May 13, 2025 City Commission Meeting

[CALL TO ORDER]

[ROLL CALL]

[PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS]

[00:04:39]

IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY. ALL OF THESE PEOPLE, EVEN THE POLICE, EVERYBODY CAN BENEFIT IF YOU ADOPT CRYPTOCURRENCY. AND I CAN'T WAIT TO GO TO TORONTO TO GO NETWORK WITH THESE PEOPLE. IF YOU SEE ME ON FACEBOOK, IF YOU DON'T LIKE ME, YOU'RE GOING TO BE HATING. THANK YOU. HELLO, FRIENDS. MARK FROM GRAND RAPIDS CDC. NUMBER ONE, THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE FIREWORKS

[00:05:08]

YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW I FEEL. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU FEEL THAT WAY, BUT THAT'S HOW I FEEL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SEEING NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS, THAT BRINGS US TO APPROVAL OF

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

[PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS]

COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM JOHN MILLER REGARDING HIS RESIGNATION FROM THE NORTH QUARTER CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY. REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON APPOINTMENTS. COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM DEBORAH NIENHUIS REGARDING HER RESIGNATION FROM THE MOBILE GR COMMISSION. REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON APPOINTMENTS COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM ELLISON MCCAULEY, TOGETHER WEST MICHIGAN ORGANIZER, REGARDING VOTING PRECINCT CHANGES AND VOTING ACCESS FILED COMMUNICATIONS EIGHT OF THEM RECEIVED EXPRESSING CONCERNS FOR THE PROPOSED CLIMATE ACTION ADOPTION PLAN, ADAPTATION PLAN RECEIVED AND FILED COMMUNICATION FROM DANIEL HAMADEH EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO THE SPECIAL LAND USE PERMIT REQUESTED BY MATTHEW'S HOUSE. STEVEN FILED COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM FROM MARTIN UCHENDU REGARDING HIS RESIGNATION FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND GRAND RAPIDS LAND BANK AUTHORITY REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON APPOINTMENTS COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM BROOKE OSTERMAN REGARDING HER RESIGNATION FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND THE GRAND RAPIDS LAND BANK AUTHORITY FOR THE COMMITTEE ON APPOINTMENTS AND COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM FALKOWSKI REGARDING THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THE BIAS FROM THE RAPID STEVEN FILED. THAT BRINGS US TO REPORTS OF CITY

[REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS]

[CONSENT AGENDA APPROVAL]

[1. Ordinance amending Section 1 of the Budget Ordinance 2024-23 for Fiscal Year 2025 (Amendment No. 8)]

[00:10:02]

PURDUE. YES, COMMISSIONER. NIGHT. NO. COMMISSIONER. BOUCEK. YES. MR. MAYOR LAGRANGE. YES.

[2. Motion to give ordinance amending Section 1 of the Budget Ordinance 2024-23 for Fiscal Year 2025 (Amendment No. 8) immediate effect.]

[1. Public Hearing for Establishing Property Taxes and the Proposed FY2026 Budget]

GREAT. THANK YOU, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR BEING HERE. THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING IS TO INTRODUCE COMMENTS FOR ALLOW COMMENTS FOR THE PROPOSED TAX RATE. AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING THE OVERALL CITY'S BUDGET SINCE INTRODUCTION ON APRIL 29TH AND ESTABLISHED THIS HEARING ON THE 13TH TO HEAR COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. THE TAX RATE IS. THE MILLAGE RATE IS PROPOSED AT 8.8587, WHICH IS A REDUCTION FROM THE 25 AUTHORIZATION. AND YOU'LL SEE THERE ON THE SLIDE THE OVERALL OPERATING BUDGET 735 MILLION.

BUT THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND AT ROUGHLY $196 MILLION. I WON'T GO INTO A LOT OF DETAIL BECAUSE WE HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON SOME OF THE THINGS RELATIVE TO THE BUDGET, BUT I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT JUST DIFFERENT AREAS OF HOW THE MONEY IS SPENT WITH. YOU'LL SEE THE SIX STRATEGIC PRIORITIES OVER APPROXIMATELY 180 MILLION IN GOVERNMENT EXCELLENCE, 15.8 MILLION WITH AN ADDITIONAL 35 MILLION FOR CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS. AND WE HAD THAT BRIEFING THIS MORNING, ALONG WITH, YOU'LL SEE THE LARGEST PORTION OF THE BUDGET, $240 MILLION IN HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR PARKS, GREEN SPACE, WATER. YOU'LL SEE THE INVESTMENTS IN SAFE COMMUNITY AND MOBILITY. I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THERE ARE OVER 36, OVER 30, APPROXIMATELY $36 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS THAT ADVANCE EQUITY, AND WE CONTINUE TO REINFORCE OUR CORE VALUES. SO WITH THAT, MAYOR, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU, AND WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC.

AND THANK YOU, ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WHO WANTS TO MAKE COMMENT ON THIS AS ANYONE'S COMING UP, I WILL NOTE FOR VIEWERS AT HOME AND THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED DETAILED BRIEFINGS IN, OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM IS DOING A GREAT JOB OF ARCHIVING VIDEO OF ALL THIS. SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE BUDGET TOPICS THAT ARE IN ENCASED IN THIS HEARING, WE'VE HAD BRIEFINGS ON THOSE AND YOU CAN GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK. THIS IS NOT THE FINAL POINT FOR OUR BUDGET. IT'S JUST THE NEXT STEP OR FINAL. ADOPTION IS ANTICIPATED TO BE ON THE 20TH.

I'M GOOD. YEP. ALL RIGHT FOR SURE. HOW Y'ALL DOING? I'M DEE JONES AGAIN. I ACTUALLY WANT TO SPEAK ON THE SAFE COMMUNITY YOU GUYS INVEST IN LIKE NINE FIGURES IN THE SAFE COMMUNITY. I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT. JUST BECAUSE I'M PARTNERING WITH YOU GUYS ON THE SUMMER INITIATIVE. I'VE ALREADY HAD EPIC GAMES, $32 BILLION COMPANY TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND THEY HAVE LESSON PLANS AND CURRICULA THAT I'M WORKING WITH. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH I'VE CONNECTED THE DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM GROUPS TO EPIC GAMES, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY WORKING TO GET THAT CURRICULUM TO OUR SCHOOLS, WHICH WOULD BE A VERY BEAUTIFUL THING. AND HENCE OUR DISTRICT BEAUTIFUL. OUR DISTRICT BEAUTIFY EDUCATION, ALSO USE FORTNITE AND THE UNREAL ENGINE, A BEAUTIFUL, COOL GAME THAT I LOVE THAT I PLAY HERE AT CITY HALL AS I BRING MY PS5 HERE NOW, IT'S PRETTY COOL TO PLAY MY GAME AND HERE AT CITY HALL, BUT I'M THANKFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP, FOR YOU GUYS INVESTING INTO THE STUFF I'M DOING. BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO I HAVE THAT, I HAVE SOME OF THE BEST COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE NATION THAT ARE GOING TO BE EDUCATING KIDS IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, ALL BACKGROUNDS, ALL ACROSS KENT COUNTY ON SHOUTCASTING STREAMING, GAME DESIGN, CRYPTOCURRENCY, NAME, IMAGE AND LIKENESS. ALL OF THESE THINGS IS EQUITABLE. IT'S ACCESSIBLE. IT'S FREE TO ALL OF THE STUDENTS, TEN PLUS AND UP. I DON'T

[00:15:03]

[00:20:05]

I RECENTLY WENT TO DC. I SPOKE TO HUD, OIG. I ALSO HAVE TALKED TO MICHIGAN CIVIL RIGHTS DEPARTMENT. THERE ARE MANY INVESTIGATIONS GOING ON AT THIS TIME REGARDING A LOT OF THINGS.

SO WE'RE AT THE F A F O PERIOD. SO AND ACCOUNTABILITY, I TOLD YOU, I ASKED YOU TO PROPERLY ENGAGE. AND MR. LEGRAND, I'VE TRIED TO ENGAGE YOU OVER THE YEARS QUITE A FEW TIMES REGARDING UNLAWFUL FORECLOSURES. AND WHILE YOU WERE A REPRESENTATIVE, WHILE YOU WERE ON THE COUNTY COMMISSION BOARD AND NOW HERE AS MAYOR, HOPPING AROUND. SO IT'S KIND OF FUNNY HOW YOU GUYS ALL LINE RIGHT BACK UP TO LIABILITY, WHERE YOU FIRST START IT FROM TO HERE, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S ALL THE SAME ISSUES. SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU NOTICE AND I HOPE YOU START DOING THE RIGHT THING AND STOP PULLING AWAY FROM OUR PERSON. THAT SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY ONE THAT WANTS TO STAND UP AND HOLD ACCOUNTABILITY TO OUR OFFICIALS. SO THANK YOU. HELLO. MY NAME IS OAK. I'M HOPING I'M BECOMING A FAMILIAR FACE. I HOPE I'M NOT DREADED. IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU ALL KIND OF IN REGARDS TO THAT REGARDING LIKE PARKING TICKETS AS WELL AND THEIR ROLE IN THE BUDGET. WHEN YOU GET A PARKING TICKET, IF YOU PAY WITHIN THE FIRST 24 HOURS, IT'S $20, AFTER THAT IT'S 30, AND THEN AFTER A COUPLE WEEKS IT'S $60. MINIMUM WAGE IS LIKE 725 OR SOMETHING. AND THAT IS SO MY PARKING TICKET IS WORTH MORE THAN LIKE A DAY OF MY LIFE. MA'AM. MA'AM, IN THE INTEREST OF. THAT'S ALL. OKAY. THAT'S GREAT. I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT WAS THAT YOU PROBABLY WANTED TO SPEAK AT THE NEXT HEARING. BUT IF YOU WANT TO. WE HEARD YOU. SO THANKS. JUST JUST FOR THE PUBLIC. SO THIS IS ON THE GENERAL OPERATING BUDGET. THE NEXT HEARING IS ON REVENUE AND FEES. CORRECT. THANK YOU. HELLO, RUSSELL OLMSTEAD, WESTSIDE GRAND RAPIDS, REGARDING THE BUDGET, I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP ONE POINT AND IT PERHAPS IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED OR ALLOTTED SOMEPLACE IN IT THAT I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH. AND MY APOLOGIES IF THAT IS THE CASE, BUT I KNOW THAT I VOICED THIS IN IN PAST YEARS AROUND BUDGET AS WELL. I BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE MONEY SET ASIDE FOR ASSISTANCE FOR COMMISSIONERS. I THINK THAT THE JOB THAT THE COMMISSIONERS ARE DOING IN ORDER TO HAVE EFFECTIVE REPRESENTATION, NEEDS TO HAVE SOME SORT OF HELP AND ENGAGEMENT TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN ENGAGE PROPERLY AS COMMISSIONERS TO THE COMMUNITY. AND I THINK IT'S A SOMEWHAT CAN BE SOMEWHAT OVERWHELMING AS FAR AS A POSITION WITHOUT HAVING SOME SORT OF ASSISTANCE THERE FOR COMMUNICATIONS TO MAKE SURE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS ARE DONE PROPERLY, ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AND I THINK

