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http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/cla...4riverdale.html
Probe of Riverdale cops sought
By ADD SEYMOUR JR.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/03/04
Civil rights leaders want the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division to do a full investigation of racial tensions in the Riverdale Police Department.
A coalition of civil rights organizations said Wednesday that a report by another Justice Department division on the Police Department didn't go far enough --even though Riverdale officials already have begun implementing recommen
ed changes.
During their news conference before nearly 60 supporters in front of Riverdale City Hall, the group also had a message for city administrators: racial problems in the Police Department n
eed
to be fixed or some administrators need to go.
"We wi
ll not tolerate discrimination and racism in Riverdale and the rest of the county," said Clayton County NAACP President Dexter Matthews. "Somebody may need to be terminated to get this department right."
City officials have approved cultural diversity training and a public safety committee to examine the Police Department and are revising policies and procedures to bring equity in discipline and promotions --recommendations made by the Justice Department's Community Relations Service in its report released last month.
City officials asked for the report after a July 2003 investigation by an independent consultant found that black officers were disciplined more harshly than white officers; that a high-
ranking white officer said too many black people were being hired; and that both black and white officers were using racial slurs.
The Justice Department report also recommended that city of
fici
als address
the perception that Riverdale officers write an excessive amount of traffic
tickets that sometimes could be attached to race.
But the civil rights groups want more.
In addition to a Civil Rights Division investigation, the groups, which will conduct a town hall meeting on the situation tonight at Riverdale's New Macedonia Baptist Church, want the Police Department to suspend disciplinary actions against officers until new policies and procedures are put into place --a recommendation in the Justice report.
They also want a citizens review panel; more community-police dialogue; a community council to resolve problems between residents and police officers; and a public status report on the department within 90 days.
"Riverdale has a long history of racial di
scrimination," said Gail Davenport of Concerned Black Citizens of Clayton County. "It has come to a head and it must stop now."
The groups didn't call for the outr
ight res
ignations of City M
anager Billy Beckett and police Chief Mike Edwards --two people they most hold accountable for raci
al problems mentioned in last month's report.
"But what I do know is the current administration has not changed what is going on," said the NAACP's Roberta Abdul-Salaam. "We know who is responsible."
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/cla...4riverdale.html
Probe of Riverdale cops sought
By ADD SEYMOUR JR.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/03/04
Civil rights leaders want the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division to do a full investigation of racial tensions in the Riverdale Police Department.
A coalition of civil rights organizations said Wednesday that a report by another Justice Department division on the Police Department didn't go far enough --even though Riverdale officials already have begun implementing recommen
ed changes.
During their news conference before nearly 60 supporters in front of Riverdale City Hall, the group also had a message for city administrators: racial problems in the Police Department n
eed
to be fixed or some administrators need to go.
"We wi
ll not tolerate discrimination and racism in Riverdale and the rest of the county," said Clayton County NAACP President Dexter Matthews. "Somebody may need to be terminated to get this department right."
City officials have approved cultural diversity training and a public safety committee to examine the Police Department and are revising policies and procedures to bring equity in discipline and promotions --recommendations made by the Justice Department's Community Relations Service in its report released last month.
City officials asked for the report after a July 2003 investigation by an independent consultant found that black officers were disciplined more harshly than white officers; that a high-
ranking white officer said too many black people were being hired; and that both black and white officers were using racial slurs.
The Justice Department report also recommended that city of
fici
als address
the perception that Riverdale officers write an excessive amount of traffic
tickets that sometimes could be attached to race.
But the civil rights groups want more.
In addition to a Civil Rights Division investigation, the groups, which will conduct a town hall meeting on the situation tonight at Riverdale's New Macedonia Baptist Church, want the Police Department to suspend disciplinary actions against officers until new policies and procedures are put into place --a recommendation in the Justice report.
They also want a citizens review panel; more community-police dialogue; a community council to resolve problems between residents and police officers; and a public status report on the department within 90 days.
"Riverdale has a long history of racial di
scrimination," said Gail Davenport of Concerned Black Citizens of Clayton County. "It has come to a head and it must stop now."
The groups didn't call for the outr
ight res
ignations of City M
anager Billy Beckett and police Chief Mike Edwards --two people they most hold accountable for raci
al problems mentioned in last month's report.
"But what I do know is the current administration has not changed what is going on," said the NAACP's Roberta Abdul-Salaam. "We know who is responsible."