Cal Poly accused of overlooking football player’s bullying

September 24, 2020

By KAREN VELIE

Jalen Hamler

Allegations that Cal Poly quarterback Jalen Hamler was bullying business owners in San Luis Obispo shocked many, but not a former supervisor at the university’s food court.

Samuel Hammond had called university police multiple times to report that the quarterback had stolen items or threatened staff at The Avenue. The ongoing harassment eventually prompted Hammond to find another job, he said.

“It’s a shame that he (Hamler) is the face of Cal Poly’s football team, and he treats the people who feed him like trash,” Hammond said. “Cal Poly should quit brushing this under the rug and address it. Anybody else would have been arrested and had their scholarship pulled.”

After witnessing Hamler putting drinks in his backpack and leaving without paying, the supervisor decided to video record Hamler the next time he came in. On Nov. 30, 2018, Hamler grabbed several drinks that he put into his backpack, paid for a sandwich, but he did not pay for the drinks.

Hamler told a police officer he had forgotten to pay for the drinks, which he put in his backpack because his hands were full. But after watching the video and speaking with staff, the officer classified the incident as attempted petty theft.

“Attempted theft had been met,” the police report says. “(redacted name) wants these incidents handled through the University’s Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.”

At that time, Hamler had almost $500 on his Cal Poly dining card, according to the police report.

Following the incident, Hamler allegedly started intimidating and harassing staff at the food court, Hammond said.

On Jan. 28, 2019, Hamler “mad-dogged” a cashier before asking another football player to “Slap the shit out of him!,” according to a police report of the incident. Staff then reported the ongoing harassment to campus police.

“Everyone in the room started a discussion regarding options when Hamler enters the building: Let a different employee work the cash register and work the back area, walk to/from his vehicle with a co-worker, park in different parking spots or lots, call CPPD if Hamler is being confrontational, having another employee present when Hamler is in The Avenue,” according to a police report.

The 2019 incident, which was not considered criminal, was reported to the University’s Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities and coaching staff.

Hamler did not respond to a request for comment.

Because of privacy laws, Cal Poly does not acknowledge student conduct investigations, said Matt Lazier, Cal Poly’s media relations director.

“Speaking generally, Cal Poly does not tolerate violations of the student code of conduct and treats all reports of student conduct violations seriously,” Lazier said. “The university investigates all such reports to the fullest extent and, where appropriate, applies relevant sanctions.”

Protest Organizer Tianna Arata, Mayor Heidi Harmon, Cal Poly quarterback Jalen Hamler, and another protesters

Following the May 25 death of George Floyd, SLO Mayor Heidi Harmon met with Hamler and Tianna Arata, who later became a local BLM organizer.

Then on June 1, Arata and Hamler participated in a march that turned violent, with protesters throwing rocks and water bottles at officers.

Shortly afterwards, a group of protesters, including Hamler, approached several SLO business owners seeking reparations for boarding up their windows after protesters took to the streets, several business owners said.

During one contentious meeting, Hamler allegedly berated a black woman for not being black enough and accused an Asian woman of supporting white supremacy.

On June 13, “some friends and I met with R.A.C.E Matters SLO affiliates Tianna Arata, Michelle Arata, Xavier Moore and Jalen Hamler,” Tricia Hamachai wrote in a statement to the SLO City Council that was read at a June 16 meeting. “Cal Poly football players Xavier Moore and Jalen Hamler aggressively verbally attacked Abrianna Torres, a young black woman, telling her that ‘some black people aren’t black’ and that ‘black is not the color of your skin, it’s a culture.’ “

On July 21, Hamler and approximately 300 protesters marched onto Highway 101, blocking all lanes in both directions for nearly an hour. While on the highway, Hamler and several other protesters blocked a truck transporting a pregnant woman to the hospital.

Arata and another protester were charged with crimes allegedly committed during that protest.


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I thought this investigation was well done; well after few phone calls, i am not sure anymore.a lot of details were left out and a lot of confidential infos were reported by readers.How did these readers got these personals infos.Very suspicious, what do you think Mr Dow?.Also a lot of hypocrisy; your president is the bully in chief and you go berseck after a 20 years old kid!


To paraphrase Andy Griffith,


“What it was, was FOOTBALL.”


This kid’s going to protest his way out of a college scholarship.


Can’t imagine any school, such as Cal Poly foolish enough to give him a scholarship, would pull it following his illegal actions off campus because you know he’ll go around yelling his scholarship was pulled because he is a person of color. Like Kapernick shouting he is being blackballed because of his kneeling instead of the real reason, he is not that good of a player and not a team player, much like Hamler.


Good investigation.For sure, this guy is a easy target.If he was not active in the blm movement you will be acting like cal poly.

A investigation of

, let say, Dan Dow will take more guts.I forgot,you are afraid of the consequences!