[00:25:03]

[2. Public Hearing considering FY2026 Service Provision Fees to be effective July 1, 2025]

[00:30:02]

[PUBLIC COMMENTS]

HELLO EVERYONE. I'M DEE JONES AFTER I LEAVE CITY, AFTER I GIVE THIS PUBLIC COMMENT, I'M I'M DRIVING TO DETROIT AND THEN I'M GOING TO CANADA FOR THIS BUSINESS CONFERENCE WHERE BO HINES AND ERIC TRUMP AND BLACKROCK WILL BE THERE. I'LL BE SURE TO TRY TO GET A FRONT SEAT SO I CAN ACTUALLY SEE THESE PEOPLE AND LOOK THEM IN THE EYE IF THEY LOOK ME IN MY EYE. BUT I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO BE THERE IN TORONTO, CANADA FOR THIS CRYPTOCURRENCY EVENT. AND I DEFINITELY LOVE DAVID, OUR MAYOR LA GRANDE, THE GOOD JUSTICE CHAMPION THAT DOES CANNABIS EXPUNGEMENTS AND DIFFERENT EXPUNGEMENTS FOR THE COMMUNITY. I LOVE YOU TO ADOPT CRYPTOCURRENCY, DAVID. I'M GOING TO KEEP BEING ON YOU ABOUT THIS AS I BE ON THE DEVICES ABOUT OUR TAXES AND THE VAN AND ABOUT OUR TAXES AND AT THE EVENTS, AND LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY NEED TO DO ESPORTS EVENTS AT THE SOCCER STADIUM AND HOW THEY NEED TO INVEST IN THE PUBLICATION, OR HOW I DROVE UP TO THE STATE HOUSE, WHERE TIM KELLY IS THE CHAIR OF THE EDUCATION AND AID COMMITTEE, AND I TOLD HIM THAT THEY NEED TO INVEST IN THE PUBLIC EDUCATION, OR HOW I DROVE TO THE SAUDI EXPORT EVENT AND GOT PEOPLE, SOMEBODY WHO WORKS FOR THE ACTUAL SAUDI PRINCE, AND THEY HAVE NINE GREEN ENERGY FACTORIES, AND THEY HAVE YOU HAVE THESE NICE NONALCOHOLIC DRINKS, DAVID, THAT I PUT THE HOOD ON, THAT THEY LOVE THOSE NICE DRINKS FROM THE DISTILLER.

AND I THINK THAT YOU GUYS SHOULD GET THOSE ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE TO BUILD SOME ECONOMIC POWER.

DAVID. THAT WOULD BE A COOL THING IF YOU ADOPT CRYPTOCURRENCY FOR THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A BEAUTIFUL THING. ALSO, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS THING BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS BEEN BOLD AND I'VE BEEN MY COUSIN GOT KILLED BY THE STATE POLICE. I DON'T GET THE SAME SYMPATHY AS THE PEOPLE FROM THE ROYALS OR EVERYBODY ELSE. I GET ATTACKED FOR STANDING UP FOR THE PEOPLE. I DON'T EVEN SPEAK TO PEOPLE. I JUST GO TO EVENTS AND I GET ATTACKED. BUT I DON'T GET THE SAME LOVE. EVEN THOUGH MY COUSIN WAS EXECUTED BY A STATE POLICE OFFICER IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, WHERE JONES IS FROM, I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO SAY THAT THE PEOPLE THAT HAD THE PROUD BOYS, THE GUY, JEFFREY, THAT'S HERE, I SAID, WHAT'S UP, JEFFREY? I DON'T HAVE NO ISSUE WITH YOU. I DO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE PROUD BOYS HOODIE YOU HAD ON AND THE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND THE RACISM THAT BLACK PEOPLE AND PEOPLE OF COLOR AND WHITE PEOPLE AND POOR WHITE COMMUNITIES DEAL WITH, THEY EVEN GET DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IF THEY'RE NOT RICH ENOUGH. SO I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT I'M NOT APOLOGIZING FOR ANYTHING, FOR CURSING YOU ALL OUT, FOR YELLING PASSIONATELY. I'M NOT APOLOGIZING FOR NOTHING BECAUSE BLACK PEOPLE AND PEOPLE ARE TIRED. THE COMMUNITY IS TIRED. EVEN SOME POLICE OFFICERS ARE TIRED OF BAD POLICING BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO WORK FOR GRPD BECAUSE OF THE SHOOTING. THEY SEEN THAT ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE. NOBODY WANT TO WORK FOR Y'ALL BECAUSE OF THAT POLICE SHOOTING, BUT I'M GOING TO BE DOING THE BEST THAT I CAN TO WORK WITH THE GOOD POLICE OFFICERS AND THE COMMUNITY TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY. AS I HAVE A $10,000 BUDGET FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AND OVERSIGHT AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY TO DEVELOP THE SUMMER INITIATIVE AND REDUCE VIOLENCE AND CREATE ECONOMIC BOOST. AND OBVIOUSLY, HAVING CRYPTOCURRENCY, WHICH I'M GOING TO BRING THE VALUE UP TO ENRICH OUR COMMUNITY, THE BLACK YOUTH, THE WHITE YOUTH, THE PEOPLE OF COLOR. I'M GOING TO DO WHAT I CAN THE BEST THAT I CAN FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND DAVID, AS I LEAVE AND GRAB MY BAG AND I'M GOING TO GO TO DETROIT AND THEN TO TORONTO, CANADA, PLEASE CONSIDER USING CRYPTOCURRENCY BECAUSE BLACKROCK 11 TRILLION. BLACKROCK 11 TRILLION. Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. GOOD EVENING MR. MAYOR. COMMISSIONERS STAFF AND NEIGHBORS COMMUNITY.

[00:35:04]

I WANT TO THANK THE CHIEF FOR THAT. I DID TAKE THE TIME TO READ THE POLICY POINT. B ONE DOES STATE THE DEPARTMENT'S HIGHEST PRIORITY IS THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CHIEF FOR CHANGING THE POLICY TO REFLECT THAT. BUT CLEARLY THE POLICY EITHER HAS NOT GONE FAR ENOUGH OR THE PRACTICES WITHIN THE OFFICERS THEMSELVES HAVE NOT CHANGED ENOUGH. WE'RE GOING TO BE ASKING, OR AT LEAST I AM GOING TO BE ASKING FOR YOU ALL TO FOCUS OR FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO FOCUS ON THREE SPECIFIC CHANGES. AND I'LL GET TO THOSE IN A SECOND. ONE OF THOSE, THOUGH, IS AROUND THE USE OF FORCE OR THE USE OF DEADLY FORCE. AND POINT E FOR IN THAT POLICY FOR THE GRPD DEPARTMENT, IT SAYS A DEADLY FORCE ENCOUNTER IS HIGHLY STRESSFUL AND EVOLVES AND EVOLVES RAPIDLY. A VERBAL WARNING SHALL BE GIVEN PRIOR TO THE USE OF DEADLY FORCE WHEN FEASIBLE. AND THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO CHANGE. I THINK THAT ANYTIME AN OFFICER IS ABOUT TO USE DEADLY FORCE, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO WARN, OR THEY SHOULD BE WARNING PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE ABOUT TO BE SHOT. AND OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE SOME CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE AN OFFICER COULDN'T HAVE FORESEEN THAT SOMEBODY WAS ABOUT TO ATTACK THEM. IF SOMEBODY PULLS A GUN ON THEM, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAVE THE TIME TO GIVE THEM A WARNING. BUT I WOULD ARGUE THAT IN MOST CASES THEY DO. THEY DO HAVE THE TIME TO GIVE SOMEBODY A WARNING. AND FURTHER, THEY PROBABLY CAN PROBABLY SHOOT SOMEBODY IN THE LEG OR SHOOT SOMEBODY IN AN ARM SO THAT THEY'RE NOT TAKING A LIFE IN THAT EXACT MOMENT. ONE OF THE EXAMPLES THAT COMES TO MIND IS THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS KILLED BY GRPD. I'M FORGETTING HIS NAME WHEN HE WAS GOING THROUGH A MENTAL HEALTH EVENT AND HE HAD A KNIFE, I BELIEVE. I DON'T SEE ANY REASON WHY THAT PERSON SHOULD HAVE BEEN SHOT TO DEATH, I REALLY DON'T. ANOTHER THING THAT WE LEARNED DURING THE PATRICK TRIAL IS THAT THERE IS NOT A POLICY, AS FAR AS I KNOW, AROUND OFFICERS ENGAGING IN FOOT CHASES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE DOING SO BY THEMSELVES. IF SURE HAD TAKEN THE TIME TO, INSTEAD OF CHASING PATRICK BY HIMSELF, PROCESSED THE PASSENGER WHO WAS IN THAT VEHICLE AND PROCESSED THAT VEHICLE. PATRICK WOULD PROBABLY STILL BE HERE TODAY. AND THE LAST THING THAT I WANT TO ASK FOR IS COMPLETE COMMUNITY CONTROL OF THE POLICE. I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER PERDUE FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION DURING TODAY'S MORNING MEETING TO THE HEAD OF THE OFFICE OF OPA AROUND ANY POSSIBLE CHANGES THAT WILL BE MOVING FORWARD. BUT WE DON'T NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THE TRIAL IS DONE. YOU ALL KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE AND THAT WORK CAN BEGIN NOW. THANK YOU. HI THERE. MY NAME IS MICAH. I'M A COMMUNITY MEMBER. I'M GOING TO BE SPEAKING ON THE PATRICK LYOYA CASE AND POLICING IN GENERAL IN THE CITY.

