BRATTLEBORO — Local Police Chief Michael Fitzgerald faced two hours of questions Wednesday night from self-described abolitionists who are unhappy this town will continue to fund his department for the coming fiscal year.
“Make no mistake, there are things we can do better, there are things we’re working on, there are things that I don’t even know yet that we need to do,” Fitzgerald said at a meeting where he set up a microphone on the town common and invited the public to ask anything.
A gathering of about 100 people spaced out on the grass voiced concerns that were as much global as local.
“It’s not just a particular department that has created this scenario for us, it is multiple people in multiple departments and multiple places in multiple states in this whole entire country that have brought us to this point across 400 years,” said the evening’s first speaker, Wichie Artu.
Many residents, spurred by the Minneapolis police killing of black resident George Floyd, have attended three local demonstrations seeking racial justice and, in the case of the abolitionists, demanded municipal police money be reallocated for human services.
In response, Fitzgerald has kneeled with attendees at a recent silent vigil, organized Wednesday’s forum and posted a letter on Facebook.
“Law enforcement officers represent their community,” the letter begins. “In order for any law enforcement agency to be successful, it is critical for the community to trust their police officers and the police officers to trust their community.”
Forum participant Shea Witzo, expressing gratitude that recent local police statements were “not overtly racist,” said her larger concern was society was investing in “people with guns” instead of “housing people, feeding people, getting people support, getting people jobs.”
“It doesn’t actually matter if every Brattleboro police officer is doing the best job possible,” Witzo said. “We’re not asking for everyone to do their best at a job that we think needs to relinquish some power so that we can add some power into some of these other areas that our community really desperately needs.”
Speaker after speaker took issue with Fitzgerald, pointing out everything from his white privilege to the fact he was carrying a gun. When he answered, he was criticized for not listening. When he listened, he was criticized for not answering.
“We’re kind of coming at you with a lot,” attendee Cade Glover-Yellovich told the chief when first taking the microphone before swearing and storming off during a second turn to express his dissatisfaction.
The Brattleboro Selectboard heard 90 minutes of similar statements Tuesday night during an online meeting before voting 3-2 to retain law enforcement’s 2020-21 spending plan as local leaders review whether to make future changes.
At that time, the board also heard from residents who cited the need for police, who have offered security at several local Black Lives Matter events that have drawn opponents shouting racial slurs.
After Wednesday’s forum, several townspeople questioned why speakers indignant about defunding didn’t attend any of the many publicly warned Selectboard budget-writing sessions that began last fall.
The chief, for his part, simply took everything in — including criticism of a 2001 police shooting that happened before he joined the force. Fitzgerald was asked what he was doing to heal past hurt.
“Community repair?” he responded. “That’s what we’re doing now.”
