Above: Not everyone wants to attend a meeting in a government building. While the Ad Hoc Committee on Policing and Community Relations group has expressed a sensitivity to different communication styles and a desire to reach a variety of ages and cultures, the meetings thus far have not captured community interest.
By Janine Unsoeld
The Ad Hoc Committee on Policing and Community
Relations met again Monday night, this time at Olympia City Hall.
Their last meeting was September 9 at the Church of
Living Water. About 13 people were in attendance at that meeting.
In order to appear more welcoming, the group paid attention to their physical presence. Without microphones or tables
in front of them, members met in a semi-circle.
Only two members of the public were in attendance:
Jim Johnson, a man who lives near the location of the police officer involved
shooting that occurred on May 21, and Little
Hollywood.
Johnson expressed that he was disappointed with the
continued low turnout at Ad Hoc Committee meetings. He also attended the September 9 meeting. He suggested that an Olympia-style
potluck was in order to bring the community and conversation together to talk
about the Ad Hoc Committee’s goals.
The group continued to discuss the logistics of
their first community forum, which will be held on Saturday, October 10. The
place and time is still to be determined.
Committee member Alejandro Rugarcia said that he is
not able to make the October 10 forum, and expressed a need to know in advance
when future forums might be held.
The group explored several questions to pose to the
public in a large plenary gathering.
The proposed questions for the larger group were:
1. Share
your experiences with the Olympia Police Department;
2. How
can the Olympia Police Department build better understanding and trust with all
people?
Proposed small group discussion questions were:
1. How
can the Olympia Police Department more effectively reach out to
underrepresented people and groups in the community (ethnic or racial
minorities, LGBT, homeless, crime victims, persons arrested or convicted of
crimes)?
2. The
vision of the Olympia Police Department is to provide policing services through
trust and partnership: a. What does that look like to you? b. How can the
Olympia Police Department better meet your expectations for an ideal
department?
3. How
can we help community members feel safe when interacting with the Olympia Police?
How can we build trust and what are the barriers to trust?
Lt. Aaron Jelcick, an ex-officio member of the Ad
Hoc Committee said there’s value in the whole group conversation and was not in
favor of breaking up into small groups.
Ad-Hoc Committee member Clinton Petty said that the group is ignoring the
young members of our community and expressed a strong desire to explore
Washington State’s law about the use of excessive force.
“Something has got to be done about changing
portions of this law,” said Petty.
Group co-chair Reiko Callner gave an overview of the
law and suggested that the community may need a citizen’s law and policy forum about why it is difficult to bring
criminal charges against a police officer in Washington State.
Group co-chair Curt Pavola distributed a draft list
of who the city needs to engage in the conversation.
The group is expected to report to the Olympia City
Council on October 20 with its progress.
The next Ad-Hoc Committee meeting day, time and
location was not set.
Above: Several broken windows at Olympia City Hall will cost at least $10,000 - $15,000 to replace.
Assault
and Property Damage to City Hall
On Saturday evening, September 5, around 7:00 p.m.
– 7:30 p.m., a group of individuals dressed in dark clothing near Percival
Landing carried bats and golf clubs. Their faces covered with scarves, they
marched through Fourth Avenue.
In an interview last Thursday with Olympia Police
Department Lt. Aaron Jelcick, Jelcick said the police
diverted traffic around State and Cherry, where a peaceful group was
gathered.
The first group grew to about 50-60 people and converged
on a man on a motorcycle with a Confederate Flag. The police received numerous
911 calls of the man being beaten and the situation became a riot. The man was
taken to St. Peter’s Hospital where he was treated.
No one was arrested. The police are asking for help
to identify the suspects, and can call (360) 753-8300 or Crimestoppers at
1-800-222-TIPS with any information.
“As we were responding to the assault, the same
group continued on Fourth Avenue to City Hall. We were within a half block (of
City Hall) but couldn’t prevent the damage. We used pepper ball guns and other
impact weapons to quickly disperse the crowd….A lot of people don’t understand
police tactics – we don’t just run into a crowd. It has to be
organized…otherwise we put everyone at risk,” said Lt. Jelcick.
The damage to the windows at City Hall, which also houses the Olympia Police Department, is estimated to be between
$10,000 - $15,000 dollars, said Lt. Jelcick.
City manager Steve Hall confirmed
tonight that the cost will be at least that much because the windows are not
standard, and replacements will need to be custom made.
Above: Broken windows at Olympia City Hall, which also houses the Olympia Police Department, as seen late last week, will take time to replace.
Upcoming
Events:
An Olympia Town Hall meeting on policing will be
held Wednesday, October 14, 7:00 p.m., Traditions Café, on the corner of 5th
and Water Street.
Several organizations involved in policing issues
have been invited to participate including the YWCA, Students for Unity &
Racial Justice (SURJ), Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), Media Island,
Justice Not Jails coalition, Interfaith Works, Cop Watch, and the Ad Hoc
Committee on Policing and Community Relations.
Several Ad-Hoc Committee members said they may be in
attendance.