Stay in school.


Very interesting that Cal Poly will come down very heavy on a white student in a Fraternity for dressing as a “black face” during an internal event, but turns a blind eye to this outright thug. This thug is shown to be a thief, intimidate employees of the student store and fellow students, break multiple laws with his involvement in the uncivil protest that threatened the community which included the destruction of private property, potential blackmail of downtown business owner’s, the endangering of multiple lives that included a child and a young women in labor on her way to a hospital. This speaks loudly to the bigotry, intolerance and hateful actions that are allowed by Cal Poly, blm, and all that support them. What poor example they all our to a civil society and equality.


Very good point. Very well said. How about it, Armstrong?


If memory serves me correctly he was a wrestler and he lost his scholarship pronto


So much for “learn by doing.”


As I recall the frat boy who had black makeup on wasn’t pretending to be black at all. He was playing a game whose teams were all different colors and his team was black, so the dingus painted himself with black makeup. His whole upper body was black, wasn’t it?

And didn’t he claim ignorance of what “blackface” was or why it is considered racist?


These protesters harassing everyone is why my wife and I haven’t gone into SLO but once in the past 3 months, and that was to go to Megan’s pot dispensary right after it opened.


With a clown like Hamler as Cal Poly’s QB no wonder why Cal Poly Football sucks so bad.


Not to defend Hamler as a player but the reason Cal Poly has sucked is because the game passed Tim Walsh by many years ago


Are you reading this Stampede Club members! Start talking and stop supporting this nonsense! Definitely won’t be getting my membership renewed


School should hold him accountable under the student athlete code of conduct.


It’s not like Cal Poly is a powerhouse football program. They finished 3-7 and they are a D-2 school. They will never be relevant, so why give any student athlete special privileges.


Expel him and send him home. Sorry, but if you can only get a scholarship playing for a D2 school your not big time.


I agree about holding him accountable and for the record Cal Poly is Division 1 FCS. I agree about CP not being bigtime but a scholarship there basically means a free college education


For the record they play in what was called D2 before they renamed it FCS. They are not eligible for, nor do they play any of the BCS playoffs, or traditional bowl games. They have their own playoff system for these schools.


They are the JV programs compared to BCS schools.


Does that clarify it better for you


FCS is not D2 renamed, it’s a far different beast. D2 still exists and Humbolt State was a good example as is Azusa Pacific. FCS teams have a maximum of 63 scholarships to distribute as opposed to 85 at the FBS level. I’m not sure how many scholarships D2 teams have but I’m sure it’s less than 20.


Let’s all agree that Hamler will not be playing professional football for pay on Sundays in the NFL. I’m sure he won’t finish his degree at cal poly as he probably takes the minimum amount of units and will be short of credits before his 4 years is over from his scholarship.


I’m also quite sure that he is probably majoring in mass communications, liberal studies, or ethnic studies. None of these degrees translate to high paying jobs, but heck maybe RACE Matters SLO, with their fake nonprofit status can give him a job……


I agree we probably won’t see him play on Sundays. He red shirted his freshman year so if he doesn’t blow it and lose his scholarship, he could get his degree in five years. There have been cases like Dano Graves and Joe Protheroe I’m pretty sure those guys were on scholarship 6 years due to injuries and what not. In regard to D2 football I did some research and found out the maximum number of scholarships is 36, as opposed to 63 in FCS.


The players drafted from FCS schools to play in the NFL are rare. The last QB taken was Carson Wentz and he played for the best team from the FCS, not a low level school like Cal Poly. The odds of being one of the 10 best QB’s in all of college football is pretty low. Therefore, his chances at success in life will be based on his education, which he better hope he finishes.


Even if he is lucky to be considered for the NFL the teams do a rigorous background check for character and his antics during this time will be called out.


Character counts Hamler. Everyone has to pay for their deeds, it’s called Karmic Debt


I can’t agree with you more Nick


See above. FCS is D2 renamed. And Cal Poly and Davis should be playing Humboldt State for realistic football fun while focusing on academics. Let Eastern Washington and Montana State mine the inner cities for non-academic talent. Cal Poly should aggressively pursue diversity through academic recruitment.


Not a chance it’s D2 renamed. With 100% acceptance rate add Weber State to the Big Sky schools that comb the inner cities


This arrogance of this child is on full display in some videos. Very rude and entitled individual. He really thinks he is a big shot.


Someone needs to remind him he isn’t playing on a division 1 program. None of those schools wanted him and for good reason.


If he were playing at Alabama or Clemson would his behavior be acceptable? I think not…….


He would have already been cut… ;)


FINNALY I CAN AGREE WITH YOU!

Yes he will have being cut.Cal poly covered his back and this is not right.This school is not diversified at all.They are using a black man ad a tool,they do not realy care about his futur as long as he can play football.