East End City Councilwoman Eneida Martinez has submitted this resolution for referral to the Public Safety & Transportation Committee.
WHEREAS: In July 2014, Eric Garner, an African American man suspected of a petty crime was pulled to the ground by New York City police and choked on the pavement as a witness videotaped him crying out, “I can’t breathe;” and
WHEREAS: on May 25, 2020 George Floyd, another African American man suspected of a petty crime, died on the ground as the result of the knee of a police officer in Minneapolis on his neck, as he cried out, “I can’t breathe;” and
WHEREAS: these types of incidents have millions of Americans to express their concern about the way unequal treatment by police who statistically stop, arrest, and engage lethal force on minorities at disproportionate rates; and
WHEREAS: in 2015 former President Barack Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, provided guidance on this issue and the current federal administration has ignored that guidance which has in part led to protest around the country where Police have opened fire with rubber bullets and tear gas scores of protesters and officers have been injured and a dozen states have activated their National Guards, and Businesses have been looted and burned; and
WHEREAS: there is a need for an end to inconsistent institutional standards and action to eliminate disparate treatment, break the fear, repression and resentment and make change stop the deaths of unarmed non-threatening persons; and
WHEREAS: it is in the common good to changes to the laws that govern police encounters to create one standard throughout the country; and
WHEREAS: to address this some have called for legislation to create a police misconduct registry, mandatory reporting of use-of-force incidents, and banning of racial and religious profiling and requiring racial bias training; and
WHEREAS: The City Council here in the City Bridgeport supports improving training and protocols to build and maintain community trust and encourages taking all appropriate steps to achieve these goals at all levels.
Now, Therefore Be It Resolved, By The City of Bridgeport Council Members that we stand with those who in condemning the police brutality evidenced in the George Floyd death and other recent incidents across the country and we support taking the necessary steps to change the culture to prevent the occurrence of similar incidents for the benefit of the shared common good.
Councilwoman Martinez, that’s nice but it’s just feel good words. I strongly suggest that your words to the streets and you need to it to Police Chief A.J. Perez, the police commissioners for real change. Councilwoman Martinez, do you know what the BPD rules and regulations are concerning your Resolution Condemning Police Brutality are now? Don’t forget about the BPD beating of a black man in Beardsley Park with a video showing three Bridgeport police officers kicking and stomping him in 2013, well the taxpayers paid $198,000 for a settlement in that beating. Let’s not forget about 15 year old Jason Negron being shot by a white police officer with his body being left out in open on the sidewalk and uncovered.
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Councilwoman Eneida Martinez, allow me to take a step back, I appreciate your resolution and your effort to speak up concerning the issue of police killing of black men and I thank you. This issue are much bigger than a resolution, Bridgeport has had to many police abuse cases with the BPD with 15 year old Jason Negron killing being on video. Councilwoman Eneida Martinez, it’s hard for me to watch the silence of those in power in Bridgeport to take blacks for granted. The Bridgeport Police Department has a long history with blacks getting hired and promoted going back the 1960’s with lawsuits and federal consent decrees, with a federal judge assigning a Special Master to monitor the entire BPD. Bridgeport hires people who have no relationship with black and Hispanic people and they have no personal relationship in Bridgeport. The Blue Wall of Silence is still there. Councilwoman Eneida Martinez, Bridgeport needs change and it’s well overdue, we need action and not words.
Come on Ron. Council woman Martinez is new to the council. She does know how much power she has and how to use it.
So she did the next best thing she could. She submitted a feel good resolution. Now she feels good and can say she did something.
Isn’t she close to AJ? Well she can say anything bad about him.
And we know she is close to the mayor so she can’t DEMAND the report written by the former Chief of the District.
She can’t say anything bad about the city attorney and the open ended checking account he has to approve settlements for police abusive tactics.
She can’t say anything bad about the spineless Police Commission that does nothing except what the Chief tells to do.
So she submitted a toothless fell good resolution and she can watch the BPD do whatever they want with righteous indignation.
In another hundred years she might actually accomplish something.
Bob, that’s the problem with the entire city council, they wait around waiting for Hamilton Burger’s legal opinion before they act and for Mario and Joe Ganim to give them permission to speak. They have the power to demand information from department heads. The council President and Councilwoman Martinez are big supporters of A.J. Perez and they should know first hand of the problems of the BPD. Bob, you got it right about the spineless Police Commission that does nothing except what the Chief tells to do and I can’t stand feel good resolution.
We all know that a resolution is a communication. A resolution could be used to introduce a new ordinance or amend one, but this, as Bob Walsh says, is just a ‘feel-good’ something they will all vote YES to approve. Just more pandering. Perhaps she should reveal who actually wrote it.
She must be in good stead with Chief Perez, given the pistol she boldly displays on social media, assuming she has a permit to carry it. (I provided a screen-shot to Lennie.)
Typically, the ‘Whereas’ provided are matters of fact so that the ‘Be it resolved’ statement has relevancy and weight. Given the use of biased comments rather than generally accepted facts in the resolution, this is just another lightweight city council action.
All in favor?
President Obama just called on every mayor in the US to initiate a review of use of force policies in place and to make changes if necessary.
Thank you 🙏 President Obama.
In the case of Bridgeport I would say in addition to that:
1) Make public the study conducted by the Washington DC Police Chief IMMEDIATELY.
2) Make recommendations on the changes he see fit
3) Conduct a series of Public Hearings throughout the city based on the recommendations with the changes recommended in the public hearings
4) Do it IMMEDIATELY.
THAT WOULD BE A START.
Bob, that’s going to come out when Charles Ramsey’s report comes out about the BPD and that’s when AJ Perez will retire. If speak to anybody they will tell you that he’s a nice guy but we need someone to lead the BPD but can’t be more popular than Joe Ganim. Once the BPD got rid of the Special Master the doors opened up for potential lawsuits of all kinds that are about to come out in Ramsey’s report.