Band-aids for Bullet Holes

by Rev. Jerome Chambers

“For 100 years, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has played a pivotal role in shaping a national agenda to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of African Americans and other people who have faced historical discrimination in the United States.  And further, to support and leverage the work of our local units, who work tirelessly on behalf of many communities in crisis, by implementing an advocacy agenda to ensure equal justice and safer communities.”

When the Champaign City Council entertained the Champaign Police Department in a discussion as it relates to its use of force policy, the intentional idea surrounded the probable cause of the issues involving the death of 15-year-old Kiwane Carrington.  The promotion of this policy was as unfortunate and untimely as the H1N1 flu.  No one expected its arrival, especially City Council who appeared to be stumped.  The actions of two young boys, soon-to-be men, whose response is typical of 15 year olds has been regrettable, even more so are the actions of two police officers.

We now have to face the reality of the aftermath of this tragedy.  It still hurts as much as the inevitable truth.  Justice often lifts her blindfold to get a peek at the hearts of men.  How tragic, regardless of the color of these boys or the police officers in question.  In the midst of the public’s outcry, the men in question are sworn first and one of them is the Chief second.  If he (Chief Finney) was in the vicinity as the nearest officer, why wouldn’t he respond?  Whether or not he should have been there is a matter of opinion depending upon who you ask.  What would any of us have done in that position? The City of Champaign is learning to cope with a reality that has been thrust upon it in a most painful way.  It is now out of an act of sobriety of conscience that the City of Champaign will hear the funeral dirge of its taxpayers who will cry loud and hard.

Further the act of patience has taken on an emotion, seething with anger and frustration.  And though anger is a cleansing agent, perhaps the action of imperative people, those who must be in control should stand and take a bow and perhaps not, especially now that we do not know who was in control.  For whatever drives imperative people should cause them to learn to cope with difficult people and difficult circumstances.  They are in every walk of life.  People do what they do because they are people.

Fixing problems are not easy by any stretch of imagination.  Coping with difficult people in difficult situations might easily add to the problems.  Consequently, in a behavioral context, coping with difficulties in people require identifying first and understanding second, the premise of a situation that leads to anger and helplessness.  “How should a society or community respond to wrongdoing?  When a crime occurs or an injustice is done or in this case, an accidental death, who can say what needs to happen?  What should people do, react?  What does justice require and who should enact it?”

The cry of the community is hard-pressed to endure extended complexities.  If there is to be a continuum of anything worth its salt, there cannot be diversion after diversion.  The City must respond with first things first, otherwise all bets are off, and then we get back to business as usual.  The City of Champaign and all the people of this community deserve more than that.  However, we find ourselves between two straits that of bandaging a bullet hole with a cash settlement, possibly avoiding an astronomical pay out of a civil suit, and the real truth of what happened that fateful day.  Three people know.  The rest is high priced speculation.

How much is too much? The attempt to defend the merits of the use of force has opened a “Pandora’s Box” of complex questions.  What would generally be perceived as “making its wording more clearly” depends largely clear to whom.  If this “wording” is aimed at those sworn to protect and serve, the bullet still does not have a name on it.  It can just as easily claim the life of a police officer whose family may have the same or similar questions as the black community or any community.  How much is too much?  Will a band-aid cover a bullet hole? As for the use of force policy, which was discussed at the Council Study session on November 10, 2009, it was decided by the Champaign Police Department to propose changes in the following areas:

• Adding language that better explains when it is legally reasonable for an officer to use deadly force.
• Emphasizing language about the restrictions in the use of deadly force when a suspect is resisting or escaping.
• Clarifying the Champaign Police do not use Conducted Energy Weapons (tasers), but may call in other agencies to deploy them, and providing guidance on when tasers may be requested.
• Reinserting language found in the previous policy concerning when an officer may display a firearm.
• Adding language to state that the Annual Use of Force Report will be reviewed by both City Council and the Human Relations Commission.

It was believed that “these policy revisions would accomplish the intent of the Council and citizen recommendations as well as provide improved guidance to officers concerning use of force.”  This is a quote from the Chief of Police.  The initiation of these changes was not solely at the request of the police department nor did it emanate from within their ranks.  The public was so unnerved by such policy that their voices rose to a crescendo in horror unmatched by their grief.

We must be clear in the wake of the results of the investigative report as to what excessive force or use of force policy is.  Changing the lenses on how the community sees the use of force is paramount to rebuilding trust and confidence in the local police department in Champaign.  We must determine what outcomes promote responsibility and healing for all.  We must allow the healing process to begin.  No more band-aids for bullet holes.  No amount of money can heal the hurt of losing our youth.

Support for policies and procedure may follow state and national guidelines well enough but the teeth in them protrude unsightly and the public detects a bad over-bite.  It does not improve the face value of perceived authority.  It seems that whenever City Council members have to ask for clarifications on the availability of it to individual police officers and community members or on something they had no prior knowledge of, there is something stinking in Stockholm or rotten in Rotterdam.  Does anyone have a band-aid big enough and how much will a box of them cost?  We are hemorrhaging and duct tape will not help us either.

As a community, no harm, no foul is a poor excuse for enacting a procedural “use of force” policy by any stretch of public awareness.  Even when there is sufficient review on such policies there will always be someone who will say “I didn’t know.”  False impressions in any conversation whether public or private are like good intentions, they must be reckoned to clear thinking and sound judgment.  Incidents such as what took place on October 9, 2009 must be thought through.  We now know that there was a procedural violation and we are told that the officer didn’t handle his weapon properly, and yet he cries foul a being disciplined.  What color is dead?

