Standoff As Protest Confronts Mayor, Cops

You instruct citizens your at the police station (Mayor Elicker) and when they show up. You hide inside and NHPD "over police" those peaceful protesters with pepper spray. Like I said before the ENTIRE police department needs retraining. You can't take a oath and say one thing but do another. Officers pushed people down the stairs isn't that assault. Why did the Mayor direct protesters to the police station to then allow things to get out of hand? Before emotions mounted why wouldn't the Mayor come out and talk to the people in Nostradamus having them wait for HOURS? Let the protests continue. THEY JUST DON'T GET IT!

People who participated in marches in Selma, Alabama weren't all from there so please stop trying to steer society into thinking terrorists are taking over our cities. I can see how the media continue to put fear into those at home watching. As the President speaks about MAFA. Let's do the hard work together and stop killing people like George Floyd. Take this seriously we need a change.

Two Days, Two Protests, Zero Dialogue Notes:

Hurt and anger I understand. But those who have let themselves be consumed by hate need to look in the mirror and realize that what they are doing isn't productive, and really just a form of self-harm.

Kerry Ellington = From Brooklyn = Not from New Haven = Not New Haven

Paul -- I appreciate the close coverage of these protests. And I know you understand that journalism isn't just transcribing public events, but also looking closely at the motives and characters behind those events.

I would love to see a closer look at the characters who repeatedly come up in these stories. The Independent has, correctly, given close and positive coverage to much of New Haven Legal Assistance's work. It is a prominent and important institution in New Haven. Can the Independent determine whether NHLAA is paying Kerry Ellington to organize these protests? Whether, as an employee of a law firm, she is being appropriately supervised under the rules of professional conduct? Whether legal ethics scholars think that her behavior is consistent with those rules, and if not whether NHLAA is exposed to ethics complaints? Has NHLAA been asked to comment about its goals in these protests?

[Paul: Thank you for the question. I have asked it, and been told that the policing protests are not a part of Kerry Ellington's job and she is not paid to be involved with them. She was organizing the protests for a long time before she was hired to do community organizing by legal aid on community development; we have written extensively about that as a separate piece.]

Dennis Serf: To be fair, isn't Elicker from New Canaan? And Harp the stereotypical California Girl via Utah? Worst of all, Paul Bass is from Westchester.

What exactly did these misguided anarchists "win?" How much better off are poor black and brown communities as a result of these violent, nihilistic tactics? And who exactly do they speak for? Here is what they lost. The respect of the community. Legitimacy. The opportunity to actually move an agenda forward. The city's ability to come together and move and act in an impactful way. Instead, Ms. Ellington and Ms. Suarez have provided a platform for white out of towners to foment violence and racialized hatred in our community. Oh the irony. Exactly the strategy that white supremacists have been hoping to advance. Their hateful, violent rhetoric is not what we in New Haven stand for. We are better than this. We are better than this. We are better then this. We are better than this.

The New Haven did the right thing by not allowing one demonstrator into their police headquarters. It was the right thing to do because the department would have been wrecked by those w/o honorable intentions. That garbage that they were there to discuss issues was nonsense. Not to be believed.

Excellent work by Sergeants Fumiati and Etienne in talking with the ever aggrieved Kerry Ellington. If she did her homework she would know that Sgt. Ettienne's family had experienced a terrible tragedy of street violence in Hartford and is a shining example of a police supervisor. Sgt Fumiati has experienced the same thing with his dad being killed by a scumbag drug dealer while working on the job. But she never does. She yells, screams and then wonders why no one wants her around. Total loser.

This is embarrassing. The Walmart theft/drug dealer was subdued—not beat up. How dare she equate that with the live murder of a man?

What happened to COVID 19? We are still in the midst of a PANDEMIC!! The Mayor has worked 24-7 to keep all of New Haven as safe.

Kerry Ellington needs to get a vocabulary that consists of more than F-bombs. Also, a mask. She needs a mask—stop spewing spittle!

