POLITICS

Candidate's announcement stirs debate over 'defunding' police

By LAURA WEICK
Posted 6/11/20

By LAURA WEICK A City Council candidate not accepting campaign contributions from police officers has sparked debate across Warwick regarding the role of law enforcement and race. Zach Colon, a Democratic candidate for Warwick City Council in Ward Nine,

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POLITICS

Candidate's announcement stirs debate over 'defunding' police

Posted

A City Council candidate not accepting campaign contributions from police officers has sparked debate across Warwick regarding the role of law enforcement and race.

Zach Colon, a Democratic candidate for Warwick City Council in Ward Nine, posted a statement on his campaign’s Facebook page Sunday morning announcing that he would not accept campaign contributions from police officers. After condemning the recent deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, all African-Americans who were killed by police officers, Colon criticized Providence police who drew arms at Terrell Paci, an African-American firefighter sitting in his car wearing his uniform.

“This is unacceptable, reprehensible behavior, and it is racism, plain and simple,” Colon said. “I am taking a stand today and announcing that I will not accept any monetary contributions from police officers or police unions, nor will I be seeking the endorsement of the Warwick Police Union. For far too long, the people who are supposed to ‘protect’ and ‘serve’ are failing their duties, and I will not stand by and accept it.”

The Warwick Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 released a Facebook statement criticizing Colon’s that night. After condemning the officer who caused the death of George Floyd, Jedidiah Pineau, Lodge 7’s president wrote police as a whole have been unfairly targeted due to the actions of a minority of officers. He cited riots that have injured officers, businesses such as Allie’s Donuts in North Kingstown canceling police and veterans’ discounts and politicians campaigning to defund police departments as attacks on police officers.

“This ‘statement’ insults and denigrates all police officers, attempts to unfairly and falsely portray all police officers in a negative light and intentionally distorts the facts of what occurred with respect to the Providence firefighter and the Providence police,” Pineau wrote.

Pineau also announced that the lodge would work to prevent politicians who are critical of police from getting in office, and oppose Colon’s campaign. The lodge has not endorsed any specific candidate, but is open to speaking with candidates.

“We are thrilled that this individual will not accept any monetary contributions from police officers, he is not worthy of a penny from us,” Pineau said in the statement.

Pineau later told the Beacon that police are willing to speak with the community regarding how they can improve, but feels that Colon implied Warwick police had a history of racially-motivated police brutality. He also condemned violence that has occurred in riots against police brutality across the country, including last week in Providence.

Warwick Police Chief Rick Rathbun also voiced opposition to police using excessive violence.

“Excessive force by any police officer is reprehensible and must not be condoned,” Rathbun said in an email. “It is counterproductive to the efforts of all the excellent police officers who serve and protect communities every day, whether that be here in Warwick or across the country.”

In a clarifying statement on Facebook, Colon wrote that he believed not all police officers are bad people, and that they may be put in dangerous situations where they have to react quickly. However, Colon also explained that he felt police officers need to call out racism in their profession when they encounter it.

“The point I tried to make, and continue to stand by, with this statement is that police officers must work together to fight racism within their own departments and need to stop defending, protecting and working with cops who abuse their power,” Colon wrote. “I find it important to protect all citizens, but in this situation black citizens, from dangerous situations with abusive officers. In my statement, I believe I made it clear that was the only reason I wasn’t accepting donations. I am truly thankful for the good work that officers do for our city, and think that the best way for us to improve and fix the issues we care about is through civil discussion.”

Colon told the Warwick Beacon that he does not believe police departments should be abolished, but would like to see the city evaluate what resources they do and do not need in their police department.

“I believe that police officers are central to societies maintaining safety and order,” Colon said. “But I want to look into the equipment we’re buying, how much equipment. We spend a lot of money on law enforcement, but we need to make sure it’s going to things that will help our communities, not hurt them.”

Colon also explained that not accepting campaign contributions from police was not an attack on the Warwick Police Department specifically, but more of a symbolic gesture regarding the United State’s criminal justice system.

“The reason I made the decision [to not accept police contributions] was because of the police brutality that we have seen lately,” Colon said. “I’m not accusing the Warwick Police of doing anything wrong. I want to show that I’m willing to be a voice for those who are marginalized, especially people of color and those in the black community who’ve faced police brutality.”

City Council President Steve Merolla, who currently represents Ward 9, the seat Colon is running for, said that while he understands the frustration people have regarding police brutality, Colon’s statement seemed to target all police officers instead of only those who have used force against African-Americans.

“I applaud Mr. Colon for speaking up against police brutality, but hopefully he tempers his comments when it comes to police as a whole,” Merolla said.  “It’s great to make symbolic gestures but you also have to cheer people who are doing a good job and improve the quality of life for people in Warwick. His statement may have implied that Warwick is doing something wrong.”

Merolla said he does not know of any cases of Warwick Police using excessive force or racial profiling in recent years. 

