Mayor Fuller named the 12 members of Newton Police Reform Task Force.
Sonja Spears, Chair (in photo)
Sonja Speers
Derege Demissie
Jadeque Douglas
Malick Ghachem
Brian Henderson
Bill Hoch
Randy Johnson
Hattie Kerwin Derrick
Josh Levy
Rob Lowe
Alison Tarmy
Achille Vann Ricca
To see their bios go here.
Thanks in advance to those who are serving! A big task.
What Paul said.
It is terrific to see how much subject matter expertise these members possess. A deliberate task force like this is much better than angry mobs pressuring politicians to make hasty decisions, as we have seen in some other cities.
Very refreshing and encouraging to see such a remarkably high quality group of individuals of varied and directly applicable backgrounds participation … rather than the typical cast of political characters.
Newton can be extremely proud of its overall approach to policing and yet there is always room for constructive criticism and improvement.
Happy 4th to the men and women who help keep Newton safe!
Let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water. Our Newton police have done remarkable work on general public safety issues over the years. I hope and pray the commission keeps its focus on recommending ways for our police to understand more about contemporary societal issues and state-0f-the-art practices to resolve them.
What a remarkably impressive group of people. I’m grateful to all of them for volunteering to do this work and wish them success.
I was reading the bios of the people on the task force and this seems to be an impressive group. I’m optimistic.
Very encouraged by these impressive choices. New voices will be heard from. Finally. Thank you all for serving on this task force.
What a great and talented group.
Makes me proud to be from Newton.
@Michael Singer, you’re correct, this is an impressive group that will be effective in creating legitimized change. As a point of pride, though, I must say that the only reason this Task Force exists in the first place is because of the “angry mob pressuring [Newton’s] politicians.” Were it not for the activists and organizers of Defund NPD, the FY21 budget initially proposed by Mayor Fuller would have gone unquestioned. I am grateful for the activist’s work.
@Alexander Shames:
You take too much credit for yourself and your “Defund NPD” movement. The “angry mob” is not, as you contend, “the only reason this Task Force exists”. There are also cooler heads (opposite of angry) who speak and listen one at a time (opposite of mob) based on facts and reasons. That is principally how our city government is conducted, and this Task Force is no exception.
You and your “Defund NPD” movement have written that the “Task Force’s job should be not to fix our policing, but … to transition away from policing.” It has circulated a pledge asking political candidates to be in “communication with local defund and [police] *abolition*” activists (emphasis added).
I was pleased to see that two-thirds of the Task Force consists of legal professionals and police. They will rightly reject your movement’s extreme aims “to transition away from policing” and to abolish the police. Abolishing the police is a rash idea that has never occurred in a modern society, and for good reason. It would be disastrous and would inflict the most harm on disadvantaged communities. If you are willing to be persuaded by data, please see Prof. Steven Pinker’s marvelous book “Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined”.
I mean no disrespect, but it has been my observation that the “Defund NPD” movement consists mostly of so-called happy shiny people, mostly very young, who have lived in privileged, low-crime places like Newton their whole lives. Because of this, they assume that communities are inherently peaceful and the rule of law is automatic. They would not make these assumptions if they had ever lived in a high-crime inner city neighborhood (as I have) or in countries with a shaky rule of law (as I have).
Have you asked victims of violent crime what they think about abolishing the police?
There is a terrible irony in the “Defund NPD” movement. The Newton police (and neighboring departments) have been so effective in creating a safe and peaceful environment that Defund NPD no longer recognizes the need for them. They see only the shortcomings of the police–which surely exist–but cannot accurately imagine what Newton would be like without them.
CW: Reference to Sexual Assault
@Michael Singer– When you say: “The Newton police have been so effective in creating a safe and peaceful environment that Defund NPD no longer recognizes the need for them,” who have they created the safe and peaceful environment for?
For white people, white businesses and white capital. The institution of US Police does not exist to protect people of color. In fact, police have made life in America far more dangerous for BIPOC. By hunting down runaway slaves, terrorizing Native Americans, enforcing Jim Crow laws, disproportionately targeting black communities during the failed War on Drugs, and countless other examples, it is clear that police exist to enable and enhance the oppressive nature of white capitalism in America.
