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sfltimes.com “Elevating the Dialogue” SERVING MIAMI-DADE, BROWARD, PALM BEACH AND MONROE COUNTIES DECEMBER 18 — 24, 2014 | 50¢ Sheriffs vow to serve GRAPHIC BY MJURY SOUTH FLORIDA POLICE CHIEFS: (From left) Miami-Dade Chief J.D. Patterson; Broward Sheriff Scott Israel; Ft. Lauderdale Police Chief Franklin Adderley; Riveria Beach Police Chief Clarence D. Williams III. Police Chiefs affi rm commitment to black community MIAMI-DADE BROWARD PALM BEACH Patterson committed Ferguson, N.Y. fallout Black on black crime to maintaining peace hits Ft. Lauderdale a greater problem By JOSÉ PÉREZ By KYOTO WALKER By DAPHNE TAYLOR Special to South Florida Times Special to South Florida Times Special to South Florida Times The scrutiny on police officers around the country has The fallout from the Ferguson and Staten Island in- In light of the situation surrounding the Ferguson, grown in the wake of dictment cases, which cleared a police officer from each Missouri and New York cases involving unarmed black the outcry over the city of criminal charges after an unarmed black teenag- men, Michael Brown and Eric Garner, police depart- deaths of unarmed er and an unarmed black man were killed in two sepa- ments all across the nation are under scrutiny. Relation- civilians like Mike rate incidents involving the officers, has surfaced in Bro- ships between black males and policemen are called Brown and Eric Gard- ward County. Protesters from around South Florida and into question. Protestors have taken to streets all over ner and a brighter other states marched the world, protesting these contested relationships and light is shining on po- in downtown Fort Lau- devastating outcomes. So what is the answer? Is there lice departments from derdale Saturday, Dec. a disconnect between white officers and black males? coast to coast. As the 13 as a part of a na- Will police chiefs undoubtedly back up their officers in Director of one of the tionwide movement controversial police shootings? Clearly, there's a percep- largest law enforce- decrying the deaths of tion in the black community that officers don't value their ment agencies in the minorities caused by lives - particular the lives of black males. What can be United States, J.D. Pat- police officers. done to change this? terson of the Miami- Demonstrators de- Ferguson Police Chief, Thomas Jackson, was called Dade Police Depart- manded justice for the dumbest police chief in America after his handling of ment is resolute in how minorities across the the Ferguson, Missouri debacle. He called Darren Wilson, his officers are viewed country who have en- the White officer who shot unarmed teenager, Michael by the community. countered extreme Brown, "a kind, and gentle person." He also said there “The officers of or excessive force by were no racial problems in his department or commu- the Metro-Dade Police law enforcement of- nity. Many found these Department are not ficers, including Mis- comments laughable, agents of brutality,” souri teenager Michael but it clearly demon- said Patterson. There Brown, who was shot to strates the disconnect have been 9 police- death by a police of- PHOTO COURTESY OF SHERIFF.ORG between the percep- FILE PHOTO involved shootings ficer in Ferguson, and Scott Israel tion of the people, and J.D. Patterson in his department this Eric Garner, of New the head of the police year - two of them were York, who died after being put in a chokehold by a po- department. In a larger fatal. These cases are normally referred to outside agencies lice officer in Staten Island when trying to subdue him. sense, it spotlights the for additional investigation. Grand juries determined that Ferguson police officer myriad of problems “We have a clear and defined policy [and] a very thor- Darren Wilson, 28, who shot and killed Brown and New between police de- ough process” that involves the local State Attorney’s Office York police officer Daniel Pantaleo, 29, who held Garner partments and citizens. and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.” in chokehold even after Garner complained that he could It seems to be a broken While the MDPD has long cooperated with the State not breathe, would not be indicted on criminal charges. relationship that many Attorney’s Office in instances of police-involved shoot- Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Franklin C. Adderley said wonder if it will ever be ings, this relationship with the FDLE is unique to police the city has had two formal protests and better. departments in the state and is “still being developed.” several more are scheduled. “We In a lengthy tele- Patterson said he expects the outside investigative agen- know that protesters are being co- phone conversation, cy relationship with the FDLE to be official by January ordinated by people that don’t live Clarence Williams III, 1, 2015. “Mayor [Carlos] Gimenez has always done his in