Diverse panel addresses racial tension, mistrust of police

Trying to bridge the gap

Jefferson City School Board Member Pam Murray speaks at the racial tensions forum Saturday, July 23, 2016 at Second Baptist Church. "It takes mutual respect to have a good community and a thriving community," Murray said.
Jefferson City School Board Member Pam Murray speaks at the racial tensions forum Saturday, July 23, 2016 at Second Baptist Church. "It takes mutual respect to have a good community and a thriving community," Murray said.

A panel of Jefferson City area community leaders took on racism and mistrust of police on Saturday, offering their perspectives and some possible solutions to issues that have rattled the nation.

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AP

Driver Tony Stewart is seen before a practice session, Friday, June 14, 2013 for Sunday's Quicken Loans 400 auto race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Rev. Cornell Sudduth Sr. hosted the discussion at Second Baptist Church and said it's evident there's a problem, but asked what can the community do to resolve it.

"One of my first sermons or, actually, my first sermon here was 'Somebody ought to say something.'" That was the title of my sermon, "Somebody ought to say something," he said. "Interestingly, 22 years later it hits home that somebody ought to say something has come back around."

The panelists were state and Jefferson City NAACP President Nimrod Chapel Jr., Highway Patrol Troop F commander Capt. Michael Turner, Cole County Sheriff Greg White, Capt. Doug Shoemaker of the Jefferson City Police Department, Jefferson City Public School board member Pam Murray, Juvenile Court Director Michael Couty and Fifth Ward Councilman Larry Henry.

All admitted there were problems with several layers of society and how minorities are treated.

Chapel cited racial profiling among police officers and the court system sentencing minorities to harsher punishment.

"There is a problem, it's historic," he said. "There needs to be more one-on-one interaction. If we start from a place of mistrust, where do you go and how do you work through that? If there's an issue, you start by picking up the phone. I think when issues are not addressed, that's when we have a problem. "

The system is broken, and it's more than just law enforcement that needs to address it, he said.

"You may be treated well by law enforcement, but then get to trial and one person gets treated one way and you get treated another for the same crime," he said.

Aside from being a councilman, Henry also works in the courthouse as a deputy juvenile officer and said he's seen a disparity among people who can't afford an attorney and rely on overloaded public defenders to plead their case. Those that can afford their own attorneys are much better off.

"The system overall is broken," he said. "We need to bridge the gap."

Patsy Johnson, lifelong resident of Jefferson City, confirmed there are feelings of racism and racial profiling in the community.

There's a stigma about the east side of town being condemned by higher crime rates, and said it appears as though police are patrolling that area more than other parts of town.

"I feel like we're under a microscope," she said. "If you're under a microscope, you'll see every blemish and you'll see what you're looking for."

Shoemaker said police officers are assigned zoned districts of the town and one reason more officers may be on the east side is because that's where they're receiving calls for service.

"It's not that we want to go there," he said. "We have to go where we're called."

If anyone feels like an officer is acting inappropriately or being discriminatory, Shoemaker encouraged everyone to call in a complaint. He said he feels like the department has a solid investigation process and takes complaints seriously. The department will also conduct their own investigation if they feel an officer didn't act according to state law or department policy.

White echoed that sentiment. Law enforcement leaders want to know if any misconduct is happening, because if it's never reported then the problem never goes away.

Sudduth shared his own experience, feeling like he was targeted or treated differently because of his skin color. An officer pulled him over, said he had stolen license plates, told him to get out of the vehicle and stand aside.

Sudduth obeyed, and started walking over to the other female officer where the male officer had pointed. The female officer shifted and put her hand against her gun when he started approaching her.

"Do you mean I'm going to get killed today over a stolen license plate?" he remembered saying to her.

The incident ended in a misunderstanding - his plates weren't stolen, but Sudduth said he was scared. He feared reporting the incident because he didn't want his family to face retaliation.

Shoemaker said some of the responses of police, which come off as defensive, are part of police training. They're taught to stand with their gun facing away from the individual they're dealing with, and there are times people have lurched to grab an officer's weapon.

Part of the solution is making people aware of why officers react a certain way, Shoemaker said, and the department is making efforts to do that, but could still improve.

On the juvenile side of the issue, Couty said the juvenile court takes preventative measures to help troubled youth before they become adults. They work within their department and with outside agencies to provide resources to youth and families to resolve any issues before they're sent to jail.

Children and teenagers need positive community members they can look up to and relate to, he added.

"The individuals we employ must be representative of the population we serve," he said. "There's an active effort with the police department and by the school."

Murray said the school district is trying to recruit a more diverse staff so students can see adults that look like them, but admitted the progress has been slower than she'd like. As a member of the board's policy committee, she also works with the other board members to create policies that are equitable to all staff and students.

She said conversations like the discussion had Saturday are important. People need to come together and share their experiences, she said.

"I will never have the experience of a young black man," she said. "I will never have the experience of a police officer. We need to try and get a better understanding of our neighbors."