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 suppose he could use the “Tianna Arata defense”; he didn’t know his thievery and witness/victim intimidation was against the law. /sarc


Talk about Privledge, geesh!


Is he a good example for other black, white or others? Sure not a good example for others to follow.


Thank you for reporting this story. To be bullied is never okay and this also appears to be work place harassment which also is never okay. Cal Poly and many other universities give preferential treatment to athletes and this appears to be the case in this story. As the saying goes, follow the money as athletic programs and events generate revenue and donors.


This story is about non-white privilege and racist Progressivism.


How is being Progressive racist? How is it that the real national threat is Extreme Right Wing Ideology; many racist, said Trumps head of FBI?


The simple answer to how being progressive is racist….read prop 16


Sorry kevin,not non white privileges,but white privileges.

The white privilege to accept a young black man to use as a tool

for the team.

It will have bein better to accept him on his merrit.


Since when is repeat theft, harrassment, and intimidation OK?


Why is he being given a pass?


P.S. He isn’t a “kid”, he is a young adult.”Reparations” sounds like attempted extortion to me.


I’m wondering why this is a story too? Is it just to make this kid look bad? Maybe its his influence that has triggered Tiana to act out for viciously? Was she even anywhere near the freeway when it turned violent? Or was that Hamler?


He doesn’t need this story to make him look bad; he does that perfectly well by his own behavior.


This is an article written and published by a working adult about a college student stealing bottled sodas and being rude.


Time out. Time way out. This is more than just a college student “being rude.” Staff developed a specific policy on how to react when this guy showed up???


Reread the story:


“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.”


Ok. I re-read the article about college students being rude and disrespectful. I still didn’t find any part about why we care. I’m pretty sure you want me to care so that you can attach this incredibly labored criticism to the Black Lives Matter movement. And if that’s your point, then just say that. “I also don’t like Black Lives Matter because this one college student is rude.” Which isn’t really a good argument but at least it’s clear and would be much easier than the amount of effort you’re putting into feigning outrage about this.


I support BLM, but thanks for reducing me to a stereotype. I think it’s a legitimate story for the staff of the campus dining area to be so concerned about behavior by the football quarterback that they considered options as to how to respond. I don’t care if the kid is black or white, but he is a public figure and should act accordingly. If he doesn’t, then call him out.


If you think this is a “legitimate story” about a “public figure” without the last 237 words of this story reminding us of his association with Black Lives Matter then I think you’re either naive or lying.


He is a scholarship athlete at Cal Poly, meaning I’m helping to paying for his tuition. He’s the QB of the team, a public figure. It’s enough of an incident that campus police are involved. It’s enough of an incident that staff has to strategize about how to handle this punk.


Velie is doing this kid a big favor by reporting this. Maybe he’ll learn a thing or two about maturity.


Nope. The general fund doesn’t go toward athletic scholarships. You’ll have to manufacture another reason to be concerned about this.


He’s a scumbag and his BLM friends are scumbags.


There it is! See, that was much easier to say and you didn’t have to act like you actually care about the politics of a Cal Poly cafeteria. “BLM are scumbags” is the honest message this piece was looking for.


Yup. and I’ll bet the wife and family of the BLACK Louisville police officer shot last night agrees with Kevin Rice.


Take the last part out, if you wish. But rest assured: any other other student would not have received this treatment. That’s a pretty good story. When Poly admin makes a decision, you can be certain it’s the wrong one.


Nope, public university, paid for primarily with tax dollars, in 2002 approximately 80 percent funded by tax dollars.


Why are you defending him in light of the overwhelming evidence of his egregious behavior both on and off campus?


Unless you have a very successful football program (mainly large D1 schools), funding for athletic scholarships comes from multiple sources including state government (taxpayers).


I don’t have to manufacture anything. This supposed student “a leader,” a local public figure, is acting like a bully. And my tax dollars do go to support Cal Poly and it ripples down to this punk kid to some degree. But go on and keep defending him. One day, he’ll end up in serious trouble. Wreck his car. Force a woman into sex. All because of his unchecked privilege.


The title of the article really is about CalPoly minimizing bad behavior of their star athlete. Nothing to see here folks, because we’ve invested money in him. So, it’s about an entitled CalPoly quarterback (who’s an adult of voting age) on scholarship that’s a petty thief, a condescending bully in the food court, that attempted BLM extorsion from SLO business owners after the Chamber of Commerce suggested protecting their businesses with plywood. And his parents are probably appalled that their kid that they sacrificed for to send him to a university to be a role model is turning out to be a thug.


It’s actually a story about this guy using his student-athlete privilege to steal and bully.


Anyone who defends a bully is himself a bully. Bad behavior needs to be called out period. Certainly you can find someone more worthwhile to spend your time defending.


It’s all good as this kid is just a part of the growing lawlessness in the Country.


Nothing to see here….


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