State Closes Three Downtown Olympia Restrooms

Above: The Washington State Department of Enterprise Services has temporarily closed, day and night, three downtown Olympia area restrooms. Wheelchair accessible portables have been set up near each restroom. This portable restroom near Heritage Park is located near Olympia Supply on Water Street and Columbia Street.

By Janine Gates

http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Calling it a night of mourning, Just Housing activists and community members gathered at the now closed Heritage Park restrooms on Water Street Tuesday evening.

According to a press release issued on Tuesday afternoon by the state Department of Enterprise Services, restrooms at three Capitol Campus locations at Heritage and Marathon parks and the Interpretive Center, are now closed day and night.

The temporary closure follows three days of incidents at the Heritage Park restroom on Water Street in downtown Olympia.

“Enterprise Services is closing the restrooms because the actions taking place over the last three days create significant risk to the community and those responsible for the care and custody of the Capitol Campus, and do not support a productive path to come together and resolve the issue.

“Enterprise Services staff had hoped to focus on constructive dialogue at the park Monday evening and through the week, and to achieve a two-week pause in the protests to have community meetings and seek solutions.

“The bathrooms will be closed temporarily until Enterprise Services can productively pursue a collaborative solution with community groups, the City of Olympia and others,” says the release.

Portable bathrooms compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as hand washing stations have been placed at Heritage Park near Seventh and Columbia streets and at Marathon Park adjacent to the regular bathroom.

Above: Renata Rollins lights a candle at a gathering Tuesday night in front of the now closed Heritage Park restrooms in downtown Olympia.

A quiet group of about 35 community members, including children, met Tuesday night outside the closed restrooms to discuss the week’s actions, lessons learned, and the decision by the state to close the restrooms.

The group was somber as they listened to Renata Rollins and Tye Gundel each explain why they co-founded the Just Housing group last spring. As community outreach workers, they became discouraged while turning people away from needed services because they were not available.

The lack of options weighed heavily on them and they decided to explore other options, speak the truth, build relationships, and take direct action.

Gundel said Just Housing activists underestimated how state and city law enforcement would respond to what was intended to be a one night, symbolic action that would demonstrate what a 24 hour access bathroom would look like.

She participated in civil disobedience and was one of the four arrested Monday night. She said she didn’t originally expect to do that, but gained strength to do so by thinking of the personal conversations she has had in the last three years helping people work through the social service network. She felt that what she was doing was right.

“…Those people have changed my life, and the way I see the world….it was their words and their courage that I was thinking about that gave me a lot of strength, and gave me a lot of peace and a lot of certainty about what we’re doing here. I never doubted that ….”

She said she was saddened by the state’s decision to shut down the state controlled restrooms in the city as a result of their actions.

“This has never been just about bathrooms for the last three days. It’s about basic dignity, this is about humanity, love, for people that have been shown day in and day out and told day in and day out that they don’t deserve that.…and to show them that there are those in the community who are willing to stand by those who have been pushed to the outside of our society….”

Gundel said that the closure of the restrooms punishes the people they most wanted to help.

“…A lot of us are really torn about what we could have done differently to make sure that didn’t happen…. Maybe some things could have been done differently....It’s a really big burden to bear, but that’s on them...they made that choice….We’re here to contrast that….punishment with community and love and coming together….we’re going to come together stronger and I’ve never had more faith in a community to be creative and come up with responses to help people when they need to the most. I’m excited to see what we’ll do….”

To hear all the speakers Tuesday evening, including Rabbah Rona Matlow,  go to http://justhousingoly.tumblr.com/post/154751419786/122016-just-housing-night-of-mourning-for-closed

Matlow said she visited with Tony Aitken, Enterprise Services program manager for state capitol visitor services, to see what she could do to help on Monday morning.

A retired Lieutenant Commander with 22 years in the Navy, Matlow wore a coat with military medals on her lapel. Matlow, now a transgender woman and Jewish pastoral counselor, offers veteran and LGBTQ+ support.

She said she wears her medals to show that even mainstream people are concerned about significant social issues. She is hoping to organize an interjurisdictional, interfaith homelessness task force with state, city and local community leaders.

Just Housing activist Jeff Thomas listed recent successes with homelessness issues and said he spoke with City of Olympia city manager Steve Hall a few weeks ago, who had proposed to the state that the city rent out the Heritage Park restrooms.