So yes, many of the “Defund NPD” members have benefited from the protections of the police. But what about people of color in Newton? Did the police make Newton safer for Tim Duncan, by drawing their guns on him, as he and his wife were strolling through their neighborhood?
And you speak of violent crimes. Is policing really effective in stopping violent crimes? In the case of sexual assault, it is estimated that only 16% of all rapes in America are reported to law enforcement. Another study found that only 19% of reported rapes lead to an arrest. And the same study found that out of these arrests, only 1/3rd lead to a conviction. Combine those numbers, and you get that only 1% of all rapes lead to an arrest. Only 1 in 100! The police are not effective at protecting women from sexual assault, or at the very least, holding the guilty accountable.
US law enforcement’s responses to drug abuse, domestic violence, and other violent crimes exhibit similar ineffectiveness–police are widely unsuccessful at preventing the incidents, and incarceration does not reduce the likelihood of repeat offenses.
There is plenty of evidence to suggest that increasing access to housing and healthcare reduces crime proactively, improving our communities and saving on the expensive costs of incarceration. With an annual police budget of $20+ million, Newton could certainly spare some money to those causes.
I do not think that individual police are evil, and I appreciate the work they do to make Newton safer. But that is an opinion skewed by the fact that I come from a wealthy white family. It is time to step back and ask who they are making it safer for, because it’s clearly not safer for everyone.
@Brett: All I did was take a simple position: that we should not abolition the police. Defund NPD thinks we should, and I think that’s ridiculous. Do you think we should abolish the police? (not clear to me from your post). All of my minority friends think abolishing the police is a ridiculous idea too. I think there are a lot of venerable people of color on the new Task Force who think abolishing the police is a terrible idea.
What happened to Tim Duncan should not have happened. But I don’t think that means we should abolish the police. Does Mr. Duncan think we should abolish the police? Have people who cite his story as reason to defund or abolish the police asked him how he feels about it?
I see you have a lot of opinions about topics unrelated to abolishing the police. We probably agree on some of these topics, but I’m not going to get involved.
@Michael Singer
Your post was criticizing organizers of the Defund NPD movement, saying they were hypocritical in calling for the abolition of an institution (NPD) they’ve all benefited from. My post responded to that, as well as your concern about how violent crime would be handled. I am pleased we agree on some of the topics I raised. I really don’t think my comment was off topic but understand your points.
And yes, I do think we should abolish the institution of the US police, for many of the reasons mentioned in my comment. As activists have called for, we need to redefine law enforcement in American society. Drug abuse should be treated like a disease, not a crime. Petty theft should not be handled by people with military-grade weapons. And so on. Of course, abolition does not mean removing the current system without alternatives for having a lawful society.
We will always need a process to respond to violent crimes, but it should be different from the current broken system. The black community should be the ones to lead in developing these new systems.
As for Tim Duncan, I only bring up the incident only as an example of how policing can be a threat to people of color in Newton. I am not by any means trying to speak for Tim and am sure we’d all learn from his thoughts on police abolition.
Everyone should read Roland Fryer’s fact-based June 22 op-ed in the WSJ, “What the data say about police.”
Yikes. “All of my minority friends think…”
@Alexander & Brett-
There are 90,000 people who live in Newton. Task forces make recommendations, not legislation.
Any movement to abolish the police in the city will be the result of the will and desire of the majority of voters in Newton, not intimidation campaigns, threats & bullying. Newton is no place for hate. Any city councilor that approves legislation to abolish the police
without the approval of their constituents will be punished at the ballot box, as well they should be. After all the noise is over,
there should be a crystal clear examination of exactly how many of our 90,000 residents supports
“Abolishing the police”. Maybe that’s something the task force will do. Maybe we can have a ballot question.
Taxpayers will have plenty to say about this topic and they will let their opinions known independent of any activism movements. That’s the way Democracy works. At the end of the day it will be up to the residents of Newton to determine what needs changing and the best way to achieve that change.
Am I the only one surprised not to see Kim Murray’s name on the task force? Seems to me she would be in a good position to suggest reforms.
@Paul Green
Thanks for the civics lesson. Neither Alexander or I said the Task Force would be the ones to make legislation, and obviously change will have to come through the City Council and the Mayor’s office.
When you say “Newton not being a place for hate,” is the Defund NPD campaign really the source of “hate” we should be focusing on right now?