TO BE FRANK, THE POLICE ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL. THEY HAVE NO DISCIPLINE. THEY ARE VIOLENT, THEY ARE RECKLESS, AND THEY'RE GOING TO CAUSE YOU A LOT OF UNNECESSARY PROBLEMS IF YOU DON'T START LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY FOR CALLS FOR COMMUNITY CONTROL. THE POLICE, AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE POLICE HAVE NO ACCOUNTABILITY. AND UNFORTUNATELY, OVER THE PAST WEEK, THE CASE INVOLVING CHRISTOPHER SCHURR HAS ONLY PROVEN THAT CHRISTOPHER SCHURR IS A MURDERER. HE MURDERED A MAN IN THE STREET. HE EXECUTED HIM. HE SHOT HIM IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD WHILE HE WAS DEFENSELESS AND ON THE GROUND. THAT'S RIDICULOUS. WE CANNOT HAVE A MILITARIZED POLICE FORCE THAT THINKS THAT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO USE FORCE IN THAT WAY. I DON'T CARE WHAT ANY OF YOUR OPINIONS ARE. IT WAS MURDER. EVERYBODY SEEN THE VIDEO. THE PUBLIC KNOWS THAT IT'S MURDER. THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT IT'S MURDER. IT WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING THAT THE TRIAL WAS DECLARED A MISTRIAL. BUT WE HOPE THAT WE CAN WORK WITH YOU SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY TRY CHRISTOPHER SCHURR AND BRING HIM TO JUSTICE FOR THE MURDER OF PATRICK LYOYA. BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE CANNOT SET THIS PRECEDENT WITH THE POLICE IN GRAND RAPIDS, WITH THE VIOLENCE THAT IS CONTINUING AROUND THE COUNTRY FROM ESPECIALLY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THE FUNDING AND MILITARIZATION OF POLICE IS DANGEROUS. IT'S BEING USED TO ATTACK OUR MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AND THOSE WHO SPEAK UP FOR THEM. I MYSELF AM INVOLVED IN THE STUDENT MOVEMENT, AND I HAVE BEEN APPALLED BY THE REPRESSION THAT I'VE SEEN AROUND THE COUNTRY OVER THE PAST YEAR. ON SAID STUDENT MOVEMENT, CONTINUING TO FUND AND TRAIN THE GRPD TO ENGAGE IN THESE VIOLENT TACTICS IS GOING TO DO NO ONE ANY GOOD, LEAST OF ALL YOURSELVES. IF YOU

[00:40:02]

YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO HAVE MORE PROBLEMS ON YOUR HANDS. THE MORE ACTIVISTS THAT GET ARRESTED, THE MORE PEOPLE THAT GET BRUTALIZED, THE MORE PATRICK LYOYA AND SAMUEL STERLING'S AND RILEY DOGGETT'S THAT HAPPEN. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A BIGGER AND BIGGER FIGHT IN THE STREET. IF YOU WANT TO AVOID THAT, YOU NEED TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY AND NOT WITH THE POLICE, WHO ARE COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE COMMUNITY, THE POLICE WHO HAVE NO STAKE IN THE COMMUNITY, THE POLICE WHO ARE A BUNCH OF VIOLENT MORONS WHO LIVE FOR THE DAY THAT THEY GET TO BEAT UP PROTESTERS. THESE GUYS AREN'T SMART. DON'T LISTEN TO THEM. PLEASE LISTEN TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS. LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY. EMBRACE COMMUNITY. CONTROL THE POLICE SO THERE CAN ACTUALLY BE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR WHEN THESE COPS COMMIT HEINOUS CRIMES LIKE MURDER, LIKE CHRISTOPHER DID TO PATRICK LYOYA. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS RYAN BURNS, SECOND WARD RESIDENT HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS. PARENT TEACHER, COMMUNITY ORGANIZER. BEEN HERE BEFORE. TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT PALESTINE. YOU SAID YOU COULDN'T DO THINGS THAT WERE SYMBOLIC, BUT I WAS I WAS OUTSIDE ON THURSDAY WITH MY FRIENDS, WITH MY COMRADES WHO ARE HERE TO FIGHT FOR JUSTICE IN OUR VERY, VERY CLOSE COMMUNITY HERE. AND WHAT I SAW, FRANKLY, IS SOME OF THE MOST VILE BEHAVIOR FROM SOMEBODY THAT YOU FROM A PROFESSIONAL IN THE COMMUNITY THAT I'VE EVER SEEN. I SAW A MAN, A POLICE OFFICER, ALMOST FLIP A MAN OUT OF A WHEELCHAIR FOR NOTHING ELSE BUT LOSING CONTROL OF HIS OWN ANGER. IN THAT MOMENT, I SAW A CROWD BECOME AGITATED WHEN THIS HAPPENED, BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST HORRIFIC THINGS I NEVER HAVE THOUGHT I WOULD EVER SEE THE DAY TO SEE SOMEBODY ATTACKED THAT WAY AND ASSAULTED BY A POLICE OFFICER FOR LITERALLY JUST BEING INCONVENIENTLY IN THE WRONG PLACE. I WATCHED THE DISORGANIZATION OF A MULTI-DEPARTMENT EFFORT OF OVER 50 POLICE OFFICERS BETWEEN THE MICHIGAN STATE POLICE, THE WYOMING POLICE DEPARTMENT AND GRAND RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT FAILED TO COMMUNICATE AND ORGANIZE TOGETHER UNTIL THAT PERSON IN A WHEELCHAIR TO GO THREE DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AND ALMOST SLIP THEM OUT INTO THE PAVEMENT. AND THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THAT. AND ALL OF YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CHRIS BECKER, AND YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT JURY BEING FAIR. I SEE YOU IN FRONT OF ME, AND I SEE HOW FAIR THE CITY CAN BE. WHEN THE PEOPLE VOTE. I SEE THE VOTE IN FRONT OF ME. AND THAT WAS NOT THE JURY. THAT WAS NOT A FAIR TRIAL. AND I'M GLAD IT WAS A MISTRIAL, BECAUSE IF THAT HAD BEEN A NOT GUILTY, THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE A LOT MORE MAD RIGHT NOW. AND YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING. BUT I'M PRETTY FRIGGIN MAD. I'M TRYING NOT TO SWEAR BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GET MY MICROPHONE TURNED OFF. BUT SERIOUSLY. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS GOING TO COME UP HERE TO SAY, EXCEPT FOR THAT IT WAS. YOU SHOULD. IF YOU'RE NOT ASHAMED OF THE BEHAVIOR OF THE GRAND RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEN YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION. I WAS PULLED OUT OF MY CAR THE OTHER NIGHT FOR AN INFRACTION I WAS UNAWARE OF BY FOUR POLICE OFFICERS. AT 1:00 IN THE MORNING, I WAS ASSAULTED BY THE GRAND RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH MY DRIVER'S LICENSE. THAT IS NORMAL GRAND RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT BEHAVIOR. NOW IMAGINE WHAT THEY DO TO MY BLACK NEIGHBORS. NOW IMAGINE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT'S HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE TO MY NEIGHBORS, WHEN THEY HAVE HAD THEIR HOUSES SEARCHED AND TORN APART WITHOUT WARRANTS BY THE KENT COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, AND THEY ALL WORK TOGETHER. BUT YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GRAND RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND SO EXPECT TO HEAR US COME HERE AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL THIS IS TAKEN CARE OF, UNTIL THERE IS TRUE COMMUNITY CONTROL OF THE POLICE AND UNTIL THERE IS TRUE JUSTICE FOR THE LOYOLA FAMILY. THANK YOU. ALL FRUIT. GRAND RAPIDS, THE OTHER DAY, LAST SATURDAY, I HAD A WONDERFUL WAKE UP CALL, COMPLIMENTS OF THE RIVERBANK RUN. THEY DECIDED TO PLAY THE DRUMS AT THE WEST END OF THE BLUE BRIDGE AT 7 A.M. IT WAS LOUD AND IT WOKE ME UP, AND I JUST CAN'T WAIT FOR THE AMPHITHEATER TO BE PLAYING AT 11:00 AT NIGHT WHEN I'M TRYING TO SLEEP. SECOND PARKING SIGNAGE. YOU HAVE A NUMBER OF PARKING RAMPS, CITY RAMPS ACROSS FROM THE ARENA ON IONIA AND FULTON. BUT YET ALL THE INCOMING STREETS COMING INTO GRAND RAPIDS, THERE IS NOT ONE SIGN THAT TELLS PEOPLE HOW TO GO TO A PARKING RAMP. WE HAVE 10,000 PLUS COMING INTO THE AMPHITHEATER. YOU'VE GOT A SOCCER ARENA COMING IN, YOU'VE GOT THE YOU'VE GOT THE VAN ANDEL ARENA. NO SIGNAGE DIRECTING PEOPLE HOW TO GET TO PARKING. AND I USE FULTON AND DIVISION AS AN EXAMPLE. IF YOU'RE COMING IN

[00:45:08]