Merolla cited the Warwick Police Department following the “8 Can’t Wait” campaign even before recent events as an example of initiatives the department has taken to prevent police brutality. The campaign, which was started by the anti-police brutality nonprofit Campaign Zero, recommends eight policies that policy departments can implement in order to decrease rates of police violence, including banning chokeholds, requiring warning before shooting, require deescalation and ban shooting at moving vehicles. Merolla also said that Warwick has been ranked one of the safest cities in the country, and that if minorities felt unsafe in Warwick, he would have heard.

In regards to the recent movement calling to defund or even abolish police departments, Merolla said that although changes can be made to prevent police brutality and racism in departments, he believes that police departments are necessary for public safety.

“There is a question about community funding,” Merolla said. “And maybe from that perspective, there are organizations out there that can help or assist spreading the message of nonviolence, inclusion and compassion for others to combat racism. But calls to defund the police or get rid of them distracts from that. Dismantling police departments is not in the best interests of the public.”

He also believes that lumping all police together as prejudiced or violent goes against previous civil rights precedent.

“People need to realize Martin Luther King said to judge a person by the content of their character, not the color of their skin, their sexual preference, their race, their religion,” Merolla said. “I think that’s a little lost in the conversation here. There are people in every profession who are not good, and those people need to be prosecuted for their crimes.”

Merolla is not running for reelection to the City Council, and has not endorsed anyone for his seat. He said that multiple potential candidates have reached out to him about the position, but not Colon.

Warwick Mayor Joseph J. Solomon’s office had no comment regarding the matter at the time of publication.

Comments

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  • bendover

    Mr. Colon, High school is 3 years in the rear view mirror, what is your current vocation, how are you making a living, what is your job?

    Thursday, June 11, 2020 Report this

  • zcolon

    Hi “Ben,”

    Right now I am laid off due to COVID, but I normally work two jobs (40ish hours total), along with being a full time student at RIC. I’m entering my senior year this fall.

    Thursday, June 11, 2020 Report this

  • bendover

    You failed your pop quiz, 3 questions...So, you are a full time student...that would be your current vocation...But you are laid off, (from one of your two jobs), making a living from doing....What? Most students would say, "I'm working part-time at Best Buy, or Dominos, or the Apple store, or whatever it might be...That would be letting the voters know, here is what I do other than school...You kinda left a hanging chad...Are you collecting $600.00 PPP in addition to unemployment benefits as a full -time student? It pays to be transparent...Good luck in your campaign.

    Thursday, June 11, 2020 Report this

  • Mike02886

    911 Operator: 911 What's your emergency?

    Caller: Someone is trying I get into my house and has a weapon.

    911 Operator: can you see the weapon?

    Caller: Yes. It looks like a gun.

    911 Operator: I wish you luck , our limited amount of officers are busy and all have to carpool to calls.

    If you become injured we can send the Fire Department when they are up from their naps or

    their Dave's Market run on Airport Rd where they park behind the bank and subway.

    You can take this up with your political elected officials they have money and nothing was

    defunded from them for their years of lack of action.

    This is all if you can get thru to 911 if budgets are defunded. Wild West Law will return and you will become responsible for your families safety. We do not need career politicians who only care about their money and pension. But we also need politicians who have life experience, work experience and knowledge of the world. Or we end up with waitresses/bartenders in the US House of Representatives with not a common sense word that spews from their mouth. AOC. I've got no desire to spell her name.

    Thursday, June 11, 2020 Report this

  • DannyHall82

    Ben Dover, can one be a full time student If class isn't in session? Asking for a friend....

    Friday, June 12, 2020 Report this

  • bendover

    A good question Danny...I don't know how many students at RIC, CCRI, or URI were able to work remotely, if at all..,

    Perhaps Mr. Sanchez at RIC could answer that. Or maybe one of the teleprompter reading stooges could ask the queen of raimondi at her next propaganda briefing? Maybe student Colon knows....

    Friday, June 12, 2020 Report this

  • zcolon

    @Danny & Ben

    To answer all of your very important questions:

    I manage a movie theatre and I’m also a delivery driver to help pick up some extra money for school and bills. Right now, I am out of the management job due to COVID, and I took time off from the delivery job in April so I could focus on school and my campaign. As someone that previously had a steady income, I did qualify for the $600 unemployment benefits. I am also taking three summer classes, the maximum amount of classes offered for my major and minor in the summer, so I am still considered a full time student.

    Friday, June 12, 2020 Report this

  • Warwick_Resident1998

    This young man should take this as a hard life lesson. When Steve Merolla is giving you advice that you probably shouldn’t have criticized the police you really messed up.

    Learn to take the temperature of the room Zack. Warwick is a proud blue-collar community that loves its police and fire departments. You need to be in a misty minority community to do enough pandering to those that hate cops. That community is not Warwick.

    You will never have my, or my family votes. Go get some life experience and then consider trying again.

    Friday, June 12, 2020 Report this

  • chrisp1968

    Well said Warwick Resident. I support our police department and not an inexperienced kid who wants to "defund" our excellent police for the sins of some officers thousands of miles away.

    Thursday, June 18, 2020 Report this