Community/Cop Relations
Story and Photography by Matilda Mead
Of all the relationships found in nature, symbiotic are the most common. The word symbiosis, literally meaning “living together,” refers to the often long-term interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association who work together in either a cooperative or mutually dependent relationship. There are three forms of mutualistic symbiosis: commensalism, in which one party benefits and the other is unaffected; parasitism, in which one party benefits and the other is harmed; and mutualism, in which both parties benefit from the association. Here in Isla Vista, residents experience all three through our relationship with IV Foot Patrol and UC Police officers.
With the increased media attention surrounding the misuse of police power following the multitudinous incidents of police brutality exposed in the United States, the last few years have seen an increase in movements pushing for equal treatment, such as “Black Lives Matter,” “We Can’t Breather, and “All Lives Matter.” While our community has not necessarily been directly impacted by police brutality, the ramifications of simply knowing such abuse of power occurs has been detrimental in regards to our communal understanding of and interactions with our local police forces. This relationship, where our community is being protected by the police forces but are giving them nothing in return, is the Isla Vista equivalent to a commensal relationship.
These crusades for rights have also spurned the generalization that all cops are nefarious. This perspective has influenced slogans like “Fuck the Police” and “Power to the People,” where, rather than fighting for a cause, the movement is focused on the belief that cops are collectively malicious and should be stripped of their power over the public. While this viewpoint may be warranted through occurrences such as in Baltimore and Ferguson, there is no sign of such abuse happening in Isla Vista. However, the impact of these negative stereotypes has lead to a collective lack of trust in the police force, along with increased acts of aggression towards individual officers.
IV Foot Patrol Sergeant Daniel Calderon has been part of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office for more than 25 years. Having worked at IVFP a decade ago, he returned to the station a few months ago to continue working in Isla Vista. Back then, he says, fights mostly consisted of punches. Nowadays, guns and knives are prevalent, among other weapons. This is equivalent to a parasitic relationship, in which one party, the residents of Isla Vista, benefit from the relationship by being kept safe, whereas the other party, IV Foot Patrol and UCPD, are harmed, either through name calling and mocking or physical injury, such as the alcohol bottle thrown at an officer’s head during the 2014 Deltopia riot.
Police officers are not delusional about how the general public feels about their career. Ruminating on how to fix a system in which officers are rampant in racism and discrimination, as is the case with the Baltimore Police Department, Sgt. Calderon believes that since the system is so broken, it needs to be completely disassembled: corrupt agencies need to start over, preferably with a new unbiased supervisor. Officer Ryan Smith from the UCSB Police Department agrees that the system is imperfect: there are bad cops, but that’s what happens when you recruit from the human race — some of those recruited just don’t belong in the job. According to Sgt.Calderon, police recruiters “don’t look for perfect people, but for perfectly honest people, and some people don’t stay that way forever.” In regards to the murders of undeserving people, such as the unnecessary force used against Freddie Gray, Smith believes that any cop that murders somebody should go to prison, but also points out that not all of these incidents are “what national media makes it to be, where there’s an incident and suddenly it’s murder.” In talking about ‘preservation mode,’ in which “you will do what you have to do to protect yourself”, Smith states that “by nature and virtue of the job, force is a part of that.” However, he emphasizes that there is “no joy in any human losing life”, but he also knows from his experience in law enforcement that any moment could turn into the “split second decision between living and dying”: in that second, you’re going to try to preserve yourself
“IV has a delicate balance between when you should step in and assert yourself or when you shouldn’t add to the problem” — Sgt. Daniel Calderon, IVFP
It doesn’t take too long to realize that Isla Vista is unlike any other district. In a town where alcohol and other substances are used (and abused) on a daily basis, the rules that apply to our community are unlike those in any other jurisdiction, mainly because the cops in Isla Vista know you’re going to drink. According to Sgt. Calderon, it is the “excessive drinking and poor decision making” that determines whether one will be stopped by the cops. 99% of crimes in Isla Vista are related to alcohol, so the cops know that “you’re not a bad person — just making a bad decision.” From his experience working in Isla Vista, Calderon remarks that the primary things Isla Vista officers do is observe.
When out in Isla Vista, Sergeant Mike Scherbarth of IV Foot Patrol keeps an eye out for those who are alone, those who act suspiciously upon sighting officers, and those who are too drunk to stand or walk by themselves. While getting in trouble for drinking may seem unnecessary and unfair to you amidst a community known for partying, IV cops know that worse things could happen to you were you to continue on in your impaired condition. Scherbarth, who previously worked as a detective, knows all too well the harrowing stories of what could happen when you’re drunk and alone on the streets. Through investigating cases of people who, when under the influence of alcohol, have been robbed, beaten up, and/or raped, Scherbarth, along with all Isla Vista police officers, would much rather you be upset over being taken to the drunk tank and having your night ruined, than to have something infinitely worse happen to you that could ruin your life were they to let you continue on your way without stepping in. As Scherbarth plainly puts it, “I want you to have fun, I want you to enjoy yourselves, but please be responsible.”
I’ll walk down the street and if somebody wants to talk, I’ll talk to them, whether it’s 5 minutes or half an hour. I’ll talk to them because I want to answer their questions, or I want to inform them of what’s going on and why we’re there. — Sgt. Mike Scherbarth, IVFP
Having a better understanding of how cops think is a big way to improve both law enforcement and our society as a whole. There are many opportunities to better our relations, such as the Pizza with Police events, where community members gather at an IV pizza restaurant and ask cops any questions they may have, or even directly approaching an officer and starting a conversation. According to Scherbarth, “communication is key. We’re out there to talk to you, we’re not out there to always write tickets.”
No improvements will be successfully ingrained without both parties working on the relationship; as Officer Smith points out, it’s “not 100% on the shoulder of law enforcement. It’s not their job, nor within their capability to completely change the community”; rather, we need to “consider changing the culture of community” as a whole. Last year’s Deltopia brought in thousands of out of towers and resulted in a full-blown riot. This year, Deltopia was almost considered a non-event. Not only did cops bring in a larger police force to ensure the protection of property and safety of the community, but Isla Vista residents stepped up against out of towers and campaigned for months prior to the event with the slogan “Keep IV Local.” Working with the cops for this event is the equivalent to a mutualistic symbiotic relationship: both parties worked together to keep Deltopia a local event, and both parties benefitted from working together to keep the our town safe. As Smith observed, the “community fixed Deltopia — not just the cops.”
“How do we change the culture? Work with police. It’s an ‘us’ thing.” — Ryan Smith, UCPD
