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Toledo Alliance for Social Justice Wants to Stir the Pot
Sojourner’s Truth Staff
Taking issue with the
Toledo Police Department and its history with the black
community, with the current police leadership and the way
the recent shooting was handled and even with the NAACP and
how it interacts with the city administration, the Toledo
Alliance for Social Justice held a press conference on
Thursday, August 2 in front of the Safety Building to
announce that they lack trust in what the TPD reports and
set out a list of demands.
“We have a social
responsibility to do the right thing,” said Sir Maejor Page
speaking for the group and making clear that the purpose of
the gathering and future actions the group will be taking is
“to send a message.”
Page listed the actions
taken by the group the night before to gain the attention of
the community, the TPD and the mayor’s office. The Alliance
held a rally, went to Old Orchard Elementary School and on
to Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz’ home.
The group contended that
the recent actions were not just a reflection of the recent
shooting in north Toledo on Friday, July 27 during which
Lamar Richardson was shot to death by Toledo police
officers.
“We are not here to take
an official position,” said Page. “But we have made some
judgment calls based on what was presented. How can the
[police] chief launch an investigation when you’ve already
cleared the officers?
“The Toledo police have
made a claim the Mr. Richardson was a suspect in four
robberies; he was allegedly a suspect in four robberies;
allegedly he stole a vehicle; then he allegedly was on a
bike … it can be a life or death situation when being chased
by the police,” Page continued. “The Toledo Police
Department has given everyone in this community a reason not
to trust them.”
The group then listed its
demands as presented by member Rahwae Shuman. Those demands
are
·
Mandatory de-escalation of violence
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Mandatory cultural and sensitivity training
·
Task force on 21st century policing
·
Scrap current police review board and replace with one with
teeth and authority
·
Get officers out of police cars and patrol neighborhoods on
foot
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Stop aggressive policing
·
More black police officers
·
Strengthen requirements for joining the force
·
Screening for mental health issues and racist leanings
·
Remove officers who present a liability
·
De-militarize the force
In addition to the set
list of demands, Page also asked that police officers be
required to live in Toledo. “It is insensitive to have
police officers who don’t live here,” he said. “We want true
accountability.”
Then the press conference
took a turn and Page addressed the group’s antipathy towards
the NAACP. Noting what he termed the NAACP’s willingness to
communicate with the city’s leaders, Page denounced the
association’s unwillingness to be confrontational.
“The NAACP does not
represent black people who have been injured. The NAACP
cannot be trusted; they do not represent the community; you
cannot fight for justice if you have never seen justice,” he
said. “We want to stir the pot.”
Ray Wood, president of the
Toledo NAACP, took issue with those comments later. “The
NAACP is involved and engaged,” he said. “We are not going
to get out in front of something before we have all the
facts, but we are at the table whether they like it or not.
We will never be a knee-jerk reaction group. Credibility and
trust are hard to establish.”
The Toledo Alliance for
Social Justice ended its press conference noting that “we
are willing to have a diplomatic conversation with Mayor
Wade [Kapszukiewicz].”
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