By Robert Haugh
Editor’s Note: The following is a brief Q & A with Fred Weaver who wrote the book, “Levi’s Stadium: Unsafe in Any Seat.” According to his bio, Weaver “advises and provides investigation for security and fraud prevention support to governments, companies and organizations.”
You’ve written a book about Levi’s Stadium. Why did you write the book?
It was really because of a culmination of events in a very short time. There was of course the incident I witnessed on Thursday, November 1, 2018. The beating was of a 49ers fan by two other 49ers fans in full view of on-field security on the ‘visitors’ side and the national TV cameras looking straight at the fight from the ‘home field’ side.
The beating lasted almost two minutes and afterwards it was almost surreal that no one else, made any attempt to intercept or apprehend the two individuals as they slowly walked the stairs up from the lower level shared by the level above where I was sitting.
To answer your question directly, I wanted to get the word out that Levi’s Stadium was the most dangerous venue in all of North America. Additionally, with the ‘power of the pen’, I was hoping some people would step down or be removed from office.
Are you familiar with the new Stadium Manager Francine Melendez Hughes? Does her experience or lack thereof concern you?
Yes, I am familiar with Francine Melendez Hughes. With her complete lack of experience, it begs asking the question of the San Francisco 49ers Management, “When you hired her, did you have a choice of two?” Francine Melendez Hughes has been ‘soaped in there’ by the San Francisco 49ers Management and Francine is just a figurehead.
Were you surprised at the latest incident that happened at the CONCACAF soccer match between Mexico and Qatar?
Unfortunately, it is no surprise this just occurred. This attack and future attacks at Levi’s Stadium shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone.
From Weaver’s site: “Weaver also exposes Santa Clara Police Department ‘corruption’, City of Santa Clara ‘dirty laundry’ and the City of Santa Clara Council Members’ ‘toxic’ relationship with the San Francisco 49ers entities, making Levi’s Stadium the Most Dangerous Public Venue in North America.” I don’t know about the “most dangerous public venue in North America” label but Weaver isn’t wrong attributing SCPD’s corruption, inept leadership, and toxic relationships as major factors of lax security at Levi’s Stadium.
Arizona State University’s Center for Promlem-Oriented Policing has an ongoing study and guide to examing spectator violence in stadiums. Staff Characteristics looks at the training, experience, and availability of security. It appears SCPD failed to provide industry minimum security for a CONCACAF type of event and Levi’s Stadium type venue. https://popcenter.asu.edu/content/spectator-violence-stadiums-0
There is a video on Twitter of an armed officer feebly trying to break up a fight between two women. The security/police officer was grossly ineffective and there was no other sign of security in that particular area or throughout the stadium. According to SCPD’s web site, Wahid Kazem “was part of the team that developed the unique policing model to service Levi’s Stadium, led the police building remodel of 2017.” He should be fired and the police chief reprimanded.
Sorry to Facts over Feelings, but the book is 100% accurate with zero of my opinions. There are 144 citations as references, and if you choose to check out my author’s website, you will see and can down load the chaos involved and documented in the 4 (four) SCPD Reports I obtained from the felony assailant’s court file. If I didn’t apprehend the guy he would have continued walking through the visitor’s side mezzanine and down to the light rail train.
Pretending we don’t have a problem with Security at Levi’s Stadium? I have been a season ticket holder from the beginning at Levi’s Stadium. We used to have security overlooking our seating section. That was taken away from us. In my opinion, Niner ownership and management could careless about our safety. I have reported the fighting that goes on at our stadium. Nothing has been done to correct that issue.
Fred Weaver is a fraud. His self published e-book is full of inaccuracies and sensationalizes an incident that resulted in the immediate arrest and charging of the suspect in the case, but it doesn’t match his narrative to admit that the perpetrator was caught and in handcuffs within minutes, or that the victim refused to even speak with police. The only advising he does is offer his unsolicited opinions and demand access on topics he has no professional expertise in. He calls himself an attorney for the case, but he was nothing more than a nosy self-important witness. His real gripe is that SCPD wouldn’t give him inside access so he could use this incident to raise his profile. SCPD has a 100% solve rate on violent assaults at Levi’s stadium, which he also doesn’t like to admit because it wouldn’t serve his narrative.
He could’ve focused on the fact that the 49ers routinely book events despite their known propensity for violence because alcohol sales drive record profits for those events, without ever consulting with the city or SCPD, creating public safety nightmares that officers have managed to mitigate despite the challenges and with no support from the 49ers. Shameful. Enjoy your 15 minutes Fred.
Wow, this sounds like a disgruntled Jim Mercurio. Great insight from the inside! Would you flip on Jed too?