According to Thomas, the state said the city would have to pay for an all-night State Patrol agent, making the idea a “no-go.”  Still, Thomas said he is cautiously optimistic.

“We are going to get bathrooms soon, one way or another.”

Above: The portable at Marathon Park on Deschutes Parkway is near the closed restrooms.

Olympia Protesters Demand 24 Hour Restroom Access

Interfaith Works receives temporary use permit, opens warming center

Above: A lot of people have to go to the restroom after 7:00 p.m. Washington State Patrol Captain John Broome speaks with protesters outside the men’s restroom at Heritage Park on Water Street in downtown Olympia Monday night. Protesters are demanding 24 hour restroom access. Some participated in civil disobedience and successfully held the restroom open until 8:41 p.m. There were four arrests.

By Janine Gates

http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

A woman was hit on her right side at close range by a pepper ball shot by an Olympia Police Department officer Monday night. She said the officer aimed right at her. She has a welt.

“Over a bathroom protest. It’s BS,” she told Little Hollywood later that night, admitting she was in the way of the men’s restroom door. Another person was also reportedly hit with a pepper ball.

For the third night in a row, about 25 protesters successfully kept the restrooms open at Heritage Park on Water Street in downtown Olympia past the time it was scheduled to be closed. Several supporters stood nearby.

Like previous evenings, Washington State Department of Enterprise Services staff arrived at closing time, 7:00 p.m., to lock the doors, forcing those needing access, such as the homeless, to pee and defecate in alleys and bushes in and around downtown Olympia. 

Protesters occupied the restrooms.

The Washington State Patrol and Olympia Police Department arrived. After warnings to clear the area, four were arrested in acts of civil disobedience. The men’s restroom was locked at 8:41 p.m.

Above: Olympia Police Department officers, armed with pepper ball guns, assist Washington State Patrol officers at the Heritage Park restrooms on Monday night about 8:35 p.m.

An Olympia area group called Just Housing has been advocating for justice in housing issues. 

The group wants the city to designate suitable public property for a legal tent encampment and to repeal laws that criminalize homelessness.

Most urgently, because everyone has to pee and poop, the group demands that the city and state open its public restrooms for 24 hour, seven days a week access. The homeless in particular have nowhere to go at night, every night.

The group has met with city staff and councilmembers for the last couple of months. 

On Saturday night, the Heritage Park restroom was open until about 7:35 p.m. and there was one arrest. The Thurston County Sheriff’s Department participated with the WSP and OPD that evening.

The men's restroom stayed open a full two hours past the time it was scheduled to be closed on Sunday night and there were no arrests.

For the last three evenings, community outreach worker and Just Housing advocate Renata Rollins has become an engaging citizen reporter, covering the events on Facebook Live, providing constant commentary and explanations for what the viewer is seeing and hearing.

Apparently without watching any of her online video, The Olympian newspaper and a Seattle television station reported that on Sunday evening, officers were locked in the restrooms, as if trapped by protesters. It was fake news.

Anyone present or watching the video live could see that the officers closed and locked the doors themselves to speak to the protesters inside and keep other protesters from entering.

“The Olympia city council has been debating public restrooms downtown for four years with no results yet....We have people sleeping outside in cold and isolation, and the authorities haven’t even been able to get us a bathroom. How are we going to solve the real problems our community faces?” Rollins said on Sunday.

Rollins said members of Just Housing had a meeting Monday afternoon with Washington State Department of Enterprise Services deputy director Bob Covington and other staff. He asked for time to come up with a “workable plan.” 

When asked how long, the response was two weeks, said Rollins.

“They wanted us to stop the protests and sit ins. I told him (Covington) that there are people really fired up and angry about this, especially after the outrageous escalated police response on Saturday night. Even if I’m not organizing people, people are going to be showing up,” she said.

Protesters chanted, “An injury to one is an injury to all – open up the bathroom stall!” and “Why are we here tonight? Bathrooms are a human right!” and “Same time, same place, same time, same place,” as they dispersed Monday evening.

Just Housing welcomes anyone of goodwill to attend their meetings on Mondays from 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at United Churches, 110 11th Avenue SE, in downtown Olympia, including the next two Mondays - no holiday break.

Above: No footsteps in the snow here. The restroom near the LOTT Clean Water Alliance and the Hands On Children’s Museum is just one of eight public restrooms in downtown Olympia. It is closed day and night due to problems with excessive drug paraphernalia, and is only open from May through September and for special events.

