Why Weiss Won't Hear Jamiel's Law-Related Council Motion Until October (Instead of Sooner)

By now you have heard that City Councilmember Jack Weiss has caved to public pressure and finally decided to give the Zine/Smith motion that will make revisions to Special Order 40 a public hearing in his Public Safety Committee in October.

The first thing out of "Jamiel's Law" supporters was, "Why is he waiting until October!?!? Why isn't it being heard sooner!?!?!"

Zuma Dogg feels this is a valid question, even though this type of question when they finally make a move always garners the, "No good deed unpunished" clique.

So ZD made some calls and aksed around to see why Weiss chose October, instead of September.

And although no one wants to come out and actually say this on the record...here is what seems to be the reason(s):

a) Public Safety Committee is on "hiatus" until after Labor Day weekend. (Council goes on vacation at the end of August, too.)

b) This hearing will require a report and comments from LAPD. And although we all wish there was much less bureaucracy -- and they could gather all the information; review it; analyze it; and prepare the legislative report -- with Labor Day coming up -- I could see where that could take a month. (You are dealing with a bureaucratic system...and that goes beyond Bratton/Villar/Weiss...it's institutional.

c) I heard on the radio this evening that Weiss wants to wait for LAPD to make a clarification in the next couple weeks. (NEXT COUPLE WEEKS!) And, although I know a lot of activists and Jamiel's Law supporters want SOME KIND OF CHANGE DOCUMENTED AND VOTED ON...

ZD has spoken with experts and feels that a clarification by Bratton is probably the fastest way to actually start to attacking the problem.

THEN, the Zine motion can be heard in Committee with LAPD clearing away some of the brush, first.

(You may say this reasoning is "B.S." but unfortunately, it's probably the reason.)

AND, Councilmember Zine would like to remind those who feel his motion is "watered-down/tootheless" that once public hearing is opened up on the motion in Committee, amendments can be discussed and added that could take out some of the water and give it some teeth.

BUT KEEP IN MIND HARDLINERS: ZD has heard that some Councilmembers may support something like the Zine motion, or maybe even something that has some harder amendments...BUT SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE WALTER MOORE HAPPY WILL NEVER PASS.

So I have to remember back to what Jamiel Shaw, Sr told me at the Ron Kaye rally: There is nothing wrong with having Zine's motion (even if it does not go as far as J's Law) -- AND having Jamiel's Law, too. Then Zine's motion can be used for some things; and Jamiel's Law could be used for the tougher things. (Sometimes you need a regular screwdriver for the job; but sometimes you need a power drill.)