Completely support the right to organize and protest. However, since there is usually a small percentage of that group that behaves badly, police presence is needed....as this video from Rochester shows;

https://youtu.be/wLcTpHRQEik

1644: The difference is Elicker, Harp and Bass arent spewing hate. Ellington is.

Kerry aka wanna be Sharpton(lime light at any expense) you show up in CT and bring MORE chaos. NHPD continuously engages the community..NO ONE IS perfect, not police, not protesters. Some of your issues are valid others are incendiary. NHPD has been in front for several decades at making change. They go into the same community to recruit future hires before it ask anyone else? What dept gets beat down for trying to keep walking beats when there isnt money to afford it NHPD CHIEF! They includes public in weekly meetings! Nothing wrong with wanting to talk but you also have to be willing to listen too.
You use MR WALMART to fan the fire.. if he stole from your home and tried to push past the police and then tried to run and the police didnt make every effort to apprehend him you would be LIVID! He wasnt an innocent man getting picked on. He wasnt cooperative. He was STEALING . As for ECKLIER. I agree he is not doing the best job. He isnt the best spokes person for the residents of NEW HAVEN but that is who was elected so we have to deal with his deficiencies. He didn't engage with brown people until his second go around running for mayor and when he did so it was by disparaging the brown woman in office, not by telling you a dam thing about his plans or policies. It is beyond gut wrenching about the way MANY law enforcement officers have treated many many people of color but lets not believe that NEW HAVEN is on that same level . We know better. In the past 30 years NHPD has had Hispanic and Black men and women as Chiefs. New Haven officers show up for their communities on the regular so dont let the BS of the next door neigh make you think your house is the same as theirs NOT PERFECT BUT NOT THE SAME. You come from the hood you know that you might encounter some BS you go prepared. If nothing goes down, you good if it pops off you're prepared! Don't be mad at officers being prepared because as soon as a few acted rouge they had to react. to be cont

cont pt2 SUNDAY DAY was awesome I participated. I loved seeing the support of so many but lets not be fooled Sunday evening included some people with misrepresented agendas. No the charges shouldnt be dropped that is counter productive to civil community..why let him off when the other 20 people who stole things in May weren't. Having a dialogue and setting the example is what we need. Speaking disrespectfully because you can isnt the way! The court system continuously abuses people of color with disproportionate sentences that doesn't mean the person is any less guilty. I also dont see you trying to bully them because the push back would be way different on their property. Yes MANY of the attendees are form NEW HAVEN and MANY were not just as many of the officers are from new haven and some where not. They all pay taxes too .You have never had free rein to enter any government building regardless of race ethnicity or anything else and over the past 8 weeks or so due to covaid NO ONE has been able to enter: an officer comes outside and takes the complaint in an effort to slow covaid so stop performing to the camera. I see people destroying the business that have been able to sustain in the community why arent they stepping to NRA headquarters that fuels injustices regularly, Why aren't protesters stepping to specific corporations that don't represent the value people of color contribute to their bottom lines? New Haven has had many who work now and have worked hard to bring about fairness and equality but it also fights within itself and destroys many of its own accomplishments. Dont diminish the cause !

Yesterday was tense, and today I feel grateful for the work the activists put in.

Change comes slowly, then all at once. Actions like these aren't meant to produce the desired results overnight - it's silly to expect that. They're meant to raise our consciousness, build community power, and confront the systems that constrain and oppress us.

To those on this comment thread more concerned with Kerry's geographic origins or paycheck, how about you examine why those are your priorities in this story against a backdrop of black and brown people being brutalized by the police? Why are you more upset with the activist's choice of words than with the murderous realities of white supremacy? These folks are fighting for a better future for us all, you included.

1.) I give Ellington credit for keeping the protest together and peaceful up until everyone arrived at the police station. Once the mic was passed around to the wrong people who did not have peaceful intentions it went south.

2.) Where Ellington failed EVERYONE is when she began to speak VERY INCORRECTLY about New Haven incidents. Because not only is she leaving out and getting details EXTREMELY incorrect, she's using her voice to spill those incorrect statements to a large group of angry people that are going to BELIEVE her. THAT IS VERY RECKLESS!!!!