In related news, Interfaith Works received a temporary use permit to open a daytime winter warming center at 408 Olympia Avenue NE and opened on Monday. 

It served nearly 190 individuals when Little Hollywood stopped by at 4:30 p.m., a half hour before closing. The spacious building contains two restrooms inside, and two port-a-potties outside, which are locked at 5:00 p.m.

Guests were quietly resting, sleeping on mats, drinking hot coffee, and watching “Pirates of the Caribbean.” 

For more information about the lack of 24/7 public restrooms in downtown Olympia, go to “Public Restroom Realities in Olympia: Challenges to a Human Need, a Human Right,” at http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2014/02/public-restroom-realities-in-olympia.html or type key words in the search button at Little Hollywood, or go to the City of Olympia website for current conversations.

For more information about the Interfaith Works warming center, go to Little Hollywood, http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2016/12/downtown-­olympia­winter-­warming­-center.html

Law Enforcement Answers Rail Blockade Questions

Above: Multi-jurisdictional law enforcement wait just before their advancement on the camp that blockaded Union Pacific tracks in the early morning hours of November 18 in downtown Olympia. 

City Manager Steve Hall on Blockade, Port, City Communications

By Janine Gates

Little Hollywood

http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Little Hollywood has reached out to several entities involved with the November 18 raid on the rail blockade of Union Pacific tracks in downtown Olympia to get answers to lingering questions about the event.

By no means does the information gathered answer all questions, but it provides more information than has been offered in Port of Olympia or City of Olympia public meetings.

The rail blockade, begun by direct action activists in downtown Olympia on November 11, was in response to the Port of Olympia’s contract with Rainbow Ceramics and in solidarity with water protectors at Standing Rock. 

The Port of Olympia receives ships loaded with ceramic proppants, and transfers the cargo to trains bound for North Dakota or Wyoming. Ceramic proppants are used in the process of hydraulic fracking for gas and oil extraction.

As the week unfolded, new supporters joined the cause, creating a new group that collectively evolved and communicated with local officials in various capacities.

The blockade was broken up in the early morning hours of November 18 by a currently unknown number of Union Pacific special agents, the Washington State Patrol (WSP), Thurston County Sheriff’s Department, and the Olympia Police Department (OPD), with assistance from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department.

Washington State Patrol

According to Kyle Moore, government media relations staff for the Washington State Patrol, 23 troopers were involved in the November 18 operation. Troopers acted as observers, pilots and provided perimeter security.  

According to OPD, the Washington State Patrol also protected the train’s engineer, conductor, and the train as it left Olympia.

The Washington State Patrol used a Cessna aircraft to provide an aerial view of the demonstration to officers on the ground, which accounts for that persistent droning sound of small aircraft seen and heard frequently above downtown Olympia that week.   

Moore said that the total cost of the rail blockade, for both regular time and overtime, is $9,336.00.

Above: Thurston County Sheriff's Department officers participated in the escort of the Union Pacific train out of downtown Olympia on November 18.

Thurston County Sheriff’s Department

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Department was asked similar questions.

“We responded to the rail blockage under the umbrella of mutual aid, requested by Olympia Police Department. There were approximately 19 law enforcement officials from our agency that responded. Our role was to provide scene security for Union Pacific police. I am not certain of the final cost,” said Carla Carter, public information officer for the Thurston County Sheriff’s Department last week.

Olympia Police Department

Olympia Police Department Lieutenants Paul Lower and Aaron Jelcick each answered Little Hollywood’s questions through email and in telephone interviews.

According to OPD, Union Pacific railroad special agents were in the lead, and in charge of the “clean-up” operation the morning of November 18.

A total of 46 OPD officers were present in different capacities.

Seven OPD sergeants were present, who oversaw the arrest team and conducted crowd control. Seven officers conducted traffic control and roved around the area in case marchers or protesters interfered with traffic. Two officers videotaped the process of arresting protesters and of alleged property damage. 

A still unknown number of officers were at the scene outside the Fish Tale Ale. Lt. Jelcick said that was a dynamic situation.

Above: At least 17 officers formed a line to prevent fewer than 15 protesters from being near the original blockade site. OPD says that some officers stayed inside and outside the perimeter to provide security for Union Pacific special agents as they cleared the tracks.

OPD used a pepper ball gun on protesters when the arrests started and when protesters starting climbing on moving vehicles. 

Pepper ball guns deploy a small plastic capsule that contains a little powder, an irritant, called capsaicin. When aimed at the ground, the capsule is broken open and a puff of pepper spray is released, causing people to move away.

Lt. Jelcick said he does not yet know how many capsules were used. The pepper ball gun can be used against people directly.

“It is the safest, lowest level crowd control option we have,” said Jelcick.

OPD also used flash bang grenades and threw three of them toward protesters outside the Fish Tale Ale to move them back off the tracks. The ones used were inert, says Lt. Jelcick, although he says the department does have the type of flash bang grenades that contain rubber bullets that go in all directions when used.

Lt. Jelcick says the department does not have or use tear gas.

Lt. Jelcick said two Lewis County Sheriff’s Department corrections officers assisted with transport of those arrested, and provided a vehicle for that purpose.

He said the Olympia Police Department did not videotape protesters or their camp prior to the raid.

A final cost for the operation has not yet been provided.

Olympia City Manager Steve Hall also answered more of Little Hollywood’s questions on December 9:

Little Hollywood: Where the protesters were camping, Olympia Stand says is “public land.” Is that true?  

Hall: No. It is public right of way. Any camping within right of way is not permitted. Could someone pitch a tent on Plum Street, which is right of way?  No. The same is true for the railroad tracks and blocking railroad trains.

For example, Olympia City Hall and Olympia Fire Department stations are public property, but a citizen cannot pitch a tent and camp in or on City Hall or Fire Department property. The demonstrators were asked to leave so that the railroad police could clear the adjacent tracks. Many left on their own - those who did not were arrested. I don’t know what charges were filed.

Little Hollywood: What was the city's position was for letting the protesters be there? 

Hall: The City did not direct the protestors to the land upon which they pitched tents and camped. The City attempted to resolve the protest peacefully and OPD warned the protestors that they had to leave or be subject to arrest.  Many chose to leave. The few who did not leave were subsequently arrested.

Little Hollywood: Are there any communications protocol currently in place that informs the city when hazardous cargo, such as the ceramic proppants, is running through the City of Olympia? 

Hall: It is my understanding that proppants are not considered hazardous cargo. They are ceramic coated sand or silica. They may be controversial, which is different than hazardous. I believe federal law dictates requirements if railroads carry hazardous cargoes such as chlorine but I don’t know what obligations they have to advise cities along the route.

Little Hollywood: I remember attending a joint city council-port meeting at was then the Phoenix Inn years ago. That was great. When was the last such joint meeting? 

Hall: Our last joint meeting with the Port was June 21, 2016. Items on the agenda were shared successes, sea level rise, the Downtown Strategy and the Nisqually Canoe journey. A variety of other minor issues were mentioned but I don’t recall if any mention was made of marine terminal cargo.

Little Hollywood: Have you and (port executive director) Ed Galligan sat down to discuss anything as suggested by Commissioner Downing in a recent port meeting? 

Hall: Ed and I have talked several times about a productive conversation(s) around this issue. At this time I don’t think a big formal meeting in a fishbowl would be productive. No council/commission meetings have been scheduled at this time.

Questions to Port, Rainbow Ceramics Asked, Still Unanswered

The Port of Olympia and Rainbow Ceramics have yet to respond to some of Little Hollywood’s questions regarding the disclosure of future shipments by rail. Questions were sent to Port of Olympia executive director Ed Galligan on November 30 and resent December 6. Other questions were submitted to the port's public records officer.

A representative of Rainbow Ceramics in Houston requested that I submit questions in writing, as she was unable to answer questions. She said she would submit the questions to their legal department. Little Hollywood did so on December 1 and awaits a response.

For more photos and information about the rail blockade, Olympia Stand, Olympia Police Department, Chief Roberts’ statement against ceramic proppants, the Port of Olympia, Ed Galligan, Rainbow Ceramics, and ceramic proppants, go to Little Hollywood, http://janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com and type key words into the search button.

City Committee Holds Final Forum on Body Cameras

Above: The Ad Hoc Committee on Police and Community Relations held its final community forum on Thursday night, this one on the topic of body cameras, at Olympia City Hall. The group has held five forums, each reaching out to different segments of the community to discuss local police issues. It is expected to end its work in April.

By Janine Gates

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Will police worn body cameras help develop community trust and transparency? Or will they add more problems than solutions?

Those were just two of many questions for the Ad Hoc Committee on Police and Community Relations as it held its final forum Thursday night at Olympia City Hall. About 40 people were in attendance, which included committee members and city staff. Olympia Councilmember Nathaniel Jones observed the forum in its entirety.

The city presentation by Laura Wohl, administrative services division manager for the Olympia Police Department was a re-run of the presentation provided to committee members on January 27.

See Little Hollywood’s January 28 story about that meeting at www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2016/01/olympia-police-worn-body-camera.html.

Wohl has spent the last five years studying the topic for the department and provided an overview of the policy issues and costs regarding the technology. The estimated annual cost for the program would be about $472,000, a conservative figure, she said.

Police worn body camera recordings are currently public records subject to the state Public Records Act and present a whole host of privacy issues, especially for juveniles, crime victims, and witnesses to crimes.

As anticipated, by the time staff finished their presentation, community members were weary.

Despite the best efforts of Reiko Callner, co-chair of the Ad Hoc Committee and a former City of Olympia prosecutor, the group struggled to understand and adhere to her line of questioning to only discuss developing a process to receive input about issues related to police body worn cameras.

The word “process” was bolded seven times on the agenda.

Some new faces left without speaking, and those that did stay were not united in the city’s stated commitment to use police worn body cameras. The city has stated in part that it intends to move forward with police worn body cameras when it develops plans, policies and revenues that will ensure the program is successful.

“After listening to what was presented, what is the bottom line, and what is the best way to get to it? Maybe it isn’t body cameras…we should think about what are other ways to develop trust and transparency. Body cameras may not be the solution. Let’s rethink this….” urged Charlotte Petty, pastor of Risen Faith Church.

Nevertheless, seven pages of questions and ideas were generated on an easel pad about how to reach the most marginalized people who should be included in the process, whatever that process is: 

Working through advocates and organizations, speak with people who have cases in court, victims of crime, people who perpetrate crime due to addiction, and those who live in apartments. Using volunteer resources, reach people where they already gather such as neighborhood associations, schools, libraries, bus stops, Capital Mall, the senior center, and hospitals.

In general, the group asked the committee to table a deeper discussion on the issue of body cameras until a process is best identified to capture the entire community.

One forum participant was Tom Nogler, a retired mental health counselor, and volunteer with COPWATCH, a local advocacy group that meets to give support to people who have had encounters with the police. A volunteer is available to listen and write up a narrative of the experience at Traditions on Thursdays from 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

A couple of months ago, Nogler said about 30 participants came together to discuss what they would like to see in local community policing. Police worn body cameras did not come up.

“Nobody brought that out as an idea because body cameras are just a small piece of the picture. It’s not like once we get them, peace and justice will prevail,” he said.

What was on their list was the creation of a citizen’s bill of rights, activism on judicial issues, voter initiatives and legislation, empowering people to take a stand on police misconduct, restorative justice, watching court cases needing support, and the creation of an independent citizen’s review board.

Some asked the City of Olympia to take a position on ESHB 2908, a bill that would create a joint legislative task force to review current state laws, practices and policies regarding the use of deadly force by law enforcement. That bill passed out of the Washington State House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon and is now in the Senate. 

The bill is scheduled for a hearing Tuesday, February 23, 2016 at 8:00 a.m. in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice, Senate Hearing Room 4, Cherberg Building.

A bill that the City of Olympia did support but did not make it out of Rules would exempt police worn body camera recordings to the extent they violate someone’s right to privacy. See Little Hollywood’s January 28 story about that legislation at www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com/2016/01/hb-2362-police-body-camera-legislation.html

Olympia Police Department Lieutenant Aaron Jelcick said that each community needs to tailor its process to meet community expectations for openness, transparency and inclusiveness.

He said that according to the U.S. Department of Justice, 17,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States are using body cameras in some form.

Twelve law enforcement agencies in Washington State are currently using or have tried using body cameras, but some have dropped out. The agencies that did not do community outreach, such as the Poulsbo, Bremerton, and Pullman police departments, have had to modify their procedures several times to meet community and law enforcement expectations.

“Body camera videos are not like an episode of COPS where you can see and hear everything clearly,” he said.

One woman said that body cameras are just one tool for community policing.

“In our culture, we like quick fixes…but we have to develop relationships,” she said.

