Salinas Police release 911 calls from last Friday’s violent arrest

Multiple 911 calls from last Friday’s violent arrest on N. Main and Bernal St. in Salinas are being released by police on Thursday.

According to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, Jose Velasco, 28, appeared in court for a probation violation following his most recent arrest on Friday. Velasco is accused of slamming his mother’s head into the ground and trying to drag her into traffic, before resisting arrest.

Cell phone video from witnesses captured the event, which later went viral. That video prompted an internal investigation by Salinas Police into those officers’ use of force.

The Salinas Police Department is currently investigating Velasco’s case and an internal investigation of the officer’s use of force during the incident, which is typical in cases like this, McMillin said.

For an added layer of transparency, McMillin said the department is inviting the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office to handle an external investigation into the use of force. He said the DA’s office confirms it will conduct its own investigation.

Velasco’s mother, Rita Acosta, told NewsChannel 5 her son suffers from a mental illness and wasn’t trying to hurt her. The situation escalated into a violent arrest, with officers using a Taser and batons. Police said two attempts to subdue him with a Taser didn’t work. That’s when they said they had to take it to the next level.

McMillin said a mesh bag called a “spit-sock”, to protect officers from bio-hazards, was also placed over his head during the arrest. Velasco’s injuries, according to police, include a fractured leg and bruising in parts of his upper body — mostly to his arms.

McMillin also confirms Velasco was not under the influence of alcohol but was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of incident. He also said the responding officers didn’t have any information on Velasco’s mental health issues when they arrived.Police said, according to medical documents, Velasco suffers from specific drug-induced psychotic disorder.Velasco signed a medical release, allowing the police department to reveal what he’s diagnosed with, McMillin said.

McMillin said all of the officers involved in Velasco’s arrest are back on the street except for the two. He said the last officer seen in the viral video, is not out patrolling and is restricted to working inside the station for now. Another officer hurt his knee and is still off duty. McMillin said three of the responding officers are crisis intervention team trained, including the one working inside the station.

Police said Velasco has some pretty strong gang ties and threats have been made toward the department since the video has surfaced.

Police said 15 calls were made to dispatchers from witnesses and Jose Velasco’s mother. Chief Kelly McMillin said the department wants to enhance the public’s understanding of that day’s events, by releasing these calls.

Salinas police said the department received the tapes Wednesday and the only editing was to protect caller’s identities. McMillin is asking the public to share any video they have of the incident.

On Thursday, June 18, Salinas Police offered a detailed fact sheet on the events pertaining to both investigations:

1. Summary of the events of June 5, 2015

-According to police reports and multiple witnesses, Jose Velasco ran through heavy traffic near the corner of North Main Street and Bernal Drive in Salinas, screaming and jumping on cars, and then dragged his mother into the traffic, threw her to the ground and assaulted her.

-Mr. Velasco later told police he was high on meth, which, according to medical records released with his permission, he has used regularly since he was 12. Velasco’s records show he has previously been diagnosed with temporary psychosis caused by recent drug use, known as specific drug-induced psychotic disorder.

-Two responding police officers repeatedly ordered Mr. Velasco to get off his mother, who was screaming at him to stop. The officers tried to pull him off her. He violently resisted.

-The officers tried to Tase him, but two successful Taser shots and one “drive stun” (direct contact with the Taser) appeared to have no effect.

-Imperviousness to pain is one of the effects of meth intoxication, and he later told police the Tasers hadn’t worked on him.

-Continuing to struggle, Mr. Velasco pulled a Taser and its holster off one officer’s belt.

-The officers called for backup, and began hitting Mr. Velasco with their batons. A total of five officers responded, who eventually managed to put handcuffs on him.

-They also placed a mesh bag, known as a “spit sock,” over his head, in order to protect police and ambulance personnel.

-An ambulance took him to Natividad Medical Center. On the way he tried to assault a police officer and a fire department paramedic. At the hospital, he continued to struggle and had to be chemically restrained before he could be treated for the injuries he had incurred during the arrest.

-Those injuries were bruises on his arms and legs, a fractured leg, and a cut on his head requiring a few stitches.

Click Page 2 below for continued information.

-All uses of force by police are normally reviewed internally. In this case, in order to increase transparency, accountability and trust, the Chief of Police has asked the District Attorney to conduct an independent investigation.

Click to see the original police press release.

2. Press conference, June 11, 2015

-Salinas Police Chief Kelly held a press conference on Thursday, June 11, at which he released recordings and transcripts of the 911 calls that led to the Jose Velasco arrest, and announced that, in order to enhance public trust in the process, he was asking the Monterey County District Attorney to conduct an independent investigation of the arresting officers’ use of force.

-Other new information from the press conference and following Q & A:

-Multiple witnesses described Mr. Velasco as violently assaulting his mother.

-In an interview following his arrest, he told police that he was high on meth and alcohol at the time of the incident, although toxicology tests later showed that there was meth, but not alcohol, in his body. According to medical records released with his permission, he has used meth regularly since he was 12.

-Mr. Velasco has been diagnosed with specific drug-induced psychotic disorder, meaning that his temporary psychotic state was caused by his recent drug use.

-Mr. Velasco has a long criminal record and is a known Norteo gang member.

-Note that while information about Mr. Velasco’s drug use, mental state and criminal record may be relevant in judging his likelihood to be violent, it is not directly relevant to judging the use of force by police. Police use of force is judged according to the level of force needed to address violence in the moment, not the cause of the violence.

Below are all of the 911 Calls from the incident. Click on the second page for more calls: