Mock debate on Measure II

The RCPA invited the Riverside Police Officers Association (RPOA) to a public debate on Measure II... but the RPOA declined to attend or to participate so we will instead hold a mock debate as follows:

DATE: Tuesday, October 26, 2004.
TIME: 5:30-6:30 p.m.
PLACE: On the downtown Riverside pedestrian mall, beside the commemorative statue of Martin Luther King, Jr., in front of City Hall.

We regret that the RPOA is not willing to engage in dialogue on Measure II.

We issued this invitation to the President of the RPOA:

October 19, 2004

Pat McCarthy, President
Riverside Police Officers Association
8543 Indiana Avenue
Riverside, CA 92504
Phone: 351-1199
email: pmccarthy@riversideca.gov

Dear Officer McCarthy:

The Riverside Coalition on Police Accountability (RCPA) invites the Riverside Police Officers Association to participate in a debate on Measure II. The debate will be held on Tuesday, October 26th from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm on the outdoor stage near the front entrance to City Hall.

This will be an opportunity to bring to the citizens of Riverside the reasons why the Community Police Review Commission should, or should not become part of the City Charter.

The RCPA agrees to share the responsibilities by having each side submit four questions. We suggest having co-moderators, one to be appointed by RCPA and one by the Riverside Police Officers Association. RCPA plans to have a response panel of two or three people and you are welcome to do the same. We will provide a timekeeper.

We propose that the debate be held according to the following guidelines:
1. Each moderator will present up to four questions;
2. Each side will be given two minutes to respond and one minute for rebuttal;
3. The co-moderators will alternate questions from those provided by the two sides; and,
4. There will be an opportunity for one follow-up question by each co-moderator.

Please reply to me, the RCPA Chair, by email at deborah.wong@ucr.edu. Confirm your acceptance and provide the name of your co-moderator by noon Friday, October 22, 2004. You are welcome, also, to submit the names of your panel members. If you prefer to submit your four questions at this time, let us know and we will provide you with our questions.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Deborah Wong, RCPA Chair