(EXAMPLE: Speaking on MARCUS RIVERA case she stated on a loudspeaker that he was "shot in the back for no reason while in his back yard and NHPD made up the case and overcharged him and put a high bond on him so he cant get out etc etc"

B....S.......!!!!!

RIVERA was a wanted man with active FELONY arrest warrant who ran when he saw police and shot at Officers who shot back.THEN HE IS ON VIDEO TOSSING THE GUN!!! YES IT IS ON VIDEO. YES THE COURT HAS SEEN IT. FOR THAT REASON HIS BOND IS HIGH!! AND NO HE WAS NOT IN HIS BACK YARD! THERE ARE MULTIPLE NHI REPORTS ON THIS INCIDENT IT WAS THOROUGHLY COVERED HOWEVER ELLINGTON OBVIOUSLY DIDNT READ UP ON THIS BEFORE SHE RECKLESSLY FED LIES TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE.

3.) MAYOR ELLIKER TOOK WAYYY TO LONG TO COME OUT OF THE PD TO SPEAK TO THE CITIZENS OF HIS CITY. POINT BLANK PERIOD!! VERY UNFAIR.

That is all...

Still no comment from the Board of Alders!!

WereUthere?: Actually, Det. Sanchez got off the first round, then Rivera returned fire.
https://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/off_shooting/
https://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/rivera_affidavit/
As a matter of law, use of deadly force was legal under Garner to arrest his flight, regardless of whether he posed an immediate threat to the officer.

Regarding Rochester: Yes, the these past few days have been a powerful argument for ownership of an M-4 type assault weapon with a high capacity magazine. The police are incapable of providing protection and are abandoning whole neighborhoods, as LAPD did with Koreatown. I note in MN a truck driver who did not want to meet Reginald Denny's fate has been arrested.

Being mayor is a really hard job, and I can't imagine how Mayor Elicker is feeling after the past 3 months. I think in this moment he could learn something from how Jonathan Holloway responded to protests in November 2015 (https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2015/11/05/students-confront-christakis-about-halloween-email/) and just listen even if it takes hours.

It's clear that last night there were other circumstances that made that challenging with the real or perceived threat of violence, but missing one opportunity doesn't mean the door is closed. Find a way to do it publicly and on the protesters' terms, so it is authentic and meaningful to everyone.

I also believe that our city needs to find a way to engage in the work of anti-racism together. Can yesterday be the beginning of something great?

I am a white person who lives and pays taxes in New Haven (unclear why so much emphasis is being placed on "out-of-towners," as if New Haven and its race/class dynamics exist in a bubble with no relationship to surrounding communities and state/federal issues.) I was there until midnight last night. I was also outside Mayor Elicker's house last Friday.

On both occasions, Mayor Elicker blew it. What we were asking for was a commitment to defund the NHPD and reduce our reliance on policing, for starters by getting Yale PD and Hamden PD out of our streets. There are alternative means to ensure what we're all after—safety and community well-being—without the uncontrollable violence of policing. All Elicker seems capable of offering is banal moral platitudes and vague ideas about reforming what is ultimately an irredeemable system. Policing is inherently racist. That's not revisionism, it's plain to see throughout the history of this country.

If you read all the Independent's coverage and your only takeaways were 1) ad hominem disdain (frankly a little creepy) for Kerry Ellington, 2) outrage that protestors dared to gather outside of Elicker's house, and 3) more tired clichés about "divisive" activists, well, I would encourage you to reflect on that. Systems of power and violence are what divide us; activists work to repair those divides.