the city,” he said. “They have no the police chief of Riv- PHOTO COURTESY OF PBCGOV.COM best,” said Patterson, to ensure greater accountability. “It idea what our relationship is, our lo- iera Beach, a predomi- Clarence Williams, III was his idea a long time ago.” cal police department, with our black nantly black city in Palm MDPD has already started referring instances of po- community.” Adderley said that Beach County, attempts to address some of these ills. lice-involved shooting to the FDLE and the Memoranda of being transparent is essential, Granted, his force is predominantly black, but every Understanding cementing the relationship is in Tallahas- and his department tries to police department is being watched closely as a result see “waiting to be signed,” said Patterson. answer questions even if of the outcry in wake of the latest controversial police Also in the works are Body 1 Cameras to be worn by they don’t always have shootings. According to Williams, there's lots of work that MDPD police officers. “We’re still trying to get the bugs the answers. needs to be done on both sides - law enforcement and worked out” but, Director Patterson added, the process Although residents in the community. But he does say that many mistakes has been “accelerated since Ferguson.” Patterson said have expressed some were made in Ferguson, which his industry can learn that the project has been studied since the beginning of concerns about the re- from. "They did some things right, but they did things his tenure as Director two years ago. The first planned PHOTO COURTESY OF BROWARDCOLLEG- cent incidents involving wrong. Anytime there's loss of life, it's a tragic situation. phase for the cameras will involve about a quarter of EFOUNDATION.COM the deaths of unarmed The community should be concerned. But we should be 2,000 uniformed MDPD officers (there are a total of 2,800 Franklin Adderley African-American men, concerned whether that's at the hands of the bad guys or officers under Patterson’s supervision). “We’re going to the police department has the officer," he said on Wednesday. "This is an excellent start with 500,” he said. Among the details that have to be worked diligently to build a bridge of communication and opportunity for our industry to learn from. We learned worked out before the Body 1 Cameras can be deployed trust with Fort Lauderdale residents, Adderley said. “We that it's important to have relationships with their com- on MDPD police officers include purchasing units, train- have been working for many years to establish the cur- munity. We can't have this kind of distrust," he said of ing officers, updating Department policy plus modifying rent relationship that we have,” he said. “The unrest, why the Ferguson community and it's police force. "When we state public record laws to protect victims of crimes. Pat- people from other cities feel they need to come to our city have so much distrust, we, as police executives, have to terson added that pertinent polices are “being worked to protest, I really can’t answer that question.” pay attention to that. As chief executive officers, we have on” especially with the Department’s union, the Police Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said that although to reassure the community that we are there for them, Benevolent Association, who, Patterson added, “has con- the unrest has created tensions between law enforcement and that we'll keep them informed." cerns.” Patterson did not elaborate on what those con- agencies and communities, the Broward County Sher- One of the biggest criticisms of police and concerns cerns were for the PBA. iff’s Office (BSO) has worked hard to ease those tensions. of citizens is the abuse of power that seems apparent Patterson said his department has been “looking and “Sadly, the unrest has exposed underlying tensions that in some instances. Williams said police do have a lot of PLEASE TURN TO MIAMI-DADE/6A PLEASE TURN TO BROWARD/6A PLEASE TURN TO PALM BEACH/6A SOUTH FLORIDA TIMES IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL 3A NATION | 4A OPINION | 5A CARIBBEAN | 8A SPORTS | 2B AROUND SOUTH FLORIDA | 2B CLASSIFIEDS/OBITUARIES | 4B PRAYERFUL LIVING | 1C SOFLO LIVE SOUTH FLORIDA TIMES ©2014 • VOL. 24 ISSUE NO. 51 • A BEATTY MEDIA, LLC PUBLICATION 2A | DECEMBER 18 — 24, 2014 | SOUTH FLORIDA TIMES | SFLTIMES.COM O UR F AMILY . O UR F OOD . O UR C ELEBRATION . As part of Kwanzaa tradition, after enjoying family dinner, an elder leads guests in the Harambee (ha-RAM-bee) salute, where everyone says “Harambee!” seven times in unison. In Swahili, the word Harambee means “all pull together.” This year, Publix pulls together with your family to celebrate the special holiday. HAPPY 2014 SFLTIMES.COM | SOUTH FLORIDA TIMES | DECEMBER 18 — 24, 2014 | 3A Nation Community colleges will graduate nearly 50 percent more minorities WASHINGTON, D.C.

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