03-15-83 Public Safety Committee

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QInmmmn Xrpori Ma tit Mammon Oiount l atilt OItty of orndli NPnb PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE • The Executive Session of the Public Safety Committee set for February 15, 1983 was called to order by its Chairman Councilman John J. Harris, Jr. at 3: 30. p.m. in the Council informal meeting room. • Persons in attendance included Councilmen Beck, Voorde, Harris, Mc Gann, Joseph Kernan, George Hill, Gladys Muhammad, Carl Ellison, Kathy Barnhard, Pastor Walter Dillis, Jr. , Rev. R. B. Ragland, Larry Johnson, Rev. Dave S. Davis, Robert Gammage, Lee C. McKnight, Patricia Campbell Glenn, DeWitt Hunter, Rev. Booker West, Elmer Carr, Stanley Przybylinski, Mayor Parent, and Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand; Ed Friend, Eugenia Schwartz and Chief Thompson. Councilman Harris stated that the purpose of the Executive Session was to receive information regarding the reassignment of City Police Officer Donald Allen. He then read the notice of meeting dated February 11, 1983 and•read the names of individuals specifically invited to attend. Councilman Harris then asked the Council Attorney ,for a legal opinion regarding the meeting. Mrs. Cekanski-Farrand stated that because the meeting was called as an Executive Session that only persons specifically invited could attend the meeting. She noted that individuals present and requested to be in attendance by the Mayor could only remain if the news media also had the right to attend the meeting. She stated that either the . meeting is totally open to all members of the public or it is closed to those invited by invitation: Mayor Parent believed that all person which he had invited had a right to stay since he had informed Councilman Harris that he was, inviting these individuals. Following further discussion, Councilman Harris decided to open the meeting and have the City Clerk' s office contact all news media informing them of the meeting and their right to participate. The meeting was recessed until approximately 4 :05 to allow members of the news media to attend. Councilman Harris then reconvened the meeting and stated that because of his concern and the number of persons contacting him regarding the February 10, 1983 article in the South Bend Tribune entitled "Blacks angered by reassignment" (copy attached) He was holding the meeting today. He then read portions of the article. Urban League President Lee McKnight was then called upon -by Councilman Harris. Mr. McKnight stated that a large number of blacks are concerned about this reassignment. In his conversations with Dr. Roland Chamblee, Black American Colation Chairman they believed that the City Administration should have been more sensitive to the needs of the black community. Councilman Harris then called upon the Council Attorney for a brief update. She then briefly explained why the meeting was now open to the public. She also reviewed the minutes of September 18, 1979 and November 10, 1981 of the Board of Public Safety which dealt with Police Officer Donald Allen. She specifically noted that the Board found Officer Allen in violation of Section 302-12G of the General Rules and Regulations of the South Bend Duty Manual whic rase . I.s ^. ►ua i.HIH.CO.