Another case in question is the death of Edgar Hoults who was killed at the hands of the Champaign Police Department, April 29, 1970.  There were not the resources available for certain transparencies then as there are today.  And though Ulys and Edna Hoults died in the past three years, it is probably unknown as to what explanation was given to them as to why their son was slain.  The monetary settlement awarded to his wife and small children was certainly inadequate then as is the tentative wrongful-death settlement for the Carrington estate by today’s standards.  Yes, the bloggers will have a field day for some time to come with this one, but let them say.  It was not your child!

The Champaign City Council members must not waffle this assignment. Young Carrington was unarmed and probably scared.  Though we may assume that the family is pleased that the litigation has been resolved, there is no amount of money that will soothe this grief nor will it salve the conscience of the council if the majority disagrees to any amount.  The impact of this incident can only “move the community forward” if changes tantamount to racial sensitivity abound in the law enforcement of our city.  There can be no gray areas.

It has been anonymously said: “Often the voice of conscience whispers; often we silence it but always we will have to pay.”  Today, there is a more nuanced but equally damaged perception of policy and practice, so much so, that blacks, more than any minority, believe the term “racial justice” is an oxymoron.

If the public concludes that incarceration is only one aspect of this menace that overwhelmingly resonate the sanction of city fathers, then our job as a community (whatever the color) must work untiringly to achieve fairness and equity in racial justice at every level of government.  This has been sufficiently addressed by the sheer notion of restorative justice.  Let’s try it.

The daily parade, through the court system, of young and not-so-young black men in handcuffs and orange colored prison jump-suits are usually replaced with black body bags.  We, as the public must ask ourselves the question, “How much is too much?”  We cannot reduce ourselves to throwing money at every situation by settling out of court.  You cannot buy back, through error, or “mishandling” a lethal weapon, lives that have been taken.  The war in the Middle East is proof of this fact.  Thousands of families live with this hurt daily and are not likely to recover any time soon if ever.

Whether we call it whining or complaining, the issues are not written in black or white nor are the issues socio-economic within themselves; they are: What will people tolerate?  We have had one crisis forum after another and the answers are just as vague as ever, because the value of human life is determined by rules of engagement.  However, it does matter who draws first blood.  Both sides of the spectrum must learn how to cope.  We must learn from our past or we will surely repeat the present, denying ourselves a future, and especially those of whom have paid the price already.  We are all victims.  Enough talk, let us go to work and help to save our survivors.   Will we continue to shoot our wounded?

As a local branch, the Champaign County NAACP endeavors to be an asset for positive change for people of all races and for providing a venue to discuss important issues that affect our society and leaving it better educated, more enlightened and empowered to continue its mission.

Without question the Champaign County Branch NAACP was disappointed with the outcome of the investigation of the death of Kewanee Carrington.  Since October 9, 2009, the branch has actively been engaged and involved in many aspects of this public tragedy. We are committed to the mission of the branch, which in part says “our primary focus is to provide programs and services that promote and enhance civil and equal rights, political empowerment, educational excellence, economic development, and outreach, i.e. health, youth, etc.  The strength of our branch lies with the history of the organization and its membership.”

We are committed to building better relationships between our elected officials and people of ALL colors. We have kept a watchful eye on the six (6) points that the City Manager, Steve Carter, outlined in his statement and will continue to seek ways to build a healthier more stable community in which we serve. We will not be lulled into complacency by mere words, but are committed to a better future.

The soul of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People or NAACP has been, is and will always be to advance its mission to lead the fight for justice and equality.  The Champaign County Branch must not lose its focus to be the vanguard of every effort in providing leadership on many critical issues, including education, health care, and greater economic opportunity for all people.

The NAACP continues to be the voice of the voiceless, the hope for the hopeless and the conscience of America for 100 years and without its presence we will return to the days of overt institutionalized segregation, systemic psychological lynching, and the inability to vote our conscience on moral issues we are embattled with today.  Therefore, the NAACP will continue to exercise its power to bring about equality and justice wherever and whenever it is needed.  We cannot and will not stop or be turned around.

Further, as a branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, also known as the NAACP, we are compelled to follow the Criminal Justice Manual despite what we may personally feel.  Likewise, we are aware of and make use of the ‘Talking Points’ as it relates to the use of force.  The NAACP is committed to proactive approaches to minimize police shootings and all other forms of alleged police brutality.  We will not wait for the next inevitable violation only to decry after the fact that it should not have happened.  We must push for solutions that will help keep the next officer from needlessly reaching for his or her weapon to use against an innocent person simply because of the color of their skin probable cause or other.

All people regardless of race, creed, color or national origin should practice safety first.  Fear can be disarming and angry, frustration and humiliation can turn the most unassuming person into a victim or an assailant.  Wise choices are desired more than anything else.  Everyone should choose to be smart and safe.

The NAACP has sought to educate not only the youth but adults as well concerning what makes sense and will help keep one alive regardless of alleged innocence or guilt.  When it comes to encountering the police, it is better to comply than to die needlessly, especially with a use of force policy in effect.  Contrary to popular belief and some misguided inferences, if you are stopped by the police it is not unconstitutional to comply.  However, you should know your rights to avoid feeling victimized.

The local NAACP of Champaign County has prepared a Guide to Interacting with Law Enforcement.  This information was gathered for dissemination by the individual Illinois NAACP branches and is available to other agencies and organizations.  It has been placed on our local website @ www.naacpcc.org and is available to be downloaded to educate adults as well as young people.  The Education Committee and Legal Redress Committee highly recommend the use of these guidelines to help keep everyone safe.