WEST HAVEN, Conn. — The West Haven Police Commission heard from the public Tuesday after a car drove through a protest earlier this month.
One-by-one, people entered into the West Haven Police Department at Tuesday's police commission meeting to have their voices heard. Even those on the West Haven city council showed.
“The culture we have established is something that people are no longer tolerating, we don’t want a culture where we can’t trust law enforcement, we want trust, honesty, and most importantly a community relationship," said Trénee McGee, the 7th District councilmember.
Spaced out and socially-distanced, people had three minutes each to share their thoughts stemming from this incident where you see a car going through a protest on Main Street.
The demonstration was meant to remember Mubarak Soulemane, who was shot and killed by a state police trooper when a chase ended in West Haven. But, when protestors confronted the driver, they were met with dogs and police.
“I want to know why this woman who drove her car through the protestors was not arrested. I want to know why the protestors were arrested. When the last one was released he didn’t really know why he was arrested, and why are police being used as a weapon to keep people in line?” said McGee.
One of the protesters who was tased and arrested, Kurt Erickson, came out to address the department that charged him with assaulting an officer.
“It’s disgusting the woman wasn’t arrested. It's disgusting these cops are on tape doing this and you're allowing it. I can’t raise my kids here man. It’s not okay,” said Erickson.
Police say they will be taking comments that were heard Tuesday into consideration and make a plan of action from there.
People here say it’ll take some time to mend relation between West Haven Police Department and the community.
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