"We won! We won!," the protesters proudly proclaimed as they left the Police Station.
What did they think they had won, and what did it have to do with George Floyd and the issue of police abuse of authority? How did their actions promote solidarity with George Floyd?
Many of these protesters and some of their leaders have lost all credibility with the general public in New Haven, and many in the minority communities as well.
You can't be racist and fight racism. You can't talk hate, and profess love and unity. You can't be for freedom of speech, and prevent it for others. You can't oppose police violence, and promote violence against police. Calling public officials "Mother-fucker" does not make one a radical community advocate. All of this is oxymoronic and moronic!
The New Haven Police made a concerted, determined effort to accommodate the protesters, and avoid confrontation and conflict. Unfortunately, that is exactly what some of these protesters wanted.
Most of the thousand protesters were organized and peacefully focused on demonstrating about the murder of Mr. Floyd and police murder and violence in general. They marched through the city, shutdown the highway, and demonstrated in front of Police Headquarters, chanting and protesting without interference from the police.
However, after most of the crowd had dissipated, a more radical remnant of less than 100 remained at the police station, demanding entry and an audience with the mayor.
These people were not representative of New Haven. Many were not even city residents. Some were professional protesters who came here from other locations to create chaos, and audaciously demanded access to "their" police station! Many of these people want to abolish police forces altogether. They're anarchists. Most people of color in this city oppose racist police actions, but they do not support the defunding or the abolition of police forces.

Continued...
These people were not satisfied with a peaceful demonstration. They wanted to replicate here the chaos, violence and destruction that occurred in other cities. Clearly they did not want civil dialogue with the Mayor and other city authorities to address and attempt to resolve issues with the police. Twice they denied that, after calling for it!
These professed opponents of police violence intentionally provoked an incident by attacking the police standing guard in front of the police station! These people taunted, insulted and cursed the police. They insulted our Black and Brown officers, calling them traitors. These protesters threw bottles and batteries at the police. They attempted to force their way past the police line.
They wanted a fight. They wanted arrests. They wanted to be assaulted.
After posing a threat to the police, they were justifiably pepper-sprayed, and then claimed they were victims of police abuses!
The police diffused the situation by REFUSING to take the protesters' bait. They exerted great discipline by pulling back and not giving the protesters the response they wanted to use as media-propaganda for their cause, not the cause of citizens who sincerely want rational, lawful and peaceful change!
These protesters declared victory, but they looked like hypocrites and first-class fools who do not speak for the residents of this city! They had no victory, not even a Pyrrhic one. Their tactics and strategies have alienated and offended many residents who actually support the movement for justice and equality.
This morning, somebody fire-bombed the police substation in Newhallville. Nobody who actually lives in Newhallville did that.
Some of those protesters wanted the city in flames. We who live here do not want any such thing.
These people have promised to return. We just wish they would go away.
Will the real residents of New Haven please stand up and speak up?

TiaB - please leave your address so ppl can come to your house and re-appropriate your belongings on to themselves. Your comments make no sense. I saw your comments on the other posts, even people at walmart admitted the man was stealing. Walmart said he fake scanned two items. He had five? in his cart? And the drugs?

Sadly, crack cocaine disproportionately affects the black community through usage, and violence (from sales).

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4533860/

Susan Rice, former Nation Security Advisor, under Obama, says there are indications of Russian actors/influence in the protesters.

Kerry Ellington is a paid political protester. Along with Norm Clement. If you review the video, there was also people wearing shirts with the Russian Flag on it. Dont take my word, watch the video.

But Tia, like a small segment of people on the left AND right, continue to try and splinter society. They are paid protesters and instigators who want anarchy, chaos, and destruction.

It's sad because there is NOTHING wrong with protesting the wrongful killing of George Floyd. People SHOULD be upset. If that doesn't upset you, you have issues.

At the same time, trying to negate, conflate, or write a narrative about other wrongful conduct is unacceptable. And using Floyd's name as a cloak to break laws, burn things down, and terrorize people delegitimizes the cause of protesting. Normal rational people are not OK with this. And when people do those things, the lose the ability of others wanting to work with them for systemic change.

Why do people from out of town not organize protests in their own towns? Why come to New Haven?

And calling people "Paleface" is insulting but makes nice copy for those who have hate in their hearts. I'm not going to read any more on this nor will I give any more attention to people who wish to incite violence and hatred. If this that was what they wanted; they have gotten it. People will turn them off and disavow their violent methods. Take your hatred home to your own family. Don't subject others to it.

