More than 400 people have signed a petition calling for the Keene Police Department to equip its officers with body cameras.
According to a June 16 letter sent to the City Council and signed by a group called Keene Direct Action along with three individuals, the petition, which was submitted with the letter, seeks not only for the department to obtain body cameras but also for the council to discuss the matter before voting on the city’s 2020-21 budget. Both the final budget vote and the petition were on the council’s meeting agenda for Thursday night.
“In light of recent events around the country, we hope that you take our concerns about police accountability into serious consideration before approving the budget for the next fiscal year,” the letter reads.
The recent events the letter refers to are the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in the custody of Minneapolis police on May 25, and the subsequent protests against police brutality that have sprung up across the county and world, including in Keene, Winchester, Brattleboro and other nearby communities.
In addition to the hard copy petition submitted to the council, the Keene Direct Action group also launched a separate, online petition over the weekend via Change.org. As of Thursday morning, the petition had 371 signatures with a goal of 500.
“Police accountability goes a far way,” wrote Charlie Tousley in a comment on the Change.org petition. “While we don’t have the same social issues in NH, and particularly Keene, as in other states and major cities, we should still hold our police department to the highest standards of accountability. Reforming our own police, even by small steps, can act as a major influence on the rest of the state and country.”
“I can’t think of any logical reason to be against this idea,” commented Kathleen Medvidofsky. “It just helps keep everyone safe and accountable.”
For fiscal year 2020-21, City Manager Elizabeth Dragon has put forth a budget that would appropriate nearly $8 million to the police department. Calls to use some of that money to buy body cameras arose during a public forum on racial justice the city hosted Monday, with several residents stating that this would enhance police accountability.
Keene Police Chief Steven Russo said Thursday morning it would be premature to comment on the letter and petition before the City Council meeting.
Russo has shown sympathy to those who have protested in the wake of Floyd’s death. During a large rally in Keene earlier this month, Russo marched with Cheshire County Sheriff Eli Rivera and Keene police Officer Cristina Paterno, carrying signs that read, “We hear you.”
Hours before the demonstration, Russo issued a statement condemning the actions of the Minneapolis officers who were involved in Floyd’s death and emphasizing that actions like theirs break the trust between police departments and the communities they serve.
In addition to reconsidering elements of police budgets, such as shifting funding to accommodate equipment (like body cameras) or additional training, many people across the U.S. have called for municipalities to direct money away from police departments to pay for other public safety initiatives. Some suggestions have included hiring mental-health experts to respond to certain calls, rather than sending in law enforcement.
While he said he isn’t in favor of defunding police per se, Keene City Councilor Terry Clark has expressed interest in exploring ways to create an umbrella safety department in the city that includes not only police and fire but also counselors and possibly other professionals.
He said last week that he has asked the council to give the idea some thought, though no formal action has been taken at this time.
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