MY NAME IS HAYLEY HENSE. I'M A STUDENT AT GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND RESIDENT OF THIS AREA FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, PATRICK PATRICK, LEAH'S MURDERER, HAS BEEN A LARGE PART OF THE FABRIC OF THE CITY SINCE 2022. IN MULTIPLE OF MY CLASSES AT GVSU, PATRICK'S NAME HAS COME UP IN MY OWN PERSONAL ACTIVISM EXPERIENCES. PATRICK'S MURDER HAS LOOMED LARGE, AND WHILE IT HAPPENED THREE YEARS AGO, A COUPLE MONTHS BEFORE I EVEN CAME UP HERE TO STUDY, IT WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING STILL HAPPENING IN THE HERE AND NOW. IT WAS STILL HAPPENING BECAUSE THE LYOYA FAMILY HAD RECEIVED NO JUSTICE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND HIS FAMILY WERE LOST IN APPEAL AFTER APPEAL BY SHER'S DEFENSE. THEN IT WAS FINALLY TIME TO ADDRESS PATRICK'S MURDER AND THE ACTIONS OF THE GRAND RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT IN COURT. WE ALL KNEW THIS WASN'T JUST AN ISOLATED INCIDENT THAT EXISTS WITHIN THE PROPERTY BOUNDARIES OF KENT COUNTY, THE KILLING THAT IS INHERENT TO THE SYSTEM OF POLICING IN EVERY GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF THE US. BUT THIS TRIAL CAME AND WENT WITH NO JUSTICE, HAVING BEEN GIVEN TO THE LYOYA FAMILY, THAT A JURY CAN BE INCONCLUSIVE AND NOT RUNNING TO CONVICT AN OFFICER THAT SHOT A MAN IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD WHILE HE WAS FACE DOWN ON THE GROUND. AS I SAID, THE MURDER OF PATRICK LYOYA IS ALIVE IN THE STREETS WHEN PROTESTERS MARCH IN CLASSROOMS ACROSS THE AREA AND PEOPLE'S MINDS WHEN THEY EVEN JUST THINK ABOUT THE CITY. AND IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY AND PROSECUTOR BECKER TO RETRY THE CASE AND ULTIMATELY CONVICT SHER. WHILE THE CASE IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, ALIVE AND PEOPLE'S HEARTS AND IN THE REPUTATION OF GRPD, GIVING JUSTICE TO THE LYOYA FAMILY IS THE LEAST THAT CAN BE DONE. THANK YOU. HELLO, I'M HANNAH MCARDLE. I LIVE IN THE SECOND WARD I AM A PARENT OF GR STUDENTS. I AM AN ACTIVIST. I AM A COMMUNITY MEMBER, ACTIVE IN MY COMMUNITY. AND I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT CHARGES ARE FILED AGAINST THE MURDERER, CHRISTOPHER SHER. POLICE ACTIONS LIKE THIS HAVE BEEN INCREASING. YOU SEEM TO HAVE NOT CALLED FOR THOSE PERPETRATING THEM TO FACE CONSEQUENCES. I'M EXTREMELY DISTURBED BY THE LACK OF OVERSIGHT OF THE GRPD. I HAVE WITNESSED A NUMBER OF INSTANCES WHERE THEY HAVE ESCALATED PEACEFUL PROTESTS. THEY CONSISTENTLY VIEW LOCAL ACTIVISTS AS THEIR ENEMY, AND THEY SCRAPE TOGETHER CHARGES TO HARASS THEM AND INTIMIDATE THEM. IN THE LAST WEEK ALONE, WE HAVE SEEN THEM, PARTICULARLY PE MARTE, DARRYL HOLLAND AND DON ALLEN, MANHANDLE A PERSON WITH DISABILITIES, INJURE HIM AND ARREST HIS CAREGIVER. WE HAVE SEEN THEM SHOOT FOREIGN OBJECTS IN THE FACES OF UNARMED PROTESTERS WITH NO PROVOCATION, AND WE HAVE HEARD THEIR THREATS THAT THEY WILL INCREASE THEIR VIOLENCE WITH NO CONCERN FOR CONSEQUENCES. CURRENTLY, OUR RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY THREATENED AND YOU ARE FAILING. ALL OF US. HAS. THIS ENTIRE NATION IS LIMITING FREE SPEECH IN EVERY WAY IT CAN NATIONALLY. IT IS YOUR JOB TO PROTECT THIS RIGHT AT A LOCAL LEVEL. IT IS YOUR JOB TO OVERSEE THESE TERRIFYING POLICE ACTIONS, AND IN THAT YOU HAVE BEEN FAILING GRAND RAPIDS FOR YEARS. MY NAME IS JOHN. I DIDN'T KNOW HOW A MISTRIAL IN THE PATRICK

[00:50:11]

SET A RECORD FOR ESCALATING A PEACEFUL EVENT TO A MURDER IN RECORD TIME. THE GRPD IS PUSHING DOWN, HOLDING DOWN THE HEADS OF EVERYBODY BLACK IN GRAND RAPIDS, PERIOD. THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT NEVER STOPPED MOVING. THOSE MARCHES ARE STILL MARCHING. THOSE EQUAL RIGHTS ARRIVED ON PAPER ONLY. THIS CITY HAS BLACK CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS. THE ACTIVISTS ERIC CAGE, KAI PRICE SANDERS, EVEN ROBERT WOMACK, WHO IS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, ROBERT WOMACK, WITH HIS SUIT AND HAT AT THE KENT COUNTY COURTHOUSE, IS LIKE A BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO FROM 1965 COME TO LIFE. WE STILL LIVE IN THE OLD BLACK AND WHITE DAYS OF RACISM AND OPPRESSION. IF WOMACK CAN STAND UP AND TAKE A SIDE, SO COULD ALL OF YOU GO ON THE RECORD THAT PATRICK'S MURDER MAKES YOU FEEL SICK AND YOU'RE FEELING THE PAIN? SHOW US YOUR RAW PAIN AND SHOW UP FOR THE FAMILY TO HOLD THEIR PAIN WITH THEM. THE POLICE ARE ABUSERS. THE POLICE ABUSE PATRICK. THEY ABUSE PATRICK'S PROTESTERS. THEY ABUSE OUR LEADERS LIKE KAI PRICE SANDERS FOR PEACEFUL WERE ARRESTED DURING THE TRIAL. YOU PAID FOR THE POLICE TO SPRAY PEACEFUL PROTESTERS. YOU PAID FOR OFFICER HOWARD TO YANK AROUND A PERSON USING A WHEELCHAIR AND ARREST THEIR SUPPORT WORKER. GRPD USES VIOLENT TACTICS TO SILENCE PROTESTERS, SCARE PROTESTERS, AND MOTIVATE PROTESTERS TO STAY HOME. THAT'S UNETHICAL. THAT'S UNCONSTITUTIONAL. IT'S EVIL AND YOU'RE PAYING THEM. BLACK LIVES MATTER JUSTICE FOR PATRICK LYOYA, JUSTICE FOR SAMUEL STERLING, JUSTICE FOR RILEY DOGGETT. JUSTICE FOR HANK WEIMER. JUSTICE FOR JOEY NAGEL.

JUSTICE FOR ALL STOLEN LIVES FREE PALESTINE. DROP ALL CHARGES AGAINST KAI PRICE. SANDERS. YOU CAN'T STOP THE REVOLUTION. TOMORROW AT SIX. I KNOW OF TWO EVENTS RELATED TO PATRICK LYOYA.

THERE'S A MEET AND GREET ON EASTERN WITH HIS FAMILY. THERE'S AN NAACP LISTENING SESSION.

YOU'RE ALL INVITED. WE'VE GOT TO CONNECT THE COMMUNITY TO THE COMMUNITY THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE SERVING US. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS REVEREND GRETA JO SEIDEL. I'M A UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST MINISTER AND A MEMBER OF THE GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY. I WANT TO URGE THE CITY TO PUSH THE COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE TO RETRY THE CASE OF PATRICK LEWIS KILLING, AND TO TAKE RADICAL STEPS TO REFORM PUBLIC SAFETY IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO THAT IS THE RISE OF FASCISM OCCURS IN OUR COUNTRY. GRAND RAPIDS CAN CONTINUE TO TRY AND CALL ITSELF A DEMOCRACY WITH ALL THE RIGHTS THAT COME WITH IT. THE CITY UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS TRIAL AND THE WEIGHT OF JUSTICE UNDONE. I SAY THAT THE CITY UNDERSTANDS, BECAUSE THE CITY SAW FIT TO PUBLISH A STATEMENT RECOGNIZING THE IMPACT OF THE MISTRIAL. SO WHILE THE DECISION TO RETRY MIGHT FALL WITH THE KENT COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, THE CITY AND THEREFORE YOU AS COMMISSIONERS HAVE RESPONSIBILITY TO RECOGNIZE GRAND RAPIDS CITY'S ROLE IN THE KILLING OF PATRICK. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTS TO YOU. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS FUNDED BY YOU. OVER THE LAST MANY YEARS, ACTIVISTS AND ORGANIZERS WARNED YOU THAT ACTION WAS NEEDED TO PREVENT THE DEATH OF ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS, ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. HERE WE ARE MISSING FROM THE STATEMENT MADE BY THE CITY WAS HOW GRAND RAPIDS GOVERNANCE WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS ROLE IN HOW WE ENDED UP HERE, HOW THE CITY WILL RESPOND TO PROOF THAT CURRENT POLICING POLICIES END IN DEATH, WHETHER THE COURT CALLS IT MURDER OR MANSLAUGHTER OR MISTRIAL, IT IS STILL DEATH. PATRICK IS STILL DEAD BECAUSE OF A MEMBER OF THE GRAND RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND THAT'S NOT JUST A GOVERNANCE FAILING,

[00:55:03]

I'M A STUDENT AT GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY, AND I'M HERE TO DEMAND A RETRIAL FOR CHRISTOPHER SCHURR. TO ME, THERE IS NO REASON WHY A POLICE OFFICER SHOULD SHOOT A MAN IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD. AND THREE YEARS LATER, THERE'S STILL NO JUSTICE. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME. IF HE WAS WHITE, WHAT DO YOU THINK WOULD HAVE HAPPENED? IF HE WAS WHITE? THAT COP WOULD BE IN PRISON. JUSTICE FOR PATRICK AND HANK. I. I'M GOING TO START WITH A JOKE. I'M SURE MANY OF YOU PROBABLY RECOGNIZE MY FACE. I WAS DOWNTOWN, OUTSIDE THE COURTHOUSE. IF I WAS REALLY ANGRY AT ANY OF THE POLICE. IT ISN'T ABOUT YOU AS A PERSON. IT IS ABOUT THE JOB THAT YOU'RE CHOOSING AND THE SYSTEM IT'S WITHIN. AND SO I'M SORRY IF ANY OF ANYONE HAS BEEN UPSET OR ANGRY OR HASN'T CARED. I'M MOST SORRY IF IT'S THAT, BUT MY JOKE IS I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS RACIST AGAINST COPS. I APPRECIATE ONE LAUGH. IT'S OKAY YOU DIDN'T THOUGH. IT'S NOT A JOKE.

ACTUALLY, THAT REALLY HAPPENED. I WAS TOLD I WAS RACIST AGAINST COPS. BECAUSE WE WERE LIKE, HEY, YOU'RE OKAY. I WAS ALSO, WE WERE TOLD WE WERE VIOLENT. WHILE A LINE OF TEN WHITE POLICE WITH TASERS THAT IF I TOUCH, I'M A FELON AND CAN BE EXECUTED AND GUNS THAT COULD KILL ME IF I WAS PINNED DOWN. AND A DOG. STOOD BEHIND THEM. VIOLENCE NEEDS TO BE REDEFINED. IF SOMEONE IS HOLDING A GUN OR THEIR FRIEND IS HOLDING A GUN AT ME AND I'M ANGRY BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THEY DID, AND THEY SAY, YOU'RE BEING VIOLENT. HENCE I'LL SHOOT YOU IF YOU DON'T DO WHAT I WANT. WHO IS VIOLENT? THEY'RE IS. PARDON? YEAH. ALSO SIDE NOTE BEFORE I FORGET, DAVID, I FOUND SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE. I THINK THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL IDEA. I DO NOT THINK WE SEE THAT. AND I WONDER WHAT YOU THINK OF THAT. I WANT TO READ THE 13TH AMENDMENT. I DIDN'T STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. IT'S NOT BECAUSE I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE COUNTRY. I WOULDN'T BE HERE IF THAT WAS THE CASE. I WOULD HAVE LEFT. I WANTED TO LEAVE REALLY BADLY.

