From today’s St. Louis Post Dispatch —
The city’s Board of Aldermen passed on Friday a resolution calling on interim Police Chief Lawrence O’Toole to come before the city Public Safety Committee to discuss his department’s handling of recent protests.
The measure’s sponsor, 1st Ward Alderman Sharon Tyus, said during a contentious floor debate that the requested appearance was intended to address issues from protests after last month’s acquittal of a white St. Louis police officer in the shooting death of a black suspect.
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Among the issues the resolution seeks to address with O’Toole, according to the language as filed, is whether he believes “police own the streets or the night” and “if it is his belief that mocking and taunting the Citizens will in any way help to diffuse and quiet the unrest in this City or is any way productive.”
O’Toole drew criticism during protests when he declared that police “owned tonight,” and there has been further criticism over officers’ allegedly chanting “Whose streets? Our streets!” while facing off with protesters.
Ongoing protests here now start to show signs of progress in addressing structural racism in this community. Peaceful but disruptive civil disobedience has occurred almost daily after the murder charge acquittal, last month, of the killer St. Louis cop. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police have often reacted to the protests as if at war with the citizens whom they are sworn to serve and protect.
Other progress occurred this week, as described by Post Dispatch Metro Columnist, Tony Messenger. Referring to new St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson and BLM leader, State Representative Bruce Franks, Messenger wrote that, on Wednesday —
Krewson and Franks appeared on a panel together at Harris-Stowe State University to discuss the protests, city policing policy, and what should be done to improve trust between blacks in St. Louis and the judicial system that often oppresses them.
It was a Franks’ kind of crowd, full of fellow protesters, still fuming that Krewson had canceled her town halls out of concern that they wouldn’t be productive. So they shouted her down. They let her know they weren’t there to listen to her. They wanted the mayor to hear them. Among their requests? Hire a new public safety director, Franks said.
On Friday, Krewson did just that, in a surprise move, appointing Judge Jimmie Edwards, an African-American who is known for giving second chances to the young, black men he often sees in his courtroom.
When asked for comment, State Representative Bruce Franks expressed hope for Judge Edwards’ appointment —
State Rep. Bruce Franks Jr., who has been active in the protests of the Stockley verdict and called this week for a new public safety director, quickly applauded the selection of Edwards.
“Judge Edwards is a great guy who has done some great things with youth,” Franks said on Twitter. “I hope it translates to accountability and change in Public Safety.”
These small successes do not signal the end of the current season of protest in my city. But more and more officials are picking up their tools to begin tearing away the rot of structural racism that survives and sometimes still thrives here.