The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
DEMOCRATS SEEK POLICE REFORM
Plan includes creation of citizens review panel
MIDDLETOWN — The Democratic Town Committee has submitted a detailed proposal on police reform, including the formation of a citizen’s review board.
The Democrats’ plan in part, calls for a ban on ever using choke and strangleholds, no-knock warrants and flashbangs, which are non-lethal explosives used to disorient people. The committee appealed to Mayor Ben Florsheim, police officials, and council members in a two-page letter.
“We are calling on you ... to review the current police use-of-force policies to eliminate those that are of lethal force,” the letter says. “Middletown is known as a progressive community in other areas of reform in criminal justice. Our community is crying for reform, justice and faith in you.”
It also asks to require a warning from officers before shooting and to ban shooting at moving vehicles.
The proposal does not include eliminating the guns police officers carry.
“We are requesting a ban on military weapons but not other guns,” DTC Chairwoman Lisa Loomis said
It suggests the establishment of a community/ citizen review board, mandatory use of police body cameras, and other ideas.
“To say ‘Black Lives Matter’ is one thing, but to take steps to prove to the community Black Lives Matter takes more than words to
make this happen,” according to the letter.
Half of the the police chief hiring panel should be made up of members of the community, with priority given to people of color and one Middletown High School student, DTC members said.
The local subcommittee formed after the killing of George Floyd with the intention of creating a list of local reforms, according to Loomis. They met throughout June to discuss the matter and completed their work at the beginning of last week.
A May 30 rally and procession down Main Street in response to the protests in Minneapolis, Washington, D.C., New York and other major cities across the United States also addressed the issue. It finished at the police station.
On Juneteenth, a similar event took place, drawing more than twice the number of people.
A special meeting Friday resulted in the entire DTC membership endorsing the idea and agreeing to send it to the Public Safety Commission in mid-July.
Creating a public safety subcommittee would require a charter revision, Loomis said. “I believe there is willingness on the part of people to undertake that. Our membership has voted to support the effort to try to make that a reality in Middletown.”
State Rep. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, has for years been working on police accountability reform, Loomis said. Also, on June 15, Gov. Ned Lamont’s executive order “paused” such means of subdual.
Common Council member Ed McKeon said members will also discuss a proposal from several municipalities in Connecticut to declare racism a public health crisis, and decide if the city should take a similar measure.
The council will have the opportunity to mull it over at its August meeting, McKeon said.
Emails to Middletown Acting Police Chief Michael Timbro were not returned by late Monday.
McKeon said the twopage proposal suggests a long list of considerations.
“There are a lot of things that need a lot more parsing and discussion. But there are basic things, like the use of choke holds, use of military-style weapons, tear gas and rubber bullets, and all those things which I think, personally, are lowhanging fruit — some of which the Middletown Police Department also adheres to,” he said.
Republican Town Committee Chairman William Wilson said the time to talk about police reform is not while protests and marches are still being held nationwide.
“I think we all need to take a step back. They’re asking for an awful lot,” said Wilson. “Our police force overall is pretty good. I’ve never had an issue with them.”
He plans on taking up the issue with the MRTC, which has a good deal of pro-police members. “I’m pro-American. I am proeveryone. That’s how we should be. There should be no division. Everybody is equal in my mind. We should all have the same rights.
“We should treat people the same no matter what,” Wilson said.