BUT I HAVE FAMILY HERE. THE 13TH AMENDMENT READS NEITHER SLAVERY NOR INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE.

EXCEPT. EXCEPT AS A PUNISHMENT FOR CRIME, WHERE THE PARTY SHALL HAVE BEEN CONVICTED. WHO MAKES THE LAWS SHALL EXIST WITHIN THE UNITED STATES, OR ANY PLACE SUBJECT TO THEIR JURISDICTION.

IN THE COMING WEEKS. YOU MAY SEE LESS OF US IN THIS ROOM. I DON'T THINK IT WILL BE BECAUSE WE HAVE GIVEN UP. IT WILL BE BECAUSE WE WERE SAYING SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE DID NOT WANT TO HEAR. I CALLED MY DAD TO APOLOGIZE FOR DOING THIS, AS MY FAMILY HAS ASKED ME TO NOT SPEAK ON THESE

[01:00:02]

AND MY LAST THING I KNOW, I'M OVER TIME, BUT IT'S A PRETTY LINE. AND I'M A POET. IF MY ANGER WILL BE VIEWED AS VIOLENCE, THEN YOU WILL SEE MY SORROW. MAYOR, I JUST WANT TO CALL ATTENTION. I THINK JOHN TRIED TO GET YOUR ATTENTION OF SOME SOME COMMENTS BEING MADE WHILE FOLKS WERE GIVING THEIR PUBLIC COMMENTS UP HERE. SO I JUST WANT TO REMIND FOLKS TO ATTEND TO THE RULES, AND I KNOW DEROGATORY COMMENTS OR COMMENTS TOWARDS OUR SPEAKERS. YEAH. AND I, I THINK, JOHN, YOU WERE YOU GOT THE MEMO RIGHT. WE'RE GOOD. HE WAS TRYING TO GET YOUR ATTENTION QUIETLY. YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. GOT IT. ALL RIGHT. SO JUST AS A GENERAL JUST AS A GENERAL REMINDER, EVERYBODY, PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL OF EACH OTHER, WHETHER YOU DISAGREE WITH EACH OTHER OR NOT. THIS IS A PUBLIC FORUM, AND PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO BE HEARD WITHOUT BEING OVERRIDDEN BY CHAOS. LIKE, THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF FREE SPEECH. GOOD EVENING, CITY COMMISSION MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JAMES. OH, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE TRIAL OF OFFICER CHRISTOPHER. SURE, IT'S GOING TO START OFF A LITTLE BIT IN A NICHE TOPIC WITHIN THAT, BUT THEN HOPEFULLY GOING TO COVER IT AS A WHOLE. DURING THE PROTESTS SURROUNDING THIS TRIAL, AS WELL AS RIGHT HERE IN THIS CITY COMMISSION MEETING, WE ENDURE THE PRESENCE OF THE PROUD BOYS, A FAR RIGHT, NEO FASCIST MILITANT GROUP THAT PROMOTES AND ENGAGES IN VIOLENCE. THEY ARE LABELED A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION IN TWO COUNTRIES, PARTICIPATED IN THE JANUARY 6TH ATTACK ON THE US CAPITOL, AND MANY AND HAVE MANY ONGOING INTERNAL TIES TO OTHER WHITE SUPREMACIST ORGANIZATIONS. THEY ARE ALSO STANDING IN CLEAR SUPPORT OF CHRISTOPHER SCHURR, AS THEY HAVE SYSTEMATICALLY DONE IN MANY OTHER CASES OF POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE ENGAGED IN VIOLENCE AGAINST PEOPLE OF COLOR. IT'S NOT A COINCIDENCE THAT WE'RE SEEING ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THIS SHOWING UP IN THE MIDST OF A LEGAL PROCESS IN GRAND RAPIDS. THIS IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT OPERATING WITHOUT PROPER STRUCTURES OF OVERSIGHT BY AND COOPERATION WITH THE COMMUNITIES THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO SERVE. THIS ISSUE IS NOT A PERSONAL ONE AT THE LEVEL OF ANY PARTICULAR POLICE OFFICER. FOR BETTER OR WORSE. I STILL THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE WHO BECOME POLICE OFFICERS DO SO BECAUSE THEY WANT TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES AND KEEP THOSE COMMUNITIES SAFE. THE REAL REASON, THE REAL ISSUE, IS THAT THE SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO GUIDE, TRAIN AND OVERSEE POLICE OFFICERS DO NOT EFFECTIVELY ENSURE THAT ALL POLICE OFFICERS DO AND CAN KEEP THEIR COMMUNITIES SAFE CONSISTENTLY. THEY DON'T ENSURE THAT THE VOICES OF THE COMMUNITY HAVE A TANGIBLE EFFECT ON THE CONDUCT OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. LIKE MANY GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS GIVEN UNIQUE POSITIONS OF POWER AND AUTHORITY, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR POLICE OFFICERS TO SERVE COMMUNITIES EFFECTIVELY WITHOUT WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES TO DETERMINE HOW TO CONDUCT THEIR WORK. THE ISSUE HERE LIES IN THE FACT THAT THERE ARE NOT EFFECTIVE STRUCTURES IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT POLICE OFFICERS CAN PROTECT AND SERVE COMMUNITIES LIKE THEY ARE INTENDED TO. WE KNOW THAT THESE EFFECTIVE STRUCTURES ARE NOT IN PLACE BECAUSE OTHERWISE PATRICK LYOYA WOULD PROBABLY BE ALIVE TODAY. AND IF HE WOULDN'T BE, REGARDLESS, THEN THE TRIAL AND EVENTS SURROUNDING IT WOULD AT LEAST BE HANDLED MUCH MORE EFFECTIVELY WITHOUT CONTINUING AN ESCALATING POLICE ABUSE, SUCH AS GIVING WHIPLASH TO A MAN IN A WHEELCHAIR OR THROWING PEOPLE UP AGAINST THEIR CARS OUTSIDE THE COURTHOUSE FOR MINOR DOCUMENT RELATED INFRINGEMENTS. THESE ARE INCIDENTS AT THE END OF YOUR THREE MINUTES. IF YOU COULD WRAP IT UP OKAY. THE LAST PART OF WHAT I WAS GOING TO SEE SAY IS THAT. PROPER OVERSIGHT OF POLICE CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CIVILIAN OFFICE OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY.

THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE IN CHICAGO, AND THAT WAS DONE BACK IN 2016. SINCE THEN, THEY'VE SEEN A SHARP DECREASE IN POLICE VIOLENCE. THANK YOU. HELLO. OKAY. I DID NOT EXPECT TO SPEAK

[01:05:03]

LIKE THERE WAS SOMEONE WHO WAS ARRESTED WHO NEEDED INSULIN, AND WE WERE TRYING TO GIVE THE OFFICER THEIR BAG. AND THE OFFICER WENT, I NEED TO ASK IF I CAN DO THAT. AND WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE THEY JUST IT REALLY FEELS LIKE THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND THEY'RE BEING SO INCREDIBLY VIOLENT. AND I JUST WE NEED A RETRIAL. AND IT'S SICKENING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR. COULD YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME, MA'AM? I'M SORRY. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THAT AT THE FRONT END. NATALIE SMITH. GREAT. THANKS. AND YOU LIVE IN THE CITY? YES. THANKS. MY NAME IS JEFF OSBORNE, AND I WAS AT THE PROTEST LAST WEEK, TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, AND THE MOB RUSHED US AND THE COPS PROTECTED US. WE? I'M PART OF THE SURE GROUP, AND I'M GETTING DOXED THERE. THEY KNOW WHERE I WORK, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE BOYS IN BLUE. AND IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO SOMEONE LIKE ME THAT WEARS A SHIRT LIKE THIS DOWN HERE IN GRAND RAPIDS AND WE GET ATTACKED, THE BLOOD'S ON YOUR HANDS. STAND WAS SURE. MY NAME IS SHANNON. I LIVE IN THE THIRD WARD. FIRSTLY, I'D LIKE TO LET THE COMMISSIONER KNOW THAT THE PREVIOUS COMMENTER STATED ON FACEBOOK THAT HE'S FROM ROCKFORD, AND I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT HE DOESN'T REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE MAJORITY OF THE CITIZENS OF GRAND RAPIDS. SECONDLY, I'D LIKE TO REMIND THE COMMISSION THAT THE IMMIGRANTS IN THE CITY HAVE ASKED FOR GRAND RAPIDS TO BE DECLARED A SANCTUARY CITY AND THAT THE POLICE SHOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM INTERACTING WITH ICE. THEY'VE BEEN ASKING THIS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, AND I CAN'T THINK OF WHY THE CITY WOULD NOT DO THIS EXCEPT POSSIBLY BEING AFRAID OF LOSING FUNDING AND CONSIDERING THAT THE CITY IS CONTRIBUTING CITY FUNDS TO PRIVATELY OWNED CONSTRUCTION VENTURES OF THE ARENA AND THE AMPHITHEATER, I BELIEVE EVEN THOUGH I KNOW THAT THAT WAS NOT THIS MAYOR AND NOT THIS COMMISSION, I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY HAS AN ENTITY, HAS LOST ANY RIGHT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT FUNDING. THIS ALSO APPLIES TO THE CLIMATE CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION PLAN. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS BEING TOO AMBITIOUS AND TOO EXPENSIVE. HOWEVER, NOTHING IN THAT PLAN WOULD BE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN DAMAGE CONTROL. AFTER SOME SORT OF WEATHER RELATED DISASTER. FOR INSTANCE, THE FLOOD OF 2013 WAS CALLED A 100 YEAR FLOOD AND IT WAS. HOWEVER, THESE WILL BE HAPPENING MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY THAN EVERY HUNDRED YEARS. AND SO I THINK THAT THE ITEMS IN THE ACTION PLAN ARE BY FAR CHEAPER THAN NOT DOING ANYTHING. ALSO, I'D LIKE TO ECHO ALL OF THE PREVIOUS COMMENTS ABOUT THE VIOLENCE OF THE GRAND RAPIDS POLICE, AND I THINK THAT ONE THING THAT THE NEWS COVERAGE OF THE SHAW TRIAL HAS MADE EVIDENT IS SOMETHING THAT BLACK ACTIVISTS HAVE BEEN SAYING IN THIS CITY FOR YEARS, AND THAT IS THAT THE TRAINING THAT THE GRAND RAPIDS POLICE GO THROUGH IS INHERENTLY, FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG OR FLAWED OR SOMETHING NUMEROUS EXPERTS OR CHARACTER WITNESSES, BASICALLY ANYONE ON THE POLICE FORCE OR TRAINING THE POLICE FORCE, MULTIPLE WITNESSES SAID THAT WHAT SURE DID WAS REASONABLE, OR THAT HE WAS FOLLOWING HIS TRAINING, AND THAT ANYONE ELSE WHO DID THAT TRAINING WOULD ALSO DO THE SAME THING. SO IF THE TRAINING THAT THE POLICE ARE GOING THROUGH TELL THEM THAT IT'S OKAY TO MURDER SOMEONE SIMPLY FOR RESISTING ARREST, IF YOU CAN CALL IT THAT IS JUST FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG. AND I THINK THAT IF THE COMMISSION AND THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER HAVE NO POWER TO CHANGE THOSE POLICIES AND DO AN INVESTIGATION OR AN OVERHAUL OF THE TRAINING, THEN I THINK THAT THAT IS EVEN MORE EVIDENCE THAT WE NEED COMMUNITY CONTROL OF THE POLICE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. HELLO.

