'Citiy resident
By Be Brow
De pite the cold bitter night,
85·90 concerned citizens mar
ched in front of Benton Harbor
City Hall, Monday, February
26, for an hour just before the
Benton Harbor City Commis-
ion meeting.
The citizen m rched sing
ing "We Shall Overcome"
demanding ju ticc and change'
in the Benton Harbor law en
forcement and the City of Ben-
ton Harbor. .
After the m rch the citizens
filled city hall where only
tanding room could b found.
Rev. Walter L. Brown,
pre ident of th Benton Harbor
. Chapter of Operation PUSH
and po c 'per on for the
"Cf t iz e n United For A
Change", read ome of the re
quest of the roup.
Rev. Brown told the com
mi sion that the one of the
problems in the city of Benton
Harbor i the police depart
ment.
"The city needs to hire a
full-time affirmative action
person to go out, along with
omeonc from personnel, to go
to different cities and coil ges
and recruit qualified B c can
I did lC for the Benton Harbor
Polic Department", he 'aid.
Bro n also called upon the
city to "e 't'ttllish a training pro
ram for policemen in r ce
relations and community rela-
lions. POlicemen in this City -
not all of them - when they go
into the Black neighborhood
they think it is 'open eason'
on our young people. You got a
city that's 90 percent Black and
you are goi ng to have to have
policemen trained to go out and
communicate in the Black
community."
REV. BROWN ALSO
criticized the city commi sion,
Mayor and City Manager for
their lack of concern and not
i suing some condolence to the
Maben family. Norri Maben
wa hot to death, January 18,
by Lt. Marvin Fiedler of the
Benton Harbor Police Depart
ment.
Brown aid, it seems that
"everyone is busy protecting
Fiedler, and no one ha taken
into consideration the pain and
uffering that the mother and
f mily of Maben is going
through."
Brown told City Manager
Steve M nning. "you tated in
your second pre s release that
you fired Lt. Fiedlcrbecause he
violated three city ordinance
- which cost a life, Why i n't
be ch rged with a crime'! Why
shouldn t he he respon iiblc for
his actions?" he asked.
a one- our pro
In a reference to develop
ment project undertaken by
the City, Rev. Brown told
Mayor WilJjam Wolf that non
of these folk there could af
ford a boat or condo, - what
they needed were job.
Finally Rev. Brown told
Manning that he was doing a
fine joh in bringing the city
hac • hut "bring it hac for all
of u:. Give all the citizens in
Benton Harbor a chance -
don't lock 'out," he said. .
"I intend to work for the
good of Benton Harbor", said
Rev. Brown, and when you do
. good I'll come and tell you and
Yarbrough.
CURTI MURPHY, city
resident, said he has come
before the commission everal
time' as ing the City Manager
to have Public Safety Director,
Sam Wat on come to the com
mi ion meeting to answer
question and he has not done
0, so he i asking gain that he
come to the next commission
meeting. He also aid the City
needs to stop hiring people that
don't live in Benton Harbor.
City resident Gail Silva said
what needs 10 be done is to
C 16
"W": AR .. : NOT here to stir
trouble", aid Rev. Brown, but
"to tir up your minds."
Come on do .... to:
JOE'S Bamer&
lily 1
161 P on
For the BEST htlir C(ft ••
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