Page last updated on February 22, 2018 at 12:49 pm
Mayor John Hamilton's Comments from the CIRT Vehicle City Council Town Hall on February 20, 2018
City Council CIRT Vehicle Town Hall
Mayor John Hamilton's Remarks
February 20, 2018
______________________
President Granger described the goals of this evening, and the basic status of
the planned purchase of a replacement armored vehicle, with a delivery
planned for this summer. I want to be clear that I believe we in government
collectively did not air enough about plans and engage with questions and
concerns publicly early enough, as we should have, and we’re making up time
now.
Besides public meetings last week and tonight, three more meetings are
planned: one by the Board of Public Safety, the civilian board overseeing the
police department, on Tuesday the 27th at 5 p.m. And two open meetings at
City Hall for discussion and Q & A with public officials on Tuesday the 27th at
630pm and Thursday, March 1st at Noon.
As I’ve said, the more transparent our police, the more our community knows
about our department, the better off we all are. And vice versa. Transparency
and accountability are critical. We fell short on those scores. Tonight and
similar meetings are part of fixing that, and we take all public concerns very
seriously.
Our world should have fewer of these vehicles and better gun control and less
violence and less racism and more justice, and more health care and mental
illness treatment. That’s the outlook I bring to City Hall every day. As we work
toward those big goals, in the meantime, we as a community must support
protection from violence, for our residents, students, visitors, and of course
our first responders, and also we must strengthen the critical trust and
relationship between our public safety protectors and our community as a
whole.
That’s what this dialogue is about – how to enhance both physical safety and
mutual trust. And ultimately, how to do what’s right for the people of
Bloomington? Tonight, I’m here to listen and to take notes. I’ll be seated in the
audience right over there and I’ll be here afterwards if you want to talk to me.
___________________