[01:10:04]

HIS BROTHER IS NO LONGER A BROTHER. SO REMEMBER, WHEN YOU LAUGH IN THE BACK OF THIS ROOM AS WE CRY FOR PATRICK LYOYA FAMILY, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF AS YOU'RE SITTING WITH YOUR CHILDREN, YOU ARE LUCKY TO BE SITTING WITH YOUR CHILDREN. PLEASE, PLEASE ADDRESS THE COMMISSION. OKAY, THAT'S ONE OF OUR RULES. WELL, THEN ADDRESS THE PEOPLE WHEN THEY ACT OUT, PLEASE. AND ALSO, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO START ADDRESSING INDIVIDUALS AS JUST EXCUSE ME.

INSTEAD OF ASSUMING PEOPLE'S GENDER. YOU'VE CALLED MULTIPLE PEOPLE MA'AM AND SIR, WITHOUT ANY ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THEM CLAIMING THAT SOMETHING YOU SHOULD WORK ON. PLEASE DON'T SMIRK. THERE IS NO ACCOUNTABILITY WITHIN THIS COMMISSION, IT SEEMS. AND FOR YOU TO SMIRK AS I ASK FOR YOU TO JUST HAVE SOME CONSIDERATION, SHOWS THAT WE WILL NEVER HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY WITH WHITE PEOPLE IN OFFICE. I SAY THAT AS A WHITE PERSON, I KEEP LAUGHING. ADDRESS THEM AT SOME POINT, SIR, OR WE WILL JUSTICE FOR PATRICK. HOW Y'ALL DOING TODAY? MY WIFE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE PRUDENT THAT I WRITE THIS DOWN, SO. ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO. I WOULD LIKE TO START OFF BY SENDING MY CONDOLENCES TO THE PATRICK'S, TO PATRICK'S FAMILY. AND I STAND WITH THE COMMUNITY IN CALLING FOR THE RETRIAL OF CHRISTOPHER SCHURR FOR THE MURDER OF PATRICK LOYOLA. WE DEMAND JUSTICE FOR PATRICK. BUT I AM ALSO HERE TO DEMAND JUSTICE FOR MYSELF.

APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AFTER THE MURDER OF PATRICK, THE PEOPLE OF GRAND RAPIDS WERE OUT PROTESTING, AS THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN, AND I WAS AT WORK FUELING THE RAPID CITY BUSSES. AFTER MY SHIFT, I LEFT FOR WORK AND WENT STRAIGHT HOME. ON MY WAY HOME, I WAS RACIALLY PROFILED, STALKED HOME FROM FRANKLIN AND KALAMAZOO TO BEMIS AND GIDDINGS WITHOUT ANY LIGHTS. I WAS ULTIMATELY ASSAULTED BY SEVERAL OFFICERS OF THE GRAND RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT. THEY PUNCHED ME, TWISTED MY FINGERS, BENT MY ARMS, PULLED MY LOCKS OUT. SO MUCH EXCESSIVE FORCE. I WAS KNOCKED OUT AND PULLED FROM MY CAR AND DOGPILED UPON. THEY PUT THEIR KNEES ON THE BACK OF MY NECK, USED THEIR NECK RESTRAINT, RESTRICTING MY ABILITY TO BREATHE ALL WHILE I SCREAMED THAT I COULDN'T BREATHE. WHILE HANDCUFFED. I RECEIVED MORE ABUSE AND EXCESSIVE FORCE FROM THE GRAND RAPIDS POLICE DEPARTMENT. THEY SAID THAT I HAD A BENCH WARRANT FOR UNPAID MEDICAL BILLS, BUT IT WAS DISMISSED THE SAME DAY BECAUSE I WAS IN GOOD STANDING WITH THE COURT. I WAS WRONGFULLY CHARGED FOR A CCW FOR A FISHING KNIFE, WHICH WAS DISMISSED BECAUSE THERE WAS NO PROBABLE CAUSE. IT WAS A FISHING KNIFE AND I WAS CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING, RESISTING AND OBSTRUCTING A POLICE OFFICER. IT TOOK ME EIGHT MONTHS TO HAVE A TRIAL BY JURY, BUT IN DECEMBER I ACTUALLY HAD THE SAME JUDGES JUDGE ELMORE AS CHRISTOPHER SCHURR, BUT I WAS FOUND NOT GUILTY ON ALL CHARGES BY ALL JURY MEMBERS. THOUGH THE THREAT OF PRISON IS NO LONGER OVER MY HEAD, I HAVE TO DEAL WITH PHYSICAL. I'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR OVER A YEAR DUE TO MY INJURIES. I NOW SUFFER FROM MILD CERVICAL SPINAL STENOSIS AND I TAKE SEVERAL MEDICATIONS FOR MY CONSTANT PAIN. I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH PTSD AND I WENT THROUGH SEVERAL MONTHS OF THERAPY FOR THAT. I LOST MY JOB AND MY RAISE AND MY BONUS. EVEN AFTER I WAS FOUND NOT GUILTY. I WENT BACK TO REAPPLY FOR MY JOB AND I WENT TO THE INTERVIEW. EVERYTHING WENT GOOD AND THEY DID ANOTHER BACKGROUND CHECK. EVEN AFTER I WAS FOUND NOT GUILTY, THEY SAID THAT THE CASE IS STILL SHOWING UP ON MY FEDERAL BACKGROUND CHECK. SO THEY SAID THAT I WAS ELIGIBLE FOR REHIRE. AND I WOULD LIKE FOR THERE TO BE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE ARREST OF MY CIVIL RIGHTS BEING VIOLATED AND FOR THERE TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE OFFICERS WHO ASSAULTED ME AND JUSTICE FOR PATRICK AND DAVID. YOU ARE YOU I MEAN, YOU YOU KNOW ME. YOU KNOW

[01:15:04]

LET'S HOPE IT BE RETRIAL. BUT I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THEY MOVE IT OUT OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. PROBABLY MOVING SOMEWHERE IN OTTAWA COUNTY, WHICH BASICALLY WHAT I CALL ALABAMA. I'M NOT GOING TO BE SURPRISED IF THAT HAPPENS. JUST FOR PATRICK. NOW I WANT TO TALK ABOUT AN EVENT. THAT'S GOING TO BE AT VAN ANDEL ARENA ON JUNE 7TH. I WANT TO KNOW WHO ARE THE BOZOS? THAT SCHEDULED GREG GUTFELD. HE'S A RACIST. HE'S A MISOGYNIST. HE THINK HE'S FUNNY, BUT HE'S NOT. HE'S GOING TO BE AT VAN ANDEL ARENA. THEY'RE GOING TO SPEW HATE RHETORIC, BULL CRAP AND EVERYTHING THAT HE'S KNOWN FOR. WHICH MOST OF Y'ALL SEE ON FOX NEWS EVERY DAY.

IT'S NOT GOOD. I SUGGEST. THAT, WELL, IT'S TOO LATE NOW BECAUSE HE'S ALREADY SCHEDULED. BUT I SUGGEST THAT. INDIVIDUALS SHOULD. MAKE YOUR FEELINGS KNOWN. NOW. I DON'T CARE ABOUT WHAT GREG GUTFELD SAYS. IS HE? BECAUSE HE HAS HE HAS PROBLEMS OF HIS OWN. I BLAME THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY AT VAN ANDEL ARENA FOR INCOMPETENCE, THE STUPIDITY. AND THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE FOR HAVING SOME, SOME SOMEONE LIKE THAT INDIVIDUAL COME TO THIS CITY AND SPREAD

[01:20:04]