"You have 15 min. to leave....or you may be arrested." "You have 10 minutes to leave....or you may be arrested." "You have 15 min. to leave....or you may be arrested." Some leave, 60 stay. Oops, that didn't work (police). Lets send someone out to talk to the de-facto leader. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Police go inside, protesters leave chanting we won. You can't make this s..t up.

No Police Chief is going to let a large crowd into the police department. That would present an uncontrollable situation. Maybe the organizers could select a group of representatives to discuss the issues with Police Administration and the Mayor. But not a mob of people.

And does anyone think they are getting anywhere yelling into a PA or bullhorn? Not at all.

Or maybe the persons doing the most yelling could change their approach and maybe someone would actually listen and talk to them.

99% of all police officers are good, hard working men and women. They go to work every day and not one goes into work wanting tho hurt anyone.

The Minneapolis officer got what he deserved. A murder rap. George Floyd got abused and the cops involved are a disgrace to the rest of us that wore the uniform. The other three are going to get locked up next. And they should.

Oh yes Jake G let's do it your way. That will settle it. Your comments are laughable. And I bet I can guess your age.

Sgt Micheal Fumiatti knows all to well about grief and how it is to work the streets of New Haven. His brother name is on the Kimberly ave bridge for succumbing to wounds in the line of duty protecting the good people of New Haven.

Don't lecture him about grief.

The protesters on the highway were peaceful and making a point in a manner that gains attention. The crowd that showed up at the PD headquarters were getting attention also, but in a way that detracted from the message. The criminals who threw a Molotov cocktail at the Newhallville PD substation also gained attention, but should be in jail.
I would guess that the criminals came from the second group, not the first.

@JakeG

Reduce the reliance on policing and defund the NHPD?!?! Is that all you wanted, no problem I'm sure he will get right on it. How anyone can take you seriously is beyond comprehension. Your definitely showing your arrogance and immaturity.

State law allows police department from outside districts to cross into another while in the performance of lawful investigations so that's not going to happen. As far as Yale PD, you think that the Mayor or city officials are going to limit the scope of YPD when their campus literally stretches across the city, not going to happen either. Not to mention complaints are already made because they don't pay enough taxes, you really think the city is going to lose that tax revenue, nice try but no.

You might as well have written your "demands" on toilet paper

@OMGHELP and DMH464: I must've hit a nerve, if your ad hominem comments are any indication. I'm not writing from a place of arrogance or detachment. I've watched several family members move through the criminal justice system, and I know that incarceration destroys bodies and lives. Police abolition and prison abolition are only as "laughable" as you let them be. Personally, I'm not laughing. Check out Philip V. McHarris and Thenjiwe McHarris' recent op-ed in the NY Times. Be well and stay safe!

It's pretty clear that the Mayor and NHPD worked together to give the protestors a 'wide berth' to enable their successful and heartening protest on I-95. Sometimes one has to recognize what a 'good day's work' looks like, and be satisfied with that.

Also, given the length of this protest, I wouldn't be surprised if people were hungry, dehydrated, and tired, which is not a great formula for any type of real engagement.

"palefaced blonde headed"? "White man"? The lack of awareness is astounding. Change the adjective and the speaker and we'd have outrage in the community and the media.

I suppose I could commend the mayor for allowing Ellington to scream through a bullhorn inches from his ears. Vile and the exact opposite of productive progress. I am joining the group of voices here in demanding to know the trail of funding that prints her signs and allows her to organize. I'll bet a nickel the checks are not a New Haven bank.

This group lost me when they began attacking the police who I saw providing them space and security while they marched around the city and highways to be heard. They lost me when they began hurtling racist slurs at the mayor who once again tried to hear a voice in the din of what turned into a mob. I hope in future protests, good people standing up for what is right make an effort to separate themselves from people just looking to stir our pain into chaos.

@JakeG

Hit a nerve, that's laughable at best, but I appreciate that you think that highly of yourself, arrogance. I was merely commenting on your toilet paper list of demands because defunding a police department is totally realistic.

