As a resident of Wilton Manors resident for nearly 16 years, I’ve had the privilege to value the role of our City’s police department. However, over the last many years, the community played a role to ensure the department ramped up on its engagement with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals who either live in the City, or patron many of our LGBT businesses, non-profit organization, and events.
Over the last several years, the City has earned a 100% in the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipality Equality Index (MEI) which measures a municipalities authenticity to value LGBT individuals in its policies and practices.
However, when it comes to the issue of racial justice, the City has had it moments, some of which I have heard from our local NAACP Fort Lauderdale/Broward chapter.
The murder of George Floyd has awaken most of humanity’s collective conscience to discern what role can we play to make our communities more equitable ensure for social justice for all individuals. I’ve attended more than my share of meetings in the Sistrunk community to hear the impassioned pleas from mothers of African American children who fear for their child’s safety.
As resident, I’m asking the City to consider the following:
- Remove disgraced police chief Richard Perez’s name from the building dedication plaque on City Hall. Perez was forced to resign after an exchange of his emails surfaced racists emails. Recently the City adopted procedures to name City owned property, and I believe that policy should apply to the existing building plaques.
RACIST E-MAILS LEAD TO RESIGNATION OF A FLORIDA POLICE CHIEF | Southern Law & Poverty Center
https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2010/10/13/racist-e-mails-lead-resignation-florida-police-chief
UPDATED: WILTON MANORS POLICE CHIEF’S RACIST EMAILS | Broward Palm Beach New Times
https://www.browardpalmbeach.com/news/updated-wilton-manors-police-chiefs-racist-emails-6444447
- The City’s Collective Bargaining agreement with the PBA expires on September 30, 2020.
The NAACP is calling for these bargaining agreements to include provisions to establish citizen review boards, and additional measures which the local branch of the NAACP can provide the City. The creation of a citizen review board is something I considered during the Charter Review process, however, I felt this should not be something that residents should vote on, it is a measure which the City, WMPD, PBA, and the City Commission should come to an agreement to demonstrate their commitment and leadership.
I want to thank everyone at the City for their service and respectfully ask that the above is given serious consideration.
Regards,
Michael Emanuel Rajner, BSW
