Police are hot-button topic at city forum

The U.S. district attorney attended to learn about the community's concerns.
& lt;a href=mailto:sinkovich@vindy.com & gt;By PEGGY SINKOVICH & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Improving the relationship between the city's police department and minorities will take training and require respect, participants in a community forum said.
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, asked more than a dozen minority leaders to sit on a panel Thursday evening at Warren G. Harding High School and discuss issues that concern blacks.
Topics ranged from economic development to education, but the crowd of more than 100 appeared most vocal when the discussions began about the city police department.
"Those in law enforcement have to become a people person and learn how to deal with the black man," said Vince Peterson, a Trumbull County probation officer. "They need to know how to keep a situation from escalating and the public needs to know how to deal with a police officer. Both parties have to come together."
Comments about the need for new city police leadership were met by loud applause.
"Our department has grabbed national attention, our police chief has grabbed national attention -- and it's not good," said Tom Conley, a member of the panel and president of the Warren-Trumbull Urban League. "We have many good police officers but we need a change in leadership. The U.S. Department of Justice needs to come in and look at this department. If there is nothing wrong, then there is nothing to fear."
Attending the forum
The forum, which lasted more than three hours, was attended by local and federal officials, including U.S. District Attorney Greg White and two assistant district attorneys, David Sierlija and Craig Morford.
"The congressman invited us to attend, and I'm very interested in learning the concerns of the community," White said.
Since June, half a dozen people have alleged excessive force by the police department. The congressman has said he did not know if he will ask the justice department to look into the allegations.
Among the complainants is Lyndal Kimble, whose arrest was videotaped by a neighbor and has been shown on national and local television.
The police department and the city law department are investigating if police violated the law when people who were arrested on traffic charges were strip-searched. Three people who say they were illegally strip-searched have filed federal lawsuits.
Because the suits are pending, the law department has advised the administration not to discipline any officers, said Greg Hicks, city law director. Two of the strip-search lawsuits have been settled, but details of the settlements have not been released.
Trumbull County prosecutors say strip searches should be done only in certain cases, and a list of procedures -- including, in many cases, getting a search warrant -- must be followed.
Detective Jeff Cole, of the city police department and a member of the panel, said the recent allegations have not affected the way he does his job.
"I continue to treat everyone with respect," Cole said. "There are some very, very, good officers on that department, and we don't do our jobs based on what others may do. I try to be responsible."
Cole and Steve Arnold, head basketball coach at Harding, said they believe that some police officers do take part in racial profiling. Both said they were pulled over by different law enforcement agencies.
Suggested legislation
Conley suggested that city council members pass legislation banning racial profiling by police.
The panel also spent time discussing economic development and encouraged all in attendance to visit minority-owned businesses.
"We have to help out and go to these places," Peterson said. "Don't listen to what someone else may say about a place, go find out for yourself. Also, go and learn, find out how someone became successful, find out how you can do it."
& lt;a href=mailto:sinkovich@vindy.com & gt;sinkovich@vindy.com & lt;/a & gt;