Santa Ana mom catches a school cop roughing up a kid at John Adams Park

Elvia Fernandez, a Santa Ana mom, is having trouble processing what she saw happen today at John Adams Park, in Santa Ana.  She videotaped a burly Santa Ana Unified School District Police Officer who jumped on top of a kid he caught tagging at the park.  Allegedly the cop threatened to pepper spray the kid.

According to eyewitnesses the child was perhaps fourteen years old.  You can hear him crying in the video that Elvia shot.  And the cop clearly shouts at Elvia and another bystander – demanding that they stop speaking in Spanish. They were telling the child to stop struggling and were trying to calm him down.

Tagging sucks, that we understand.  But roughing up little kids like this is worse.  And this cop surely doesn’t seem to know how to work with people in our community.  How did this guy get hired in the first place?

If you want to contact the SAUSD School Board Members, good luck.  They no longer list any email addresses on their website! Fortunately I have some of their personal contact information available, as follows:

Rick Miller, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Phone: (714) 558-5512
Fax: (714) 558-5610

Antonette Roberto
Confidential Assistant
to the Superintendent
Phone: (714) 558-5512
antonette.roberto@sausd.us

Cynthia Gastelo
Recording Secretary
Board of Education
Phone: (714) 558-5515
cynthia.gastelo@sausd.us

Rosie Rosales
Executive Assistant
Phone: (714) 558-5511
rosie.rosales@sausd.us

Travis Tamasese
Sr. Executive Secretary
Phone: (714) 558-5513
travis.tamasese@sausd.us

Art Pedroza Editor
Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.
Art Pedroza

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

View Comments

  • who writes for this paper... what a load of dung! Kid vandalizes public property (commits a crime) and resists a peace officers attempt to affect an arrest and now this turd is the victim. If that was my son I would have whooped his butt as soon as the officer was done. But I parent my children so I never have to worry about this happening. Quit enabling your kids to be criminals because you lack education and don't care! I am sure glad I don't live in Santa Ana!

    • You're the only fkn turd here. I bet your Kid is out there doing worse but what would you know.Yeah ,you parent your children perfectly huh? Karma will get you back eventually for your dumbass state of mind . If you dont know whats up, then dont open your big mouth. He only has his mom , it's tough on him. I hope your kids fck up at some point , which I'm sure they will due to the kind of parent they are being raised by. You better not show up in Santa Ana, ever.

  • art,

    why are you siding with this boy who we don't even know what he was doing. He may have been trying to run away and the cop restrained him and maybe the boy then continued to fight. The video does not tape the whole incident. Your bad at this Art.

    • The reason this story is news as far away as New York is that the cop very obviously used excessive force on a kid. We need to put video cameras on all cops!

      • Excessive force? The kid admitted he tried to get away from the cop. He was wrestled down, but not choked. You keep babying these kids and don't hold them accountable, then wonder why they end up in jail or prison. The kid attends continuation school, which means he mostly likely has discipline problems and this is probably not his first run-in with the cops or school authorities.

    • He's not bad at this, he did his research. Unlike some who have just decided to open their big mouths

      • lol. You're a joke Liz. The 14 year old knew what he was getting into. Went to tag during spring break and gets caught. Tries to resist and gets knocked to the ground. Two obnoxious bystanders interfering with the arrest. He could've arrester the kid 2-3 minutes earlier. Instead he officer had to wait for backup because they were getting to close. Please don't speak for Santa Ana. Ty

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