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Racism c
after traffic sto
Residents say
harassment
based on color
By Brian Sharp
The Press -Citizen
When Iowa City Police Chief R.J.
Winkelhake ordered increased
patrols of Iowa City's southeast side
last month, it was a welcome relief to
many neighbors.
increasing tensions — marked by
large groups of youth with baseball
hats shouting in the Streets and the
, ng-related shoot-
--a
rl in g of a 17-year-old
he boy — already had
-er� are a made police a regu-
lar neighborhood
-fearing presence.
After several
1Y that weeks of increased
abused traffic stops in and
around the area,
firyt however, some rest -
dents speak not of
waning tolerance for
id Walker the [roublemakers,
but for the men and
women in uniform.
Area residents
Faith Walker, Natasha Pickens and
Melvin Gaddy all have stories to tell
about Mial they say were unfair stops
of 1hcin,clkc,, friends or relatiws.
Tho allc,_,c haras�nicnt of African
\111cricans that include lengthy vehi-
c1c carches yielding nothing.
Walker, who lives in the
Broadway Street neighborhood, filed
a complaint with the police depart-
ment following what ft said was a
'%arsh and vicious" June 6 traffic
stop as she drove at Gilbert Street
and Stevens Drive. Adso in the car
were her nephew and two sons, ages
14 and 15, passing a 2-inch crucifix
over the seat and talking.
Police stopped Walker, after
allegedly tailing her for about a mile,
for failing to stop at a stop sign.
Walker's attorney, David Walker, no
relation, gives the following account:
Police went immediately to the
passenger door and demanded the
object, while ordering and physically
removing her nephew from the car.
The family protested. ne child has
had three open-heart surgeries and
continues to suffer from a serious
heart condition.
Faith Walker's 15-year-old son
grabbed the officer's hand — later
resulting in charges of assault and
interfering with official acts. Four
officers took him to the ground.
None " I the children have crum-
rial records or pending charges
against them, David Walker said, so
there was no legitimate reason for
police to single them out.
Officers searched the vehicle, but
found nothing.
'The Walkers are a God-learing,
innocent family that were abused
from first contact, called -Mother-
F—er.s" by a public ser�ant of this
communitv." David Walker wrote in
a June I ' I letter to Police Chief
Winkelhake. "Ask. yourself, if this
were not a black family that hap-
pened to be in the vicinity of the,'
Broadway Apartments area, would"
this have happened?"
7he complaint is under mvestiW'
tion and will be forwarded to dr
Police Citizens' Review Board,
Winkelhake said.
Speaking in general of the harass.
ment allegations, Whikelhake said
them are a number of possible expla.,
nations. Police may stop people
because, at the time, something else is
happening and they want to closely
monitor people in the area.
Officers also may have informa-
tion that the individual is involved in
the local drug trade. The slightest
violation gives an officer reason to
stop the person and, sometimes, that
leads to a search of the vehicle where
drugs are found.
Beyond that, Winkelhake said, it I
is difficult to comment on general
allegations without investigating.
**We look at behavior," he said. "If
there is a violation, we address it:
firmly, assertively, and politely."
Besides Walker, police had one
other informal complaint about a traf-
fic stop. The individual agreed his
behavior had been suspicious, though
not illegal, and complained that offi-
cers did not thank him properly.
-That incident was used to
ren�nd officers to he courteous and
thank people for their cooperarion,"
Winkelhake said.
Police want to hear from people
with complaints. Harassment, or
impolite behavior by officers will not
be tolerated, Winkelhake said.
Iowa
foruni JUN % 14
The Police Ci6zens
Board mscheduled a
tY fOnIrn for July 14. co",
The finnim was to I I j x
Monday bu!, was pos"
when a severe storm hit
area, knocking out p63A
shortly after 3 p.m,
Residents may comment
Police Policies procedures
Practices &W 7 to 9 P. �'
Meeting Room A of the Iowa
City Public Library, 123 S. Linn
St.
Public comments and sug-
gestions will be used as the City
Council -appointed PCRB
deteffnines the focus and direc.
tiOn for its assigned review of
the department. Board recorn-
mend4fions then will be for-
warded to the council.
Advance sign-up is available
for people wanting to address to
the board during the first go
minutes of the forum, Call 356-
5041 to register.
Speakers are limited to five
minutes.
Written comments received
prior to Thursday at the city
clerk'.% office, 410 E.
Washington St., will be for-
warded to the board.
The Gazette, Cedar RapIds, 10wa: Fri., July 3, 1998 3BE
Storm -canceled forum
rescheduled for July 14
m IOWA CITY — A community forum
hosted by the Police Citizen Review
Board has been rescheduled for July
14 at 7 p.m. in Room A of the Iowa
City Public Library.
The forum originally was scheduled
for Monday but was canceled because
of the storm.
People attending may give their
suggestions about police policies and
procedures.
Board members plan to use the
suggestions to help guide the direction