NAACP Not Happy With Cop’s Punishment

By Alvin A. ReidSpecial to the NNPA from the St. Louis American ST. LOUIS (NNPA) – Harold Crumpton says that some members of the NAACP city branch are not satisfied with the one-day suspension of two police officers involved in an incident two weeks ago in which a 69-year-old woman was pepper-sprayed in the face. Crumpton, president of the city chapter, said the incident was not discussed at the chapter’s last meeting, which was days after Metropolitan Police Chief Joe Mokwa announced the one-day suspensions. But, in speaking with chapter members, he has learned that many are not happy with the punishment. ”This just points out the need for an independent civilian review board,” Crumpton said. ”It is impossible for police to investigate themselves. It is impossible.” The two officers, Michael Dohr and Christopher Nazetta, are white. Ruby Harriel is black and lives on the city’s North Side. The officers wanted to question her grandson, but did not have an arrest or search warrant. A scuffle ensued in which Harriel was blasted in the face with pepper spray. The grandson was later found and was not arrested. In addition to the one-day suspension without pay, the officers must return to the police academy for additional training and are barred from patrolling the North Side neighborhood where Harriel resides. ”While we are not happy with the suspension length, we are reserving what our next action will be,” Crumpton said. He said the chapter does plan to hold three community forums to deal with the relationship between police officers and the community and their training in the police academy. ”This is not just a one-time deal,” Crumpton said. ”We are going to examine how officers are trained and how that training can be improved. We will deal with (the Harriel) incident, but we want to make sure that things like this stop happening.” Crumpton said Mokwa ”stood by his word” to have a quick investigation and report to the NAACP. ”He did that, and we appreciate that. But there has to be a review panel that can look at things like the length of the suspension and determine if it is fitting punishment,” Crumpton said. He said he thought an independent civilian review board would most likely have dealt out a more severe punishment. The standoff between supporters of a review board proposal by Alderman Terry Kennedy and one structured by Mayor Francis Slay and the Board of Police Commissioners continues as the summer rolls on. Kennedy and other influential African-American civic leaders, including Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis President Jim Buford, contend that citizens would not have faith in a review board without elected members. Slay said he will not back any board that has even one elected member. Crumpton, who is a Slay political supporter, agrees with the mayor and has suggested that Kennedy back off his call for a board with elected members. ”The important thing is having the review board so it can look into cases liked this one,” Crumpton said, referring to the Harriel incident. While the two police officers are facing just a one-day suspension, the police force is bracing for an expected lawsuit by Harriel’s family, according to family spokesman Sam Moore. Moore said there is ”disappointment” that the punishment was not more severe and that the family would take legal action.