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REGULAR MEETING June 24, 2019
<br /> Flores incident happened. We need more consistency like this. If our Police are involved, then the
<br /> prosecutor needs to step aside and let someone else handle that. I think we need to remember, we
<br /> don't know everything that happened that night. Let's not make it a political pawn for both local
<br /> and national media attention while we run for President or whatever we choose to run for. Let's
<br /> remember that most of these people mean well when they go out there every day to protect us.
<br /> Thanks to the City last year slashing thirty (30) police officer positions from the budget, not only
<br /> are they undermanned, they are now in perpetuity undermanned and not going to be able to do the
<br /> job they should be, every day of the year.
<br /> Jesse Davis, P.O. Box 10205, South Bend, IN, stated, I just want to say I agree with what Jason
<br /> just said. The family member that came up here and spoke first (1St), I really hope our Mayor is
<br /> sitting up in his office listening because I received the second (2m1) email today and it was very
<br /> disturbing. He put it out on his Pete for President email and it basically is doing nothing but talking
<br /> about this shooting and the death of this man and racism. We already see in the news media that
<br /> he obviously is having a problem garnering the black vote. He should not be putting these emails
<br /> out basically pandering for that black vote. That's what it appears to be in most people's eyes. I
<br /> went to the town hall meeting yesterday and sat through it. Yes, it got a little bit loud and crazy,
<br /> but people are angry, they're pissed off, and they're tired. They are tired of hearing the same old
<br /> thing. I pulled up and showed another town hall the Mayor had back in 2012. I shared the news
<br /> article of it today. The Mayor was speaking, and we heard the same thing: transparency, we want
<br /> community input. We've been listening to this for a long time, but we don't get it. Even here we
<br /> don't get it. I've come to you folks, I've filed proper APRA requests for some equipment that
<br /> mysteriously appeared with the City. I've been trying to get my information for three (3) years.
<br /> The last time I filed, I was told I didn't file an APRA. Why should I have to continue filing APRAs
<br /> for several years running for the same information? Why can't the Legal Department, once the
<br /> investigation was completed,which was their excuse for not releasing the information to me, once
<br /> that is done, please, send me my information. Don't make me to try and remember it three (3)
<br /> years later and file another APRA. That's not transparency. I can show numerous cases where I've
<br /> tried to pull public documents and have been turned down. I do through the public access counselor
<br /> in Indianapolis who is supposed to solve those problems. Guess what?They don't get solved. I get
<br /> excuse after excuse from different people in the Legal Department who come and go as the City
<br /> Attorneys. All I'm saying is the Council Members and the Mayor and the upcoming Mayor,
<br /> everyone is politicking,and everyone keeps talking about transparency. Let's see some of that. For
<br /> real, let's see it. Ask the Chief of Police and the Mayor, what do they want us as the public to do
<br /> to help this violence problem? They keep saying it's a community problem and that they need our
<br /> help. What exactly do they want us to do? What do they want us to do? We don't get invited to the
<br /> table in many cases.
<br /> Komaneach Wheeler, 1628 South Carlisle Street, South Bend, IN, stated, I was one(1)of the ones
<br /> last night that was yelling. Let them tell it. To me, I'm a mother of injustice. That was just my pain
<br /> and agony from being unheard for eight (8) years. That is one (1) thing, ok? That was a lot of
<br /> energy. What brought me here tonight was because I'm a mother and my character matters. If it
<br /> looked like I was out of character, I give my apologies to the City. What I was trying to do is I
<br /> know plenty of officers, good ones,black and white. I stood beside the Mayor when he didn't even
<br /> know. I got pictures with him that he doesn't even know about. That's how long I've been a
<br /> positive activist in our community. I stood with Tim Scott and Karen White when many, many
<br /> outreaches went to the African American women, mothers and fathers, when all of this black on
<br /> black crime started. They opened up Northwest Side Community and all the news stations were
<br /> there. I was the only black mother. I've been out here in a positive light. So,what I said yesterday,
<br /> which effected the black community and they called me a, well, you heard it, but the reason why
<br /> is because I put my life out on the line just like the Police do. I tried to bring the black community
<br /> together, and they didn't want to. I still fought. They were mad at me because I supported Pete and
<br /> Scott because they introduced GVI. A lot of people overlooked that and that was something that
<br /> was implemented for South Bend and black on black crimes, for every mother and every parent to
<br /> get out here to meet the people who will be dealing with your kids if they commit these crimes.
<br /> They had the opportunity to meet them and I'm talking about from US Marshalls, the Mayor was
<br /> there, lawyers were there, Council Members were there, they had the kids on probation there. No
<br /> parents went but me and my proof is right here. My proof is in the making is what I'm saying. So,
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