I understand that people will oppose abolishing the police, but Defund NPD has a right to do what they are doing. And the tension being created, like in many other Defund movements across the country, is a necessary step for initiating change. All I ask is to consider their platform with an open mind, rather than dismissing it because of the tension it brings about.
“Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue.”
@Brett-
You are welcome for the civics lesson.
A little snarky, but that’s ok. In order to persuade someone to consider your point of view it’s best not to kick them in the teeth when you are asking them to do so. Just saying.
I’m at a loss as to why someone who cares so deeply about an issue- defunding the police- would be intent on hiding in the shadows. Why not use your last name? There seems to be a lot of that going around. Any source of hatred is the source we should be focusing on when it is the source right in front of us. We don’t get to ignore or cherry pick the sources of hatred that
we support or don’t support.
Thanks for the quote. The quote, as you posted it is incomplete, but we get the idea.
Never forever that MLK, the source for your quote made real sacrifices, put himself at risk and laid the foundation for this current wave of activism.
For that we should all be thankful.
There is no tension where there is no risk. Go forward & be bold.
Love the Beatles picture. Abbey Road is one of my favorites.
Peace.
Yes, Brett, why not include your last name, so that the police and their pro-2nd-Amendment supporters can dox you? What on earth are are you afraid of?
Paul, should we know or even remotely care who you are, simply because you claim to be using your real last name?
I think part of the issue is the term “Defund.” There are some people in that movement that truly believe that Police Departments should cease to exist, but I think that most of the folks aligned with the Defund movement are demanding a reassessment of priorities, reallocation of funds, and shift from Policing as we’ve known it, to Community Policing with more of an emphasis on social services, and an effort to keep people out of the court and prison systems whenever possible/appropriate. This of course includes addressing any systemic racism, stereotyping, racial profiling, and racial biases that exist. I think it’s more about reassessing our public safety goals and objectives, aligning our policies and strategies, and ultimately adjusting our budget accordingly. Some would view this as tearing it all down and rebuilding it. Others might see it as a soft reimagining. I don’t think the views of both sides of this issue are as far apart as one might think, and certainly not as far apart as the media would lead you to believe.
@Randy, I agree with you that “defund the police” is broadly used as a kind of imprecise shorthand for a spectrum of ideas. But the Defund NPD’s official platform is one of abolition. Please see their Twitter feed:
https://mobile.twitter.com/defund_npd
Asians represent nearly 15% of Newton residents yet not really considered when discussions POC; not one Asian member of this task force. Excluded once again. SMH.
I’m sure those in favor of defunding or reimagining police in favor of more social workers and mental health professionals would send one of these alternative disciplines to respond to reports of a drunk old man in a store parking lot…
https://www.13abc.com/content/news/Heavy-police-presence-at-Home-Depot-on-W-Alexis-571626021.html
Randy, nice post. 100.
@Matt Lai identifies a key point: There’s no doubt that the 12 members selected have good backgrounds and will add value to the committee, however, there are some holes to address. I’ve had a discussion with the Mayor and asked on behalf of my Hispanic wife, and my Asian friends that she add one Latino and one Asian resident to the committee. Additonally, the membership of the committee is politically lop sided, and needs to add a a couple of Republicans, and given the religious connotations, a member of the Catholic faith.
I’ve provided the administration with names of 3 people that if 2 were selected would cover all of the above categories.
My wife, an immigrant, arrived in Newton at the age of 8, attended Newton schools, and is a Newton North grad, and additionally her 5 Hispanic children attended Newton schools. The children, like other teens have inter-acted with the police and public health services, and have a perspective far different that you may imagine.
Newton can be an inclusive community and gain buy-in for change, but first you have to respect everyone and give everyone their say.
I agree with James’ request for a Catholic, since one of my forebears was a Jamesian in the Battle of the Boyne. However, for balance I also wish to see a couple of atheists.
On the political front, I would ask that James’ Republicans be cancelled out by a corresponding number of members of the Green-Rainbow Party.
@Michael: Why not, if you feel that there are a good number of each it makes sense to keep everyone happy. It’s important to include members of the community who could be affected by a community focussed government committee. No need for a membership cap.
James, I don’t drink alcohol and I’ve given up eating meat – should my demographic of annoying, goody-goody vegetarian teetotalers also be represented, if I can prove that there are enough of us? I’m not sure how my demographic has been specifically impacted by the city’s policing, but then again I’m not sure how Catholics or Republicans have been, either.