The Ad Hoc Committee has two more meetings, and then will tentatively report its findings on its work to the city council on April 12, 5:30 p.m. at Olympia City Hall.

For more information about the committee, go to www.olympiawa.gov

For past stories about the Ad Hoc Committee, the Olympia Police Department, community policing issues, body cameras, ESHB 2907, HB 2907, Scott Yoos, Andre Thompson and Bryson Chaplin, and the Black Alliance of Thurston County, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com, and type key words into the search button.

To track state legislation, go to www.leg.wa.gov - Hearings are subject to change without much notice. 

Black Alliance of Thurston County Has Message

Above: Karen Johnson of Olympia is spearheading the Black Alliance of Thurston County.

by Janine Unsoeld

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Many individuals and community groups are working harder than ever on issues and conversations about race, racism and police issues ever since the Olympia police officer involved shooting of two young African American men on May 21.

An Olympia Police Department shooting review board issued its conclusion earlier this week that no policies had been violated by Officer Ryan Donald during the incident. Olympia Police Chief Ronnie Roberts reviewed the board’s decision and concurred.

The Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office is pursuing assault charges against the men, Andre Thompson and Bryson Chaplin. Subject to change, their pre-trial date is scheduled for November 4.

Along with over 30 other community members, Dr. Karen Johnson, Olympia, spoke out in front of the Olympia city council about the shooting on May 26.

“I was invited to come to that meeting to speak about these issues from my perspective. So, I accepted the invitation. I went to listen to what others had to say and spoke my truth.”

Johnson read the poem, “The Cold Within,” by James Patrick Kinney, and said that she fundamentally believed that she was there to speak because of unconscious bias on the part of Officer Donald. She referred to a book published in 1952 called, “The Invisible Man,” by Ralph Ellison, which talks about the phenomena of not seeing or hearing people of color.

“….We, in this city, have an opportunity…. In the words of a book by Dr. King, ‘Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?’ I would encourage us to go ‘community.’ Build a place where people are heard, valued, and respected, and then it doesn’t matter what the color of our skin and we can really live out the content of our character,” concluded Johnson.

Later, she and a group of African American community leaders formed the Black Alliance of Thurston County. 

The Black Alliance of Thurston County has met with Olympia Police Chief Ronnie Roberts several times since the officer involved shooting and issued a press release on September 2 calling Thurston County Jon Tunheim’s decision to not charge the police officer as “lawful, yet unjust.” 

Drawn by her faith to a life of service, Johnson is also president of the Olympia Capital Centennial Rotary Club, whose vision is to reduce homelessness in Thurston County by 50 percent by 2020 and to put a book in every child’s hand.

The Rotary motto is to put service above self and Johnson lives out that motto. The Rotary group has given substantial financial support to the Family Support Center, SafePlace, South Sound Reading, Madison Elementary School for after school enrichment programs, and more.

For her day job, Johnson is employed as a strategic initiatives executive for Washington State’s Department of Social and Health Services.

“Chief Roberts asked me, probably towards the end of July, to set up a meeting with Black leaders of Olympia and Thurston County to discuss plans for holding community conversations about race and racism, more than just within the police department. In that meeting, we also talked about addressing implicit and explicit bias and the use of body and dash cameras,” she said.

“Fundamentally, while body and dash cameras will be helpful to record excessive use of force, cameras alone won’t solve the problem.  Case in point, in July 2015, we watched Eric Garner get beaten to death…and the Staten Island grand jury decided not to indict the officer. Recordings alone won’t stop the behavior. We have to deal with the unconscious bias that automatically and unconsciously results in the merciless beating, unjustifiably shooting and killing of Black and brown boys and men at a higher rate than white boys and men.”

Asked whether or not the Black Alliance is commenting on Officer Donald’s actions, Johnson said the Black Alliance officially informed Chief Roberts that the comment he made after the shooting, that race was not an issue, was not helpful.

“Since our subconscious controls 96% - 98% of our perceptions and our behaviors, and since we live in a country where it was once lawful to enslave, lynch, beat and kill Black men simply because they are Black, we can only wonder whether Officer Donald’s behaviors and perceptions would have been the same if he had encountered two young white males. It is time to have the public dialogue since this behavior has been occurring across the nation,” Johnson explained.

