Residents criticize police treatment of demonstrators before abrupt end to council meeting

May 1—Decatur City Council chambers were standing room only Monday night as 18 members of the public spoke about not only the fatal police shooting of Steve Perkins but the police response to demonstrators.

The two-hour meeting was mostly calm. Speakers were particularly unhappy with police actions at the 3rd Friday event on April 19 when three protesters were arrested and Catrela Perkins, the widow of Steve Perkins, was handcuffed and then released. A police officer shot and killed her husband on Sept. 29.

However, Council President Pro Tem Carlton McMasters gaveled an end to the meeting when Councilman Hunter Pepper and a protester began yelling at each other.

"The meeting was getting a little bit out of control," McMasters, who had to conduct the meeting because of Council President Jacob Ladner's absence, said Tuesday.

Justin Shepherd, whose home is across Ryan Drive Southwest from the Perkins home and was damaged by bullets from the officer's gunfire, was the only person left on the sign-up list who did not get to speak. Shepherd was obviously unhappy and had words with McMasters afterward.

Councilman Billy Jackson said he doesn't agree with McMasters' decision to end the meeting. He said they've had disruptions before but moved forward with meetings.

"In my opinion, he was looking for a way to call the meeting," Jackson said.

Those in attendance continued to focus their ire on Mayor Tab Bowling and Police Chief Todd Pinion. Several said they want Bowling to resign, and Pinion to resign or be fired.

Bowling left the council meetings before public comments, as he has since late January.

Several speakers were particularly unhappy with Pinion on Monday as it was the first meeting since the 3rd Friday controversy.

Danny Saafiyah asked the council what policy changes have been made in response to Perkins shooting.

McMasters said Pinion is close "to finalizing a plan going forward, and I'm eager to see it."

Saafiyah said the council should set a timeframe for Pinion in which he should have to provide them and the public with this plan.

Councilman Kyle Pike said he expects a plan related to communications and policies from Pinion in a month.

Pinion on Tuesday said he was in a meeting in his office with some residents but did watch parts of the council meeting online. He said he went to the council chambers when he heard the disturbance in the council meeting.

"I'm not going to get involved in whatever they're doing," Pinion said. "I'm still here and I'm still working."

Pinion confirmed he is working on an action plan. He said he is getting input from community members, but he's not ready to talk about it. He said he is hopeful he will finish the plan soon and then make it public.

The police chief said complaints were filed against the police officers involved in the 3rd Friday incident and the alleged punching of the protester, so Internal Affairs is conducting an investigation. Pinion said he couldn't give any more details because they're personnel issues.

Pike said the relationship between the police and the community "starts with common decency, professionalism and respect on both sides."

Saafiyah said the problem is that officers "blatantly broke policy" in front of Pinion at the 3rd Friday event.

"He doesn't have control of his officers, or they're not trained well enough, and once again he should be accountable for his officers," Saafiyah said. "At what point do you stop saying, 'That shouldn't happen, that shouldn't happen and that shouldn't happen' but you keep letting it happen."

McMasters said Internal Affairs is investigating the 3rd Friday incident and an incident in which Jack Brown allegedly punched Sierra Taylor on March 29 while she was protesting near Bowling's Old Decatur home.

"At some point, somebody needs to be a leader and say we have to make a change to bridge the gap between a community that's hurting and a Police Department that does not want change," Saafiyah said.

Aneesah Saafiyah directed her comments at McMasters as council liaison to the Police Department.

"The fact that you've done nothing to push for safety for this community is beyond heartbreaking and disgusting," she said.

Mike Stovall said the demonstrators' demand of the last few weeks that Pinion resign or be fired hasn't changed.

"If Todd would be the adult in this room and he loved this city, he would go ahead and resign," Stovall said. "Our city and our community are hurting; not just the Black community, not just the white community, but the whole city is hurting."

Tommy Cook said he doesn't understand why the Police Department hasn't had training on dealing with protesters, who he said have been exercising their First Amendment rights of assembly and free speech.

"We need to hold a class on protesting because we will not allow cops to intimidate, mistreat or do anything that's unlawful," Cook said.

Cook said the DPD officers "are breaking the law, and no one is saying anything and holding them accountable."

He urged the council members to take a stand.

"Y'all love Pinion, but loving Pinion is going to put y'all on the opposite side of where this is going to end," Cook said.

Rodney Gordon, president of the Morgan County chapter of the NAACP, said the officers "are getting out of hand" because of repeated incidents in which they were not disciplined.

"We asked you, 'What have you done,' and you should have had a list of all of the changes," Gordon told the council. "There's no correction at all. There's no presentation. All y'all are doing is saying the same thing over and over.

"You're keeping friends, and we're losing loved ones."

Alvin Moseley asked if the council is willing to bring in an independent party to examine the Police Department, and City Attorney Herman Marks said they're working on this possibility.

Moseley said it's taking too long because "things continue to happen the longer we wait."

View our Print Replica

— bayne.hughes@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2432