ALDERWOMAN CAROLYN BLACKMAN ISSUES STATEMENT ABOUT DOVER POLICE OFFICER PUNCHING YOUNG AFRO-LATINO MAN IN FACE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 19, 2019

STATEMENT:

DOVER, NJ – Late this afternoon I became aware of a very disturbing viral video that appears to show a Dover Police Officer punching a young 19-year-old Afro-Latino male in the face when he was told to place his hands behind his back and roll over onto his stomach during an arrest on May 19, 2019.

I praise the professionalism of our dedicated and hardworking police officers as they deal with challenging situations every day. However, Dover is not immune to the potential for the use of excessive force. Brutality by law enforcement against the very people they are duty-bound to protect and serve is unacceptable and must be eradicated wherever and whenever it occurs in our great nation.

When videos such as these surface, emotions can run high, especially in the African-American and Latino communities, as we have had to endure more than our fair share of mistreatment on every level. However, at this time, I ask for restraint and look forward to an appropriate independent authority to conduct a swift, full, and fair investigation into this tragic incident.

My understanding is that a group of residents including young people organized a peaceful protest of this incident this evening and there is another one scheduled for tomorrow. While all of the facts have yet to be disclosed to the public, as a member of the Civil Rights Movement who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I understand and support the individual’s rights to freely assemble and protest peacefully in accordance with the law.

Furthermore, I intend to submit legislation to provide body cameras to our police officers as my team and I had suggested in 2018. Body cameras protect the officer, the Town, and the public and allow for a complete review of any situation from the officer’s physical point of view. The facts and the truth can speak for themselves.

I call upon the Mayor Dover to put this very important legislation on the Agenda of the next Board of Alderman meeting instead of withholding it, as he has with virtually every other piece of legislation that my team and I have proposed in the best interests of our community since January 2019.

I intend to scrutinize how this matter is handled and look forward to full disclosure of all the facts to the public.