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Area blacks said national cop shootings make them fear police
YOUNGSTOWN
The Public Square townhouse meeting brought together members of the black community and local law enforcement to seek solutions to community violence and ways to work together to prevent incidents like the police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson. Mo.
The fear in the black community is real, said the Rev. M. Mike McNair, co-publisher with his wife, Linda, of the Buckeye Review, who sponsored The Public Square Tuesday at Mount Gilead Baptist Church on Hillman Street.
“We’re talking about our families and children and the policies and legislation that affects them,” said the Rev. Mr. McNair to the 30-plus people who attended.
Representing law enforcement were Youngstown Police Chief Robin Lees and Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene.
There needs to be a place where the agenda is empowerment of black people, Mr. McNair said.
“We can no longer allow others to speak for us. We must speak for ourselves. The country is riveted by violence against African-Americans by police and, subsequently, no charges, which is the law saying it’s OK,” he said.
Audience members asked what training police in Youngstown and Mahoning County have to enable them to deal with blacks with sensitivity.
“Our officers deal with minorities with professionalism and through training that deals with diversity,” said Lees.
“We conduct annual training that focuses on problems we have encountered and situations that might occur,” the Youngstown police chief said.
Lees said he has been to numerous forums and community meetings and believes that anything that engages the community and law enforcement is positive, he said.
Also, Lees noted, the Youngstown Police Department has a record of conducting this type of training and community engagement before the Ferguson shooting occurred.
Greene said the shooting in Chicago is “appalling,” and he doesn’t blame people for being upset.
But, he said, when police feel their lives are in danger, sometimes having transparency and a good relationship with the community helps defuse situations.
“I believe our agency is going in the right direction,” Greene said.
Greene and Lees were quizzed about how many minorities work in their respective agencies.
Greene said 15.2 percent of his 242 employees are minority, of which 13 to 14 percent are black.
He said he has hired 51 deputies during the last three years, 10 of whom are minorities, including eight blacks.
Lees said there are 31 minority officers in the Youngstown Police Department, including 16 who are female.
Also, he said: “We are actively recruiting minorities.
When asked by Rev. McNair about “hot tempered” officers, Lees said there are very few complaints about overly aggressive enforcement.
“For us to know about such incidents, they have to be reported. Most discipline is handled internally,” he said.
Lees said he would want to know the structure and authority of a citizens review board before he would give an opinion on it.
“I’m not totally opposed to it,” but he said the idea should go through city council.
Also discussed is what someone should do when stopped by police.
They should stop, comply with police orders and keep their hands in view, Lees said.
Officers often have very little information about what they are responding to, and assess the situation from training and past experience and are there to solve the problem and move on to the next call.
There is not a lot of time to connect with the community, he said.
Greene said being out and being seen at events like The Public Square helps law enforcement connect with the community.