LAST WEEK. THEY WERE AT A PROTEST USING THE BIKE LANE FOR ACCESSIBILITY, AND WERE FORCED TO THE SIDEWALK, IMPOSING ON THEIR SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY. SERGEANT DARRYL HOWARD OVERPOWERED THE CARETAKER AND TOOK A HOLD OF THE INDIVIDUAL, THE INDIVIDUAL'S WHEELCHAIR, JERKING THEM AROUND AND CAUSING WHIPLASH AND POTENTIALLY OTHER INJURIES. THE CARETAKER WAS DETAINED AND DENIED ACCESS TO THEIR NECESSARY MEDICATIONS. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE, OFFICER P MA OPENED PEPPER SPRAY ON THE PEACEFUL CROWD, INCLUDING UPON FORMER COMMISSIONER AND STATE SENATE CANDIDATE IVAN DIAZ. COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE ALSO WITNESSED OFFICER ALLEN SHARING THE SAME HATEFUL BRUTALITY AS SERGEANT HOWARD AND OFFICER PALMER. FIRST IT'S US AND THEN IT'S YOUR FRIENDS, AND THEN IT'S YOUR FAMILY, AND THEN IT'S OTHER CITY OFFICIALS. AND IT WILL BE YOU ONE DAY, TOO. WE'RE LIVING UNDER FASCISM, AND OUR CITY OFFICIALS MUST BE VOCAL AND ACTIVE ABOUT DOING ANYTHING THEY CAN ABOUT IT NOW. AND JUSTICE FOR PATRICK. WE DEMAND A RETRIAL. AND I ALSO WANT TO SHARE THAT OUR CITY BUDGET IS 35% OF IT ALLOCATED TO THE GRAND RAPIDS DEPARTMENT, POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND I WOULD APPRECIATE THEM HAVING TWO. I APPRECIATE THE BALLOT PROPOSAL THAT WAS INTRODUCED IN 2022 FOR COMMUNITY OWNED SAFETY, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THEM APPLY EACH YEAR FOR A CITY BUDGET. SO YOU GUYS HAVE TO LOOK OVER IT AND MAKE SURE IT'S APPROPRIATE. AND FOR COMMUNITY OWNED SAFETY FOR US TO HAVE A VOICE ON WHO'S ON OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS THE POLICIES THAT THAT ENTAILS. AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO HAVE YOUR OWN PERSONAL MESSAGE ON HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WHAT'S GOING ON AND JUSTICE FOR PATRICK AND SUPPORTING THAT. SO WE ALL FEEL SUPPORTED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KENNETH CORTEZ. I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN GRAND RAPIDS FOR 23 YEARS NOW, AND IT'S ALWAYS THE SAME STORY. EVERY TIME I COME UP TO THIS PODIUM. IT'S NEW FACES UP HERE, THERE ARE FAMILIAR FACES UP HERE, AND PEOPLE THAT I'VE DONE WORK WITH AND PEOPLE THAT I HOPE TO DO WORK WITH IN THE FUTURE. ONE THING I KNOW FROM BUILDING NEIGHBORHOODS AND DOING DEVELOPMENT WORK WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND PEOPLE, IS THAT PEOPLE MEAN, WELL, I'M GOING TO SAY THAT ABOUT POLICE AS WELL AS PEOPLE. THEY MEAN WELL, BUT THEY PUT THE BADGE ON AND THEY CROSSED THIS LINE AND THEY FORM A GANG. THE THIN BLUE LINE IS A GANG. IT'S ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I WOULD KNOW BECAUSE I'VE SPENT ABOUT 50 TO 60 000 MILES ON CARS THAT I'VE BOUGHT WITH MY OWN GAS AND MY OWN MONEY FOR HOTELS TRAVELING AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR THE LAST 5 OR 6 YEARS, WATCHING AS THEY CELEBRATED BEHIND BARRIERS UNDER THOSE THIN BLUE LINE FLAGS, AFTER THEY'VE KILLED BLACK AND BROWN BODIES, PEOPLE BEING MURDERED BY POLICE WITH IMPUNITY WHILE POLICE CELEBRATE, AND THEN THEY GET TO GO HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES. CHRISTOPHER SCHURR, HE KILLED SOMEBODY. I'M NOT HERE TO SAY THAT IT'S MURDER. CLEARLY, THERE WAS A MISTRIAL, EVEN WITH THE MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE, THERE WAS A MISTRIAL. CHRISTOPHER BECK OR CHRIS BECKER? EXCUSE ME? HE ALLOWED NOT ONE, NOT TWO, BUT POTENTIALLY THREE PEOPLE WITH DIRECT CONNECTION TO LAW

[01:25:03]

UNDERSTOOD. SO EVERYBODY'S ASKING FOR A RETRIAL IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO GET OUR STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL, DANA NESSEL, TO STEP IN. THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW, AND I WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU ALL ARE GOING TO FEEL ABOUT THIS GETTING TAKEN OVER FROM OUR GRAND CITY. WE LOVE THIS CITY. I LOVE THIS CITY. I DO SO MUCH WORK IN THIS CITY, AND I WOULD HATE FOR US TO HAVE THAT BLACK EYE AND THAT SMEAR FROM NOT BEING ABLE TO SERVE JUSTICE WHERE JUSTICE IS DUE, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE THE STATE COME IN AND TAKE OVER. I'M FROM FLINT. I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE FOR THE STATE TO COME IN AND TAKE OVER. MY DAD IS FROM DETROIT. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN WHERE THE STATE HAS TO COME IN AND TAKE OVER. GRAND RAPIDS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THAT. AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN FIVE YEARS WHERE I STOOD ON THIS PODIUM AND SAID, GRAND RAPIDS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THAT. THANK YOU. HELLO, I AM RANDY MORALES FROM THE FIRST WARD. ONE OF MY OCCUPATIONS IS A SECURITY SPECIALIST, AND SO ONE OF THE SKILLS I'VE ACCRUED OVER THE YEARS IS FORMS OF DE-ESCALATION.

DE-ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE. GROWING UP IN WEST MICHIGAN, I DID HAVE FRIENDS WHOSE FAMILY MEMBERS WERE POLICE OFFICERS IN THE GRPD. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REMEMBER, AND IT STARKLY COMES IN MY MIND ABOUT THE CURRENT TRIAL, WAS THE CULTURE OF A WARRIOR THAT THEY BRING UP.

THEY ARE, IN THEIR MINDS, THE ONLY LINE BETWEEN EXTREME CHAOS AND THE REST OF US IN THE COMMUNITY. NOW, GOVERNMENT, IN ONE OF ITS KEY POINTS, IS A MONOPOLY ON VIOLENCE. AND AS CITIZENS, WE VOLUNTARILY CEDE THAT ABILITY, CAPACITY OF VIOLENCE TO THE PEOPLE WHO MANAGE THAT. IN THIS CASE, THE GRPD. I FIND IT. SCARY THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN IN BLUE HAVE A MINDSET, OR AT LEAST THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL OF THEM WITH A MINDSET THINKING THAT THE CITIZENS THEY PROTECT ARE LESSER, THEY DEHUMANIZE THEM. I FIND THAT SCARY BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST LIKE US. THEY ARE HUMANS WHO HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE ABILITY TO BE TRAINED AND TO THEN USE THE AUTHORIZATION OF VIOLENCE TO TRY TO POLICE AND KEEP US SAFE. AND I WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR MORE COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT INTO THEIR TRAINING, INTO THEIR CAPABILITIES, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE CITY IS HAVING DIFFICULTIES WITH THIS. CURRENTLY, THE CULTURE NEEDS TO CHANGE IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, AND I LOOK TO YOU AS THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE ELECTED TO LOOK AFTER AND CARE FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT I'M SEEING THAT I'M LIVING, I LIVE HERE, I WORK HERE, I LOVE THE CITY, BUT I WANT TO FEEL SAFE IN IT, AND I WANT TO FEEL SAFE FROM THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO MAKE US SAFE. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME, AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO US ALL TONIGHT. HELLO, RUSSELL OLMSTEAD, WEST SIDE GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY MEMBER. BUT I'M ALSO I'VE SERVED ON THE CIVILIAN APPEALS BOARD FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. I'VE BEEN A CHAIR, FORMER CHAIR AT THIS POINT. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT CIVILIAN APPEALS BOARD IS, IT IS A BOARD THAT ONCE INTERNAL AFFAIRS DOES AN INVESTIGATION, IF THE COMPLAINANT DOES NOT AGREE WITH THE OUTCOMES OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATION, THEY CAN APPEAL TO OUR BOARD ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. WE WILL REVIEW THE CASE AND DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE AGREE WITH THE FINDINGS OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS OR IF WE DISAGREE. IT'S A BOARD THAT IS NOT HEAVILY UTILIZED. UNFORTUNATELY FOR OUR CITY, IT IS A PORTION OF COMMUNITY

[01:30:05]

YOU DON'T NEED TO WAIT FOR A VERDICT TO DO THAT. AND THESE POLICIES HAVE NOT GONE FAR ENOUGH. THAT WAS CLEAR THROUGH THE TESTIMONY. SO PLEASE ACT BEFORE THIS HAPPENS AGAIN.

CHANGE OUR POLICIES SO THAT IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN, THE SHROUD OF AMBIGUITY THAT ALLOWS FOR A MISTRIAL IS NOT THERE. AS I SAID. MY NAME IS KEVIN BOWMAN AND THIS IS MY PRINCESS.

SINCE YOU SEEM TO PUT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN A FRENZY, BUT IT'S NEVER A PROBLEM WITH THE POLICE AND THEIR DOG. BUT I WANT TO COME BEFORE AND SAY, LIKE THE MAN SAID, WE DON'T WANT CHRIS BECKER TO TRY OUR CASE. HE DID. HE HAD HIS CHANCE. WE WANT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO FILE CHARGES. WE SEE THE MOCKERY. THE WHOLE TRIAL IS A MOCKERY. WE'VE SEEN IT FROM THE GERMANS TO THE THREE YEARS TO TRUMP. GOT AN OFFICE FOR THEM TO TRY THE CASE AS A TRIAL. TO THE ANTAGONIZER OUTSIDE THE COURTHOUSE. BUT IT'S BEYOND CHRISTOPHER BECKER. IT'S BEYOND IT'S BEYOND CHRISTOPHER SHORE. I MEAN, SORRY, PATRICK, A LAWYER, HIS JPD. IT'S THE PROCEDURES. ONE THING FOR SURE IS OPERATION DICE DATA INFORMED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. I DON'T KNOW HOW HOW LONG WE GOT TO SCREAM THAT. HOW ARE THEY HARASSING AND PROFILING US AND CRIMINALIZING US TO WHERE WE CAN'T EVEN GET ON A JURY? NO BLACK PEOPLE WAS ON THAT JURY STAND WHEN IT WAS BLACK JURORS THAT WAS COURT. THEY DIDN'T GET CALLED BACK FOR A REASON. THERE'S JUST SO MUCH YOU CAN TALK ABOUT. BUT I DON'T EVEN WANT TO DWELL ON THAT. I REALLY WANT TO COME UP HERE MORE FOR MY PEOPLE. I WANT TO TELL YOU, JUST SAY STOP, STOP. STOP TALKING. PLEASE RUN THAT PRELIM. ASK FOR THAT DISCOVERY. CHALLENGE THEM, CHALLENGE THEM. THIS IS HOW THEY GET AWAY WITH KILLING US. WELL, THEY GOT A REASON TO STOP US. THEY GOT A MILLION REASONS TO STOP US. BUT THEY'VE NOT BEEN CHALLENGED. AND THEY MAKE IT MORE AND MORE HARDER. WE AIN'T GOT REPRESENTATION. THE PUBLIC DEFENDERS AND PROSECUTORS, THEY ALL FRIENDS, THEY CAN TALK IN THE COURTROOM WHILE WE OUTSIDE STRESSING ABOUT CHARGES WITH NO EVIDENCE TO BURY NONE. BUT THEY'RE PRESSING TO CHARGE US WITH NO EVIDENCE. WANT US TO TRIAL. THEY GOT US IN JAIL AND STUFF. BUT HERE THEY HAVE PLENTY EVIDENCE TO CHARGE CHRIS. AND HE DIDN'T DO NO EFFORT TO EVEN NONE. SO, LIKE I SAID, STOP TAKING THESE PLEAS, MAN. STAND UP. STOP BEING SCARED. DON'T LET THESE PUBLIC DEFENDERS TALK YOU

[01:35:06]

STOP LETTING THESE POLICE, THESE THESE SO-CALLED REPRESENTATIVES, THEY NOT REPRESENT US. THEY HAVE REPRESENTED THESE ORGANIZATIONS. THEY REPRESENT, BUT THEY PART TIME. ANYBODY REPRESENTING US, ANYBODY GOING TO THESE COURT HOUSES WITH US WHERE THEY THEY RAILROAD US LEFT AND RIGHT, LEFT AND RIGHT. SO AS MY PEOPLE STAND UP, STOP, STOP BEING PUNKS TO THESE POLICE OFFICERS THAT HARASSING US, THEY LIVING TWO LIVES. PEOPLE SAY, OH, THEY GOT THEY GO HOME TO THEIR FAMILY.