Micheal,
It appears you saying that ONLY people who have negative opinions of Newton police should be on the task force?
For this standard to be applied to other aspects of government… thats a very slipperly slope
@Michael: If the administration plans on impacting the very people that pay their taxes of all kinds, served their country, or their community, lost family members to wars, built the City of Newton with their dreams, blood, sweat, and tears, then they best be included in the quality of life items such as safety and education. Anything less would be a sham. Your flippant comments seem to indicate that only one voice should be heard, and isn’t that the problem we have now?
Excluding the Latino and Asian members of the community is disrespectul.
Bugek, I actually said “specifically impacted.” I don’t see how my vegetarianism or abstention from alcohol could in any way impact my experience with the NPD (positively or negatively), so I’m confused as to why the committee should specifically include Catholics and Republicans.
Why should dietary restrictions, religion, or political affiliation be considerations that merit specific representation when choosing committee members?
@Michael: Unfortunately the process is political, so its prudent to include that viewpoint, and ethnic Catholics of Spanish and Italian descent have concerns in their communities.
@Michael a/k/a Needham Michael-
I’m at a loss to understand why you care so much, and are so involved in discussions about the City of Newton. You’ve posted elsewhere that you live in Needham, and given the quality of stores in Needham I doubt you shop here. Instead, you have posted that you simply travel through the City of Newton. You don’t work here, you don’t live here, yet you do seem to enjoy trolling Village14. I find that really quite curious. Is Needham that boring for you?
Lisap, what’s boring for me is your repeated junior-varsity attempts at flamebaiting, but otherwise the discussions on V14 are consistently intelligent and educational, providing unique insights that I wouldn’t otherwise have considered.
I presented my point of view above – I don’t believe that selecting committee members according to religion and political affiliation is any more logical than choosing them according to dietary restrictions – and I type fast so it took me about two minutes to express my thoughts.
If you’re so concerned about my living in Needham, then rather than wasting your time repeating yourself, why not simply skip over my comments. On the other hand, if you have a different viewpoint regarding the granularity of stakeholder representation when forming committees like this, I would genuinely welcome it.
Asians aren’t getting racially profiled, held up at gunpoint & murdered by cops like Black people are. They don’t need to be on this task force. What a distraction.
Nathan,
If going only by stats (killed by police by race)
This article implies that the task force should be made up of
40% white
20% black
13% hispanic
3% other
20% unknown
https://www.statista.com/statistics/585152/people-shot-to-death-by-us-police-by-race/
And BTW, asian encompasses a wide net. Vietnamese, chinese, korean, Cambodian, japanese. Each with their own statistics on crime, some much much highet than others.
@Michael-
I’m not “flame baiting” you, though you do seem to be “cat fishing “ here. It was a genuine question which you ducked – as is your prerogative of course. And yes, I generally do skip over your comments as I tend to ignore trolls who add little to the actual discussion, but seem to enjoy roiling the pot.
“ Asians aren’t getting racially profiled, held up at gunpoint & murdered by cops like Black people are. They don’t need to be on this task force. What a distraction.”
Oh, so we’re a distraction?
At 15% of the overall population, basic math dictates we should have an opinion on how our tax dollars are spent.
To say that we do not also experience racism is both hurtful and untrue.
To assume Asians would not support BLM is unto itself, another from of prejudice.
To be marginalized pretty much defines the Asian experience since before before the Chinese Exclusion act.
https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2020/07/07/racist-comments-asian-family-viral-video-san-francisco-tech-ceo-michael-lofthouse/
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52714804
https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2020/06/why-asian-americans-should-care-about-black-lives-matter
Yes, your comments are a distraction, Matt.
Matt,
I get Nathan’s point that the police reform should only be focusing on the experience of African American interaction with the police since this was all triggered by the BLM movement
However, the way he dismisses Asians is typical of how liberals treat Asians as non POC because of a stereotype they have in their head. Have you noticed many are now making reference to only “black and brown” when discussing POC, essentially marginalizing Asians and making them invisible
Its hard to pick up these offensive subtleties if you haven’t live thorough racism.
Yes, I have noticed @bugek. Thank you for raising the point.