Everything that came out of Ellington's mouth were lies and words fueled with hate. She has ZERO class.

Disarm the Police - all of them immediately.

We need a PEACE force...we need peace makers in the neighborhoods and on the streets.

This PEACE force would monitor the Police who would be unarmed. They would be paid what the Police now get paid and they would be trained in non-violence.

Why do we need to equip the New Haven Police with weapons of mass destructions?

We don't.

Mayor Elicker disarm the Police right now and establish a PEACE force comprised of citizens who get paid to do what the Police are now supposed to be doing - protecting the citizens of New Haven.

What do we have to lose?

Leap and the net will appear!

@1644

Dear Wesunidad--- disarm the police?!?!? I have an idea. Why don't you and like minded people take a pledge that you will not call the police when you need help. You will handle the situations yourselves by peaceful means. Who will join Wes ??? Take the pledge....

For my part; I wish for police to respond when I need help.

@wesunidad

Disarm the police huh, so in the event they need to use deadly for to protect a third party or more importantly themselves, how should they respond, harsh language?!?!

"Weapons of Mass Destruction" LMAO. I didn't know the police were armed with bombs and radiological devices.

City Yankee..
Disarming the New Haven Police Department is the best way to save innocent citizens and valued Police Officers.

When the protesters talk about change, respect what they are saying...they want change and all of us are sick and tired of our history of genocide of Native Americans, slavery, lynchings, Jim Crow, and just killing innocent, unarmed (mostly Black) men in the streets by mostly WHITE police officers. There is only once recent case where the Police were convicted and that Officer was a person of color!

Our fellow citizens - African Americans and people of color deserve better than to have to live every minute of their lives in fear.

The white male military mentality that is the structural element in our government must change.

We need to disarm the New Haven Police to stop the violence and to save lives.

I am white and we white people need to wake up.

Racism is a problem we white people use to oppress others and that needs to change.

For decades we white people have stood by and did nothing while our African American brothers (and sisters) hung from trees, were chased, were exploited, were put in jail in numbers that far out numbered those of us white people.

Most white people I know do not even know a Black person, nor do they have any Black friends.

Wake up white people because if you're not part of the solution, then you (remain) part of the problem.

This has to change or we are doomed - all of us (except the rich white people of course).

It's interesting. I moved her over a year ago, from a southern state. What I find astounding is that systemic issues here are so stark, and your citizens are sooo blinded by their overwhelming self serving desire to seem and appear progressive. NEW HAVEN WAKE UP!!! you are no better than any southern state, the disparities are huge. I've been on Orange street and I've been on Whalley and the policing is completely different. Police cars drive through predominantly black neighborhoods like Grand Theft Auto, I've never seen this near East Rock.
Your schools are debilitated, you don't have enough laptops to support students for distance learning, but you have a 40 something MILLION dollar budget for a police department in a city that has a contract with 3 departments to police your own citizens. WHY would you need that kind of budget???? Are you all buying a tank? Police are reactive correct? What exactly are they reacting to exactly? The fruits of the systemic disparities you've created in your own systems maybe? New Haven your pretty green spaces don't help to cover up the stench that you're rotten to the core. Elicker do better. You should routinely be walking the streets of ALL of your neighborhoods. You come across delicate, arrogant, and prone to hiding behind a police department to smother challenges you can't effectively navigate from your OWN citizens. Lastly, it also seems like you all are running a smear campaign for this organizer who is one of your own. Has the Mayor sat down with her or any of the other, "bad apples" you all seem to be referring to, who also happen to be women of color? This is sad.....

I marched against Apartheid in New York...so I was an "out of towner". Yes because I live in New Haven.

I marched for the ERA in D.C. along with a busload of other women from CT. Were we "outsiders" or "out of towners".

I marched in D.C. against the unlawful and immoral invasion of Iraq. What was I - an invader?

Get over it folks.

The problem is not that the people are from out of town. I have friends from suburbs who often come to New Haven to protest for peace, for the environment and for injustice.

