Robert A. McDonald
Secretary, Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Washington, D.C.

Second Formal Complaint against VA Police Officer R. Garca, Badge No. 4958

Mr. Secretary,

On Memorial Day, I proudly displayed two small American flags on the front fence of the VA National Veterans Park … a public forum …. in honor of the men and women who have defended our nation’s colors for 2½ centuries.

Yesterday, I received another falsified criminal arrest citation (14 total), and my flags were illegally seized.

Did I mention yesterday was Memorial Day?

Directly inside the front gates that you officially opened to the public on June 4, 2015, trash is strewn about, as usual.

I stepped directly inside the public park open gate to take photos as evidence that your Los Angeles VA police department has singled the Old Veterans Guard in general, and me in particular, for retaliation as they are “ordered” to issue these falsified citations and then illegally confiscate our flags.

Your department, under your orders, places the American flag below trash as VA police make it a priority to remove beautiful Old Glory from public view while leaving trash behind.

I took photos of this evidence as well as the flyover military planes that were part of the VA Memorial Day services.

VA Police Officer R. Garca, badge No. 4958, armed and riding a VA bicycle along the fence line, shouted at me to turn off my camera and put it down or he was going to take me into custody.  He put his bicycle down and came running toward me, huffing and puffing, with his repeated threats.

Last March 14, I sent you a formal complaint regarding Officer Garca and his over-the-top behavior, and this is a second formal complaint.

Officer Garca was out of control again hostile, unstable, a ticking bomb.

I again witnessed the shortness of his fuse. This is to put you and all VA officials on notice again that Officer Garca is an armed and dangerous VA employee.

He has a personal vendetta against me. I fear for my own life and lives of fellow demonstrators.

Officer Garca, and all VA police officers who come out to the public-forum area, say they are just following orders.

Sgt. Henderson, heretofore a respected officer, aided and abetted in this intentional violation of my Constitutional rights by ordering me to obey Officer Garca’s commands, even though he outranked him and was fully aware of his illegal activity.

This aggressive and illegal behavior puts them, you, L.A. executive director Ann Brown, her chief of police and detective Dennis Troy in violation of your oath of office as public servants while acting under the color of law.

Officer Garca violated my First Amendment Rights when he falsely cited me for taking photos in a public forum, displaying the American flag and then ordered me off the front plaza (designated free speech area – we’ve been legally out there for more than eight years) or he would take me into custody for “trespassing and loitering.”

While Sgt. Henderson refused me the right to use my camera during Officer Garca’s arrest activity (illegal) — stating Officer Garca was the “presiding officer” — he rightfully flip-flopped and said that Officer Garca.

Nevertheless, just as I peacefully obeyed Officer Garca’s command to turn off my camera, I left the designated public-forum free speech area and Sgt. Henderson illegally confiscated my American flags and refused me the right to photograph his illegal activity for my evidence.

Mr. McDonald, you have a serious problem. You initiated this malicious retaliation against me for not only exposing the illegal real estate deals that you support, but challenging your failure to end Veteran homelessness in Los Angeles by Jan. 31, 2015, as you promised.

Sincerely,
Robert L. Rosebrock
Director, Old Veterans Guard

God Bless America and the Veterans Revolution

Mr. Rosebrock may be contacted at RRosebrock1@aol.com