Police and some residents say they are ready to move on from a December incident in which a woman was walking around her Bel Air neighborhood when police stopped her and questioned her citizenship.
"We are in uncertain times and while we may not agree about politics, I hope we can agree about humanity. I implore Chief Moore and his department to make clear in no uncertain terms they serve all members of our community and that they condemn prejudice and racism," Melony Dever, who lives on Southworth Court, told the commissioners at the Bel Air town meeting Monday night.
She was one of several people who spoke at meeting, the first since Aravinda Pillalamarri related her story of being stopped by police as she was walking in her neighborhood and being asked by police if she was here legally. Pillalamarri did not attend Monday’s meeting.
Residents praised Police Chief Charles Moore for his response, which includes training for his officers and his community, and they urged that the department and residents "move on together."
"We want to continue to foster a relationship with the community and Bel Air Police Department," Dever told the commissioners Monday. "I have faith Chief Moore will continue to protect our community."
Bel Air Police Chief Charles Moore is responding to widespread reaction – positive and negative – about his department’s handling of a “suspicious incident” call in December in which a woman, who has lived in Bel Air for 30 years, was asked if she was in this country legally.
Moore put out a statement…
Bel Air Police Chief Charles Moore is responding to widespread reaction – positive and negative – about his department’s handling of a “suspicious incident” call in December in which a woman, who has lived in Bel Air for 30 years, was asked if she was in this country legally.
Moore put out a statement…
Carrie Smith, of David Court, said she’s pleased Bel Air residents will get some "helpful training in interacting with police for the first time and making sure we know our rights and obligations and can help you guys do your job."
"I’m really proud of our police department and our community for working together to address this implicit bias and I look forward to seeing what we all accomplish together," Smith said.
Pillalamarri was stopped the morning of Dec. 21 while walking in her Homestead Village neighborhood, after a resident called police about a suspicious person walking around looking in cars. There had been several reports of burglaries and thefts of packages from the porches in the community in the previous weeks, police said.
Officers questioned Pillalamarri, who in turn asked them why she was being questioned.
At one point, a supervisor asked Pillalamarri "are you here legally," she told the commissioners in January.
The officers were reacting with implicit bias, Moore said. When someone grows up in a certain area, a certain culture, it’s hard to understand people of other nationalities, societies, he explained.
"Her saying are you stopping me because I’m brown, they thought it was confrontational, when it was just her reaction to what’s going on in our society today," Moore said. "I have to get the officers to understand that."
The incident involving Pillalamarri can also be used as a learning tool for other communities and Bel Air can set the standard, one Bel Air resident said.
"A lot of communities struggle with this kind of thing. If we handle this well in Bel Air, Bel Air can be a positive example of what other towns need to do to confront implicit bias and build better community and police relationships," Allison Galbraith, of Lamond Place, said.
They also want to support their friend, Pillalamarri, and ensure she stays safe.
Dever said she was concerned after reading posts on some media outlets.
"I’m uneasy about the safety of Ms. Pillalamarri as well as other women of color in this community who I fear may be targeted for harassment," she said.
Moore also wants to move forward, he said later Monday night, and that he appreciates Pillalamarri bringing it to his attention so he can address the issue.
"It’s a weakness I saw in my department, bias and impartial policing training – they need more training in that, that was the one thing I learned from this incident. It’s something that all departments can use, probably," Moore said. "This showed me there’s a real need for fair and impartial training so the officers can go out there and get the job done right."
Because his officers are going to be out on the street, Moore said, pointing out that since his appointment as chief in September 2015, police have responded to 50 percent more calls for service and issued 20 percent more warnings, tickets and equipment orders. The number of car crashes is down, he said.
"That indicates to me my officers are out there being visible, doing their jobs, being proactive," Moore said. "And by being proactive, there will be more interactions with the community."
"My job is to move forward, noting that we can use some training and diffusing situations like this in the future before it escalates to things like we just saw," he added.
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