The problem is that the trouble makers are Agents Provocateurs - they are there to cause trouble. Who pays them?
Who pays them to make protesting look dangerous on tv so, therefore, DO NOT COME OUT AND PROTEST.
If you've been to a protest you can tell who these people are a mile away.

The function of Agents Provocateurs is and it always has been to disrupt and divert attention. They were in New Haven during the time of Black Power and the Viet Nam war.

The Agents Provocateurs that we see in the protests are there to divert attention from the real issue - that is that another Black man was murdered in broad daylight by a white police officer.

Agent's provocateurs start fires, throw stuff, break windows and do all of the kinds of things that the media will pick up to, again, focusing on the real issue, the murder of George Floyd.

Even 45 posing as a worshiper holding a Bible is an Agent Provocateur along with his shoot 'em up tweets.

George Floyd was killed in cold blood, in broad daylight by a white police officer while 3 other officers, still at large, looked on and did nothing.

Beezus--- You can already condemn the mayor; who really has been mayor for only a minute, for everything that exists here.

Thanks so much for enlightening the poor pitiful people of New Haven with your wonderful Southern wisdom. I thought Southerners had more manners!!! Shucks-- you're as mean as any Yankee!!

DearWesunidad---- does that mean you will not take the pledge to not call police and defend yourself??

JohnDVelleca: You sound angry. As for being half-assed, perhaps I once was, but today, as the song says, "I am a deep-fried, double-wide version of the man I was before."
Garner is a seminal case on use of force, essentially codified in 53A-22(c), and deals with lethal force against fleeing felons who pose a continuing danger, which Rivera was. So, were I defending the city in a legal action, I would certainly cite it.

It is beyond laughable that anyone regardless of RACE, ETHNICITY, PLACE OF ORIGIN or COMPLEXION would even suggest disarming law enforcement. Have you seen the calls for ( PRIORITY) service in a given year. These people aren't the ones calling because a dog is barking or quality of life issues loitering panhandling. The calls are because they or someone else is in harms way. . Someone is injured as the result of another person who is not kind or gentle or compassionate towards another human being. Our civilization doesnt provide the opportunities for affordable living, gainful employment thus there are people who are suffering and will do WHAT EVER it takes to get what they want or need. Should we add in the addiction and substance abuse climate and government policies with BIG PHARMA that habitually supports and condones pumping people from cradle to grave with meds that will ultimately destroy them and their lives. Or the lack of mental health care available to any and everyone let alone without stigmatization of said help. MANY MANY of those people do NOT act reasonably or cooperatively but I guess someone should be willing to contend with them in all their behavior without the ability to fend for them-self? You will then NEED to have a department of Olympic status, exceptional athletes with physical prowess and mental fortitude that exceeds 99% of the general population and those people will not only not look like the community, the vast majority wouldn't come from the community. No one is suggesting that there should always be a weapon involved with detaining people but its like asking the average four year old what four foods they want to eat exclusively for the next several years of their lives(the answers will not be healthy just as this suggestion isnt.)If you look at the resource of tools the PD have been trained to use you will see that they have definitely strived towards less detrimental. to be con

@ wesunidad - please read the following article

https://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/active_shooter_situation/

Seeing you are for disarming the police, please tell us how you would have responded to this incident.

Specifically, I would like to know the magic words you would say to a man who just shot his wife? And if your magical and soothing words aren't the thing that causes him to surrender, please tell us the name and the brand of fairy dust that you're going to use.

Please let us know how your word, fairy dust, and expertise would have ended that situation. We all need a good laugh.

