DeWitt, N.Y. -- DeWitt Police Chief Chase Bilodeau knew when he received a call at 8:30 a.m. on Friday that he wanted to march with the protesters coming to his town.
The protesters, part of a group called Last Chance for Change, have marched through the various neighborhoods in Syracuse and parts of multiple suburbs. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens have each marched with the group. They’ve been applauded by Common Council President Helen Hudson.
But Bilodeau wanted to make sure he’d be welcome, and he asked if they’d be OK with it.
“I wasn’t going to insert myself in a place I wasn’t wanted either,” Bilodeau said. “I wanted to support them in what they wanted.”
They said yes.
Bilodeau marched in solidarity, standing apart from others’ show of solidarity in that he’s a police chief in Central New York. While Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner tried to talk to a group of protesters not affiliated with Last Chance for Change on Sunday, the talk did not go well. On Thursday, two Syracuse police officers kneeled with the protesters.
Members of Last Chance for Change were not immediately available Friday night to talk about marching with Bilodeau.
“The police department is here to hear their voices," Bilodeau said. "We want to hear their concerns. We want to protect and serve them the best we can. To me, it was about a message of solidarity.”
George Floyd’s death is what pushed the members of Last Chance for Change to protest, and Bilodeau said when he saw the video of Floyd’s death, he knew the officer was in the wrong. The sentiment has been echoed by Syracuse police union president Jeff Piedmonte and Buckner.
“That shouldn’t have happened,” Bilodeau said.
On Friday morning, Bilodeau said he called in officers to manage traffic control after he received a call about the protesters. He’d introduced himself before the march in the parking lot at Shoppingtown Mall.
What struck Bilodeau as the group moved down Erie Boulevard East was the “size and scope of it,” he said. He’d seen the group in pictures, but had yet to see them in person.
“When you have a group of people who live in your community that you’re tasked with protecting and they’re all saying a unified message, it means something,” Bilodeau said.
The group marched down Erie Boulevard East for nearly three hours. It stopped at several intersections, where their motorcade was outfitted with a water truck and a medic monitoring protesters in the heat.
Bilodeau chatted with protesters, including Kenzell Cooper, before he left. Together they tried to find common ground.
“These are people who want something from me,” Bilodeau. “How can I help them?”
Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact Chris Libonati via the Signal app for encrypted messaging at 585-290-0718, by phone at the same number, by email or on Twitter.
"want" - Google News
June 06, 2020 at 09:47AM
https://ift.tt/2zXNz40
Dewitt police chief marches with Syracuse protesters: ‘We all want the same thing’ - syracuse.com
"want" - Google News
https://ift.tt/31yeVa2
https://ift.tt/2YsHiXz
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Dewitt police chief marches with Syracuse protesters: ‘We all want the same thing’ - syracuse.com"
Post a Comment