman is just catering to his constituents but will not denounce the crime in his neighborhood, instead wants to go after the police. Weak
That’s silly. All the council members are clearly against gang violence. Keeping the police accountable in no way equals excusing crime. It’s bad when criminals break the law, it’s also bad when cops break the law and become criminals.
It is also bad when Councilman Hernandez actively works to undermine our police and hurt their image.
It’s all fun a games until their car gets stolen and the police can’t find it, because they’re trying to do a thorough investigation and someone is harassing them.