“We’ve had several conversations with Chief Roberts about addressing implicit and explicit bias among the police officers….We envision police officers and community members participating in fair and implicit bias training. We will use the information we learn from these trainings to frame community conversations around unconscious bias, institutional and structural racism and concrete steps police officers can take to systematically ensure that their behavior results in Black and brown people receiving ‘guardian’ instead of ‘warrior’ treatment from police officers, ” said Johnson.

In a May press conference, the Thurston County Prosecutor Attorney Jon Tunheim stated that police officers cannot be prosecuted for excessive use of force under Washington State law when they operate in “good faith and without malice.”

 

In a statement issued on September 2, the Black Alliance called the standard imprecise, immeasurable, and impossible to prove. 

Johnson said the Black Alliance will work to change the state law.

“Now is the time to set precise and provable legal standards when dealing with human life.  It’s time for us to speak up and step up to change this law and other laws, statutes, policies, procedures and practices until it becomes self-evident…to all…that all people are indeed created equal and endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights: the opportunity to live an abundant life, liberty without oppression, and the opportunity to pursue happiness.”

Asked about the internal review process by the Olympia police department, Johnson said, “We plan to question the whole police review process, especially as it relates to deadly force. The recent internal review process led by the Olympia police department basically requires law enforcement officers to sit in judgment of each other.  This does not provide the public with true police accountability.  It is time to change the relevant laws, rules, and civil service procedures governing police conduct.  It is time for independent oversight and review of police conduct in cases where excessive use of force may have occurred.”

Little Hollywood noted that Johnson has not attended any meeting of the city’s Ad Hoc Committee on Policing and Community Relations.

“There are many voices and many groups addressing the issues they see as important. The Ad Hoc group has its charge and we have defined our charge. We will connect with them when it makes sense to do so,” she said.

“Soon, we will hold a community meeting to talk about why we formed, what we are about, what we seek to achieve, and invite others to partner with us to take action and be a catalyst for change. The May 21 incident may have been the catalyst that brought the Black Alliance of Thurston County together…but it is not what keeps us together.

“….Just look at any statistic…educational achievement, suspension and discipline rates, incarceration rates, home ownership, employment, health disparities, board rooms…Black people are either disproportionately, adversely impacted or severely underrepresented or non-existent. So, although all lives do indeed matter, this is a situation that we believe is our responsibility is to change…to be that village that helps Black people achieve optimal excellence and prosperity.

“Now is the time and Thurston County is the place…We’re not doing this work for show, for the press, or for personal ambition. We’re doing this work because our foremothers and forefathers have shed too much blood to get us where we are…We must take up the mantle for this generation and the generations yet unborn,” said Johnson.

As for next steps, Johnson said, “We’ll be meeting with Chief Roberts to discuss the internal review process, to define the parameters of a deadly use of force citizen advisory board, connect with the facilitator who will be conducting the fair and impartial trainings and to schedule our police and community forums around race and racism.”

“It is time for the people of Thurston County to help the Olympia police department achieve its mission: to consistently earn the trust of the residents and visitors to our community. The department will need ongoing investments in training, technology, and solid community partnerships. The Black Alliance of Thurston County stands ready to support them in this important work.”

The Black Alliance of Thurston County is committed to building trust and promoting fair and impartial policing in Thurston County.  They support courageous and respectful conversations between communities and law enforcement about race, ethnicity, and income status.  

For more information about the Black Alliance of Thurston County, email Dr. Karen Johnson at BlackAllianceThurstonCounty@gmail.com

Above: Karen Johnson carries the United States Constitution with her at all times. Here, she is reading the 13^th Amendment.

The Cold Within by James Patrick Kinney

Six humans trapped by happenstance

In bleak and bitter cold.

Each one possessed a stick of wood

Or so the story’s told.

Their dying fire in need of logs

The first man held his back

For of the faces round the fire

He noticed one was black.

The next man looking ‘cross the way

Saw one not of his church

And couldn’t bring himself to give

The fire his stick of birch.

The third one sat in tattered clothes.

He gave his coat a hitch.

Why should his log be put to use

To warm the idle rich?

The rich man just sat back and thought

Of the wealth he had in store

And how to keep what he had earned

From the lazy shiftless poor.

The black man’s face bespoke revenge

As the fire passed from his sight.

For all he saw in his stick of wood

Was a chance to spite the white.

The last man of this forlorn group

Did nought except for gain.

Giving only to those who gave

Was how he played the game.

Their logs held tight in death’s still hands

Was proof of human sin.

They didn’t die from the cold without

They died from the cold within.