It just didn’t look right. Ramona Bingham was dropping her granddaughter off for day camp and was completely caught off guard when what looked like a prison inmate bus pulled up.
On Thursday Ramona’s 7-year-old granddaughter was being taken to a surf camp in the more affluent community of Del Mar via the San Diego parks and rec program. She thought about it and how it would look–a bunch of black and brown kids from southeast San Diego being paraded around a rich neighborhood looking like prisoners. She had to say something.
“That was unacceptable,” Bingham said, adding that the day camp employees were just as shocked as her by the choice of transportation. “They’re normally transported by van. Who made this decision? Are you for real?”
The sheriff’s office told The Shade Room that they were asked to provide the buses for the STAR/PAL program, a nonprofit group that may not always have the resources to pay for a tour bus. “We strongly believe in making connections with the people we serve,” said the department’s Lt. Justin White.
“These programs provide a platform to establish a dialogue and foster an understanding of the law enforcement community. We want the youngest members of the community to know they can always come to a deputy for help,” he continued.
He said deputies took the kids to Del Mar on Thursday so they can participate in the surf camp.
“When we receive the call for help from non-profit and community groups to provide assistance, we will always gladly oblige,” White said.
He added that the buses are multi-functional and are cleaned every night before being used for special events.
“Our goals are simple: support our partners in achieving their mission to serve our communities; ensure the children have a safe journey to their destination and for the children to have a positive encounter with law enforcement,” White said.
Bingham and other parents still say they’re upset because officials did not communicate that the children would be traveling in sheriff’s buses when they signed the permission slips.
“They made a bad choice and they don’t want to acknowledge it,” Bingham said. “If they want to transport the kids by inmate buses they should have been let it known. The driver was dressed in his uniform. That’s just not the image I want to introduce to my 7-year-old to.”
Roommates, what are your thoughts on this one? Let us know.
