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Location
300 Monroe Avenue
Floor 9
Concerned citizen addresses city commissioners on December 2 at City Hall /Eric Tank
Last week concerned citizens gathered at City Hall for the City Commission meeting to address the LINC Community Revitalization proposal to enact public policy that would require patrol officers to wear body cameras.
Darel Ross, Co-Executive Director of LINC, took to the podium to address City Commissioners. The issue comes after white police officer Darren Wilson of Ferguson, Missouri shot and killed unarmed black teenager Michael Brown this August. The incident sparked protests in Ferguson and has sparked international conversations regarding racial profiling and institutional racism inherent in American law enforcment.
The Grand Jury exonerated Wilson from possible indictment just days before Thanksgiving, followed by another "no indictment" decision by a Grand Jury in the case of Eric Gardner, who died after an illegal chokehold was performed on him by a New York City police officer. These and other recent events have propelled protests and conversation about race relations in America. On both a national and local scale, organizations and government officials are looking for solutions. Both nationally and locally, one of the proposed solutions is the use of bodycams on police officers.
President Obama last week announced a proposal for more than $600,000 in funding to be allocated to towards body cameras and police training that would be matched by state and city funds.
The City Commission voted last week to add the item to the agenda for a formal public hearing to take place on December 16.
This hearing is open to the public and anyone wishing to weigh in on the issue.
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