NAACP keeps up pressure on investigation of racism
The Pottstown chapter of the NAACP has reinforced its intent to be involved in the investigation of alleged racism in the township police department.
Reading a statement on behalf of the chapter, member Tyrone Robinson complained that while township officials and the attorney conducting the investigation met with the NAACP which provided information from interviews they had conducted, “the township has given us nothing.”
The investigation began in the wake of a Sept. 12 expose in Philly Voice magazine that reported accusations of racism by Police Chief Kevin McKeon and Sgt. William Moyer made by former officers Keith Youse and Dennis Psota.
Both Youse and Psota said they had witnessed numerous racist comments being made by Sgt. William Moyer and Chief Kevin McKeon.
The township launched an investigation and hired an outside attorney to conduct it, but almost immediately confirmed the results may never be known.
This is due to both the confidentiality of personnel matters and of investigations. The only thing likely to become public is if disciplinary action is taken.
But that dynamic was disrupted the following month when the Pottstown chapter of the NAACP showed up at the meeting and offered to help with the investigation, noting that some potential victims might be more willing to talk to them than to someone representing the township.
The prime investigator is John Gonzales and the township is being charged $225 per hour for his services.
At the Feb. 6 supervisors meeting, several members showed up and Robinson read a statement from the chapter complaining, among other things, that while they had provided information to the township, the flow of information had been mostly one way.
Robinson said Township Manager Jamie Gwynn and Solicitor Andrew Bellwoar had visited the chapter in Pottstown once, and chapter members had been to the township twice.
“We asked to see a video we were told shows something of the alleged ‘egg roll incident,’ and we asked for two other documents. We received no response to our request of Nov. 13 for those things and no response to two follow-up calls” to Bellwoar, Robinson said.
The “egg roll” incident to which Robinson referred had to do with an accusation that an egg roll had been placed in a box of materials belonging to Youse that was being carried from the township building when he left the township’s employ in July.
Youse’s wife Sandy is Asian.
In that same Nov. 13 “private meeting with two supervisors, the solicitor and the township manager, we reported that it had been brought to our attention that racial slurs were allegedly used by police officers. That is of great concern to the Pottstown branch of the NAACP,” Robinson said.
“The township has given us nothing.” — Pottstown NAACP statement
“We don’t think racial slurs would be tolerated in Pottstown,” said Robinson. “We think Pottstown would fire a police officer who used the N-word or other racial slurs.”
He concluded, “we have read the New Hanover Police Department mission statement, and we expect the township to live up to those ideals.”
McKeon was in the audience at the Feb. 6 meeting but did not respond to the NAACP statement.
Township Supervisors
“We think Pottstown would fire a police officer who used the N word or other racial slurs.” — Tyrone Robinson, Pottstown NAACP
Chairman Charles D. Garner Jr. assured the NAACP members present that the board had not lost sight of the issue.
In Jan. 13 email responding to a Mercury inquiry about the status of the investigation, Township Manager Jamie Gwynn would say only that the investigation is “ongoing” and that the board of supervisors “hasn’t discussed anything at this time about next steps.”