The problem with racism is it doesn't just impact people of color, it is a poison that seeps into white people's views and influences their behavior towards persons of color and then society enshrines those views into laws and actions. The problem with the militarization of the police and lack of community policing is it creates a distrust in the community, and an "us versus them" mentality. Growing up in the city, my friends (from all different races and ethnicities and religions) and I were subjected to bullying behavior from specific cops in the city. We all knew who the bad cops were, and we knew to avoid Hamden and East Haven cops altogether, as their policies of harassing minority people who dared to cross their borders were well known. I've been pulled over in a car twice for driving with black and/or brown people in the car outside of the city. I've been in groups of teens who were threatened with arrest for "waiting at a bus stop" "eating at a table" in the mall, "sitting" on the wall around beinecke library, "sitting" on the benches in front of the Yale Art Gallery, "walking" through Yale's campus, "skateboarding" in the city. I've had friends and former teachers pulled over by police and questioned for the reason that they were walking or driving in the "wrong" neighborhood. I've been riding a bus from the city to the suburbs and back and had white people ask me wasn't I "afraid of living in the city because it was so dangerous." I've been to stores where the minority children were only allowed to enter the store 2 at a time because the employees thought the minority children might steal something and they wanted to be able to "keep and eye on them."
Racism is all around you, and it influences all of us, whether we are aware of it or not. It effects all of us, whether you admit it or not. Bad cops, bad police tactics, fear, ignorance, distrust, bullying and racism in policing needs to end. Community policing and city recruits need to be embraced.

Why no outrage over the death of Dave Patrick Underwood?

"Underwood was an officer in the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Protective Service who was gunned down Friday as he stood guard outside the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland, Calif. A second federal officer was shot with him but was not killed."

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-these-heroes-and-their-families

Heather C., Thank you for your amazing detailed report on how insidious racism is in our society.

As a white person, I KNOW that white people, in general, do not understand their privilege of having been born white. That's where the biggest part of the problem lies along with the Racist-in-Chief who recently referred to African Americans as THE BLACK PEOPLE. Once a white co-worker at Yale said to me, "Oh, racism went away because of Martin Luther King."

Racism was built into the U.S. capitalist system to extract labor from people with Black skins. That was how slavery began in the U.S. The original wealth of the U.S. was born on the backs of African Americans for the riches of white men.

Aside from systemic racism, we are one of the most violent countries on earth because we are the invaders and the bullies of the world with over 900 military bases throughout the world.

Would you feel safer in the United States where the cops are armed to the teeth OR in Norway, Iceland, New Zealand and Britain where officers, generally, do not carry guns?

There are more guns in the United States - 393 million guns than there are people - 326 million.

Private gun ownership in the United States per 100 people is 120 guns.

Here's where other countries stand on gun ownership per 100 people - England and Wales 4.6, Spain 7.5, Denmark 9.9, Russia 12, Greece 17.6, Germany 19, France 19.6 and Iceland 31.

Given the level of privately owned guns per 100 people in the U.S. - of course the Police are militarized.

We need to disarm the New Haven Police and re-educate everyone in this City. At the same time, we need a gun buy-back program. The most important thing we need to do is to educate people about the fact that we CAN live without guns. Until that mentality changes and capitalism is replaced with a system that raises everyone up and reduces the necessity of stealing and crime, we will still keep our title, "The Most Dangerous Country in the World".

IMAGINE.

Yes, systemic racism is real, and our country's horrible history has brought us to these troubling times, but judging from the words coming out of some protestor's mouths, I really think this entire conversation needs to be re-framed.

Simple, shareable '#aphorisms' are a disservice to the real problems at large.
The bigger message is 'Police Accountability Matters'.

Headline might better read: Peaceful Protesters Gather, Chant, Take 95. City Mishandles Response at Station. More than 1,000 protesters gathered to demonstrate their profound rage and grief at having been treated violently, abusively and with disdain for hundreds of years. People of color and particularly Black people of color are dying at the hands of law enforcement, they are suffering in our ill funded schools, they are diminished in seeking work and when they go to the park. After seeing the non-violent approach of this group, why greet them at the station with a barricade? Mayor Elicker, why leave them waiting for 4-5 hours before you listened to them. Why not approach this with some humility as a city - we have a lot to learn and witnessing, listening and hearing the rightful rage of protesters is appropriate. The commenters on this post who are throwing their weight around targeting Kerry Ellington, her intentions, her work, should put their energy elsewhere. Change creates tension. When white folks aren't willing to give up our chokehold on society, what on earth do we expect people to do?