WHEN THEY COME OUT ON THAT BADGE, THEY HARASSING US. THEY THEY PROFILING, ASSAULTING US, CHARGING US FOR JAYWALKING, LITTLE SMALL STUFF. AND WE I WANT TO PUT MY PETITION OUT THERE THAT WE WANT PETITION THAT THE, THE DASH CAMS COURT PROCEEDING, ALL THAT BE UPDATED TO A LIVE PUBLIC NETWORK. NOT BECAUSE THESE FOUR YEARS THEY DENYING THEM THEY PARTIALLY PARTIALLY DENYING THEM. THEY MAKING US CHARGES ARM THE LEG SPLITTING EM UP. WE GOT TO PAY $400. WRAP IT UP HERE AT THE END OF YOUR THREE MONTHS, I'M SURE. THANK YOU. COME ON. GOOD GIRL.

HELLO, SHANNON. TANIS, DISPLACED FROM THE FIRST WARD ON THE PATRICK LOYOLA. WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED, I SENT COMMUNICATION LETTER IN SUPPORT OF PATRICK'S FAMILY. AS SOMEONE THAT HAS WITNESSED THEIR LOVED ONE BE MURDERED IN FRONT OF THEM. I DID NOT GET THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT THAT PATRICK'S FAMILY IS GETTING, OR THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OR THE SPECIAL ATTENTION FROM CITY BODIES TO HELP UPLIFT THEM. BUT WHAT I DID GET WAS A CONVICTION FOR LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE FOR THE DEFENDANT THAT SHOT MY BELOVED. SIGNIFICANT OTHER SIMILARITIES IN THE CASE WAS GUNSHOTS TO THE BACK AND TO THE HEAD. JURY DELIBERATED FOR, I THINK, LESS ABOUT 30 MINUTES.

VERY EASY CONVICTION. WHAT I SEE HERE IS I DON'T KNOW IF PATRICK'S FAMILY IS AWARE, BUT MR. JOHNSON AND MR. CRUMP ARE BOTH FREEMASONS AND A LOT OF CITY OFFICIALS AND PEOPLE ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND JUDGES ARE PART OF THAT ORDER. SO IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING HOW THESE PEOPLE MOVE ON THE SCENE WHEN IT'S A PUBLIC RELATIONS HOT TOPIC AND SPECIAL INTEREST TO HAVE HANDLERS COME IN AND CONTROL THE SITUATION. SO IT WAS KIND OF INEVITABLE THAT THE CONVICTION WAS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AND THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE RESULT IN A HUNG JURY. THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT HAS GONE INTO PLANNING THIS IS VERY OBVIOUS. SO I SUGGEST THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL COME IN AND MOVE THE JURISDICTION FOR ANOTHER TRIAL AS FAR UP NORTH AS POSSIBLE. SO MAYBE THAT WE COULD GET A COMMUNITY OF JURY POOL THAT IS NOT TAINTED AND COULD ACTUALLY PRESENT A VERDICT EITHER WAY, THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD BE MORE SECURE WITH AND TRUSTING BECAUSE AS IT BEING HERE, IT'S BEEN TOO PUBLICIZED. WHEN I SEE THE ASPECT OF THE PROTESTING, I SEE EMOTIONAL CHARGE FROM BOTH SIDES. THE FACT OF PROPER ENGAGEMENT TO HELP ORGANIZE MORE PEACEFUL PROTEST WOULD BE MORE PROACTIVE. INSTEAD OF ALLOWING THIS TO TRANSPIRE, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO BRING ATTENTION THAT I WAS RETALIATED AGAINST BY DWELLING PLACE, AND THAT'S PART OF MY DISPLACEMENT.

AFTER I NOTIFIED THIS BODY THAT I HAD THE CEO REMOVED IN NOVEMBER. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

[COMMENTS BY COMMISSIONERS]

[01:40:02]

[01:45:02]

IT'S A BODY THAT IS A COUNTY BODY. AGAIN, THE COURT THAT CHRISTOPHER WAS TRIED IN WAS CIRCUIT COURT. SO WE ARE PULLING FROM A JURY POOL OF THE ENTIRE KENT COUNTY. IT IS NOT A REFLECTION OF THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS. AND I'M SEEING HEAD NODS FROM SOME OF THE ATTORNEYS. AND SO HE SAID, DO YOU KNOW THAT WE REVIEW THIS EVERY SINGLE YEAR TO LOOK AT THE JURY POOL TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS? I DID NOT KNOW THAT UP UNTIL LIKE TWO HOURS AGO, THREE HOURS AGO, IF YOU DON'T KNOW. BUT THERE WAS SOME OF THE CONVERSATION. I ALSO HEARD TODAY ABOUT OUR FOIA PIECE THAT MR. BRANDON DAVIS'S OFFICE HAS ENGAGED IN VERY ROBUST KNOW YOUR RIGHTS CAMPAIGNS, TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SESSIONS THAT HAD 100 PEOPLE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE OFFERING BRANDON, TO GET 100 PEOPLE, BUT THAT IS A COMMENDABLE NUMBER TO HAVE INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY COME AND TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT ARE THEIR RIGHTS. AND SO TRYING TO BALANCE AGAIN THE REALITIES OF THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE. I ALSO APPRECIATED THE COMMENTS AS IT RELATED TO OUR TRAFFIC STOP STUDY. I ALSO SERVED ON THE TRAFFIC STOP STUDY IN 2017, AND I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF ITERATIONS. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WAS JUST TRULY IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUALS, RACE AND ETHNICITY IN THE APPROPRIATE MANNER. AND SO I THINK WE'VE HAD SOME HOPEFULLY SOME BETTER ADVANCEMENTS WITH LIKE, YOU KNOW, CENSUS PIECES AND THINGS SINCE THAT TIME. SO I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A NUMBER ONE THING THAT I'LL FOCUS ON AS WELL, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THINGS IN OUR PURVIEW. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN MEASURE AND MONITOR. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT WHAT MANY OF YOU CAME OUT TODAY TO TALK ABOUT, WHAT MANY PEOPLE JUST ON THE STREET. I'VE TALKED ABOUT PEOPLE IN MY FAMILY ASK US ABOUT. I WENT OUT TO DINNER BEFORE THIS, AND THE WAITER ASKED ME ABOUT IT. AFTER FINDING OUT WHAT WHAT MY JOB WAS, THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS A LITTLE BIT MORE INTERNAL TO THE CITY, BUT, AND I THINK THE COMPTROLLER HAS LEFT, WE'VE HAD

[01:50:04]

[01:55:07]

WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID TOO, BUT JUST WANTED TO ADD MY ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT THERE'S A LOT OF A LOT OF WEIGHT. I THINK RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF STRONG EMOTIONS FROM BOTH SIDES. I SEE IT ON TV. I SEE IT IN THE STREETS, THE PEOPLE I TALK TO. I SEE IT IN MY MAILBOX, CERTAINLY, AND I THINK ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES AT ONE POINT SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE'S A SITUATION THAT'S OUT OF YOUR CONTROL, SOMETIMES WHAT YOU CAN DO IS JUST FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN COMMIT TO YOURSELF.

AND SO FOR ME, I THINK THE BEST WAY FORWARD IS JUST COMMITTING TO MAINTAINING RESPECT WITH ONE ANOTHER, ASKING FORGIVENESS AND EXTENDING GRACE WHEN NEED BE. AND I THINK IF WE CAN ALL COMMIT TO DOING THAT, I THINK WE CAN AT LEAST FIND SOME POSITIVE IN A VERY HEAVY SITUATION. SO WITH THAT, HAVE A GOOD NIGHT, MR. NIGHT. THANK YOU. MAYOR, I'M NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO REPEAT WHAT MY COLLEAGUE SAID. I DO WANT TO HONOR AND RESPECT THE COURAGE THAT PEOPLE HAD TO COME IN AND SHARE THEIR PAIN, BECAUSE I REALIZE THAT SOMETIMES IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO GATHER THOSE WORDS AND THOSE THOUGHTS TOGETHER, TO BE ABLE TO SHARE HOW WE'RE REALLY FEELING. AND I THINK NOT ONLY TODAY, BUT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS THAT WE HAVE KIND OF RELIVED A SITUATION, RIGHT? AND WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD AND BEGIN TO START THAT PROCESS OF HEALING THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN ORDER FOR US TO MOVE ON FROM A COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS, WHEN AN OFFENSE OR SOMETHING HAPPENS TO A PERSON, THE LENSES THAT YOU SEE THAT ISSUE HAPPEN THROUGH IS HOW WE TEND TO SEE EVERYTHING ELSE THAT MAY BE SURROUNDED. AND SO WE BEGIN TO JUDGE IT THROUGH THOSE LENSES. AND I REMEMBER WHEN CHIEF CAME, I WASN'T HERE WHEN THE INCIDENT HAPPENED, BUT I WAS OUT IN THE STREETS LISTENING TO OUR NEIGHBORS AND WALKING AND MARCHING AND REALLY TRYING TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY. AND I ASKED IF I COULD HAVE A MEETING WITH HIM BECAUSE THIS COMMUNITY HAS GONE THROUGH SO MUCH CHANGE AND SO MUCH PAIN AND HURT IN THOSE SPACES WITH DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP THAT WE MAY HAVE HAD IN PLACE. AND SO I JUST

[02:00:02]

I DO REMEMBER THAT DAY IN APRIL, AND I THINK WHAT THE TRIAL HAS DONE IS IT HAS FIXATED OUR COMMUNITY'S ATTENTION BACK TO 2022. THAT TRAGIC DAY. AND NOW THE QUESTIONS ARE BEING ASKED OF BOTH FROM THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE MISTRIAL. WHAT'S NEXT? YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WANT CLOSURE, BOTH SIDES.

AND SO I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT. BUT WHILE WE HAVE THAT QUESTION, OTHER PEOPLE ARE ASKING, WHAT CAN WE DO TO MOVE FORWARD? AND SO I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING ON NEXT TUESDAY, WHERE THE POLICE CHIEF

[02:05:08]