WARREN Forum to target police issues

The symposium will be at 6 p.m. next Thursday at Harding High School.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The ongoing allegations of excessive force and racism against the city police department will be discussed at a symposium designed to inform the public about the state of the black community.
Sponsored by U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan and local leaders, the symposium will be at 6 p.m. next Thursday at Harding High School.
"We are going to be discussing a number of issues including, economics, social justice, education, spirituality and political action," Ryan said Wednesday after a press conference at Trumbull Metropolitan Housing Authority.
"The issues going on with the city police department will be talked about -- they need to be talked about."
The congressman said he did not know if he will ask the U.S. Justice Department to look into the allegations.
"I'm talking to some folks about it," Ryan said. "I don't know if this is something that is able to be handled within the department or if an outside agency needs to come in."
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Several local leaders, including Tom Conley of the Warren-Trumbull Urban League, want the justice department to look into allegations that some officers assigned to patrol the TMHA neighborhoods may have been strip-searching people stopped for traffic violations.
"The police situation is absolutely going to be talked about during Thursday's meeting," Conley said.
Don Emerson, director of TMHA, agreed the police issue is important but said he wants to make sure other topics are also discussed.
"All the issues need to be discussed because they are all important," Emerson said. "I want to stress that this is free and open to the public."
Emerson; Conley; Steve Arnold, basketball coach at Harding High School; Vince Peterson, a probation officer with Trumbull County; local school superintendents; and a few professors from Youngstown State University are expected to speak.
An employee in Ryan's office, Will Harris, came up with the idea to the hold the symposium, the congressman said.
sinkovich@vindy.com