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| Massachusetts Association of Minority Law Enforcement Officers Newsletter |
| Issue Number 13 |
January 2017 |
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We will overcome hatred, and our nation will be re-awakened, when character is the virtue that we cultivate, inspire, and animate. |
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Quick Links
What's Happening
BNN Neighborhood Art Gallery
Monday, January 9. 2017
5:30 pm
Free and open to the public
Join us for Art Gallery viewing and Artist reception at BNN's Media Center and TV studios
RSVP required
(617) 708-3224
3025 Washington Street
Roxbury, Mass 02119
Museum of Afro American History
Boston Symphony Hall and Mayor Martin Walsh celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra in the Great Hall at Symphony Hall
Monday, January 16, 2017 doors open at noon
free to the public
Boston University to commemorate Dr. King with speeches and music
Monday, January 16, 2017
free and open to public
Martin Luther King , Jr Gospel Concent
Saturday, January 14, 2017
7:30 pm
Harlem Choir - Make a Joyful Noise to celebrate the life of Dr. King at the Sanders Theater Cambridge, Mass.
tickets $30/seniors $15
Pat Metheny
Wilbur Theater
Boston, Massachusetts
January 19, 2017
8:00 pm
SAVE THE DATE
Howard Hewett
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Moseley on the Charles
ticket locations:
Mattapan Finest - 653 Warren St
Grove Hall, Mass
Muffins Beauty Salon -
52 Porter St
Stoughton, Mass
or
(617) 288-4867/4161
Talk radio at its best on issues that matter to the community and you. Check us out every Saturday from 7-9 a.m. on Boston Praise Radio
102.9 FM
Facebook Live 9-10 am
call in (617) 282-0685
MAMLEO hosting
Fundraiser for Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice
February 16, 2017
6-9 pm
come out and show support for those who support us
Mosque #11
distributing fresh vegetables/fruit for $2.00 bag all produce grown from their farms in the South
Delores Facey, Realtor
D&F Realty Group, LLC
(617) 444-9488
Fax 781-963-1909
delores@dnfrealtygroup.com
1191 N. Main Street Suite 204
Randolph, MA 02386
Interested in Martial Arts check out
Karate @ Another Level
Gotan-Ryu
at MAMLEO
Divas Mentoring Divas
@
MAMLEO
Boston Police Tennis @ Volley Against Violence
Sportmen's Tennis & Enrichment Center
950 Blue Hill Avenue
Dorchester, Mass
contact PO Frank Williams for more info at bpdtennis@gmail.com
Job Opportunities
Worcester State University is seeking a Assistant Director/University Police Captain
position open until filled
All candidates must apply online at
http://worcester.interviewexchange.
com
Necessary documents for submission cover letter, resume and list of three professional references with contact numbers. Information may be faxed to
508-929-8163 or emailed
hr@worcester,edu or sent to
Director of Human Resources
Worcester State University
486 Chandler Street
Worcester, MA 01606-2597
Application deadline:
February 21, 2017
Written Examination:
Saturday, March 25, 2917
Boston Trades Assessment Center @ RCC. An intro to Building Trades Program designed for 18-26 yr olds pursuing a career in the construction trades. For more info contract Greg Mumford 617-445-8887 ext. 102
Classes
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Editor-in-Chief
Denise DePina Reed
Managing Editor
Zandarina Townsend
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Dear Readers,
Happy New Year!
I am excited at the prospect of a new year and my impending retirement. 2017 is a year of new beginnings . I look forward to many changes and a bright future. There is little time for grudge holding and "petty" sniping. There is work to be done and I have my sleeves rolled up. This newsletter is celebrating its first full year . It took a lot of work to pull this together but it got done in spite of those who put obstacles in our path.
This is a sounding board, a place to let others know what is going on in the community and in the Department. Fear is just another word for "F" Everything And Rise!
I am feeling optimistic about the City and I look forward to this year's election process for Mayor. I want to thank all the guests who took time out of their busy schedules to come to the radio station and share with us and the community a little knowledge and expertise.
MAMLEO sends get well wishes to retired Boston Police Officers Dave Dickerson and Rupert (Omar) Leonard. We wish you a speedy recovery. Au revoir to Superintendent Bernard O'Rourke, Police Officers Susan Reed, Diane Lezama Lashley, Vatchell Younger and Detective Richard Henshaw as they retire after many years of service to the Boston Police Department.
Somewhere in Heaven Police Officer Harold Gilbert is standing "roll call" with a smile and always a "good morning". Rest in Peace Harold.
I have a this to say about "Patriot's Day". To get justice for the Simmonds family is to ensure that the controversy regarding the movie continues, and that the movie "flat lines". The one thing they understand is money and if they don't make any they get it.
Respectfully,
Denise DePina Reed
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A Message from the President
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Larry Ellison, President of MAMLEO
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As we sail into a new year I wish for peace and prosperity in 2017. The newsletter has completed it's first year. I hope you have enjoyed the articles and found the information of an educational nature.
We wish Superintendent Bernard O'Rourke all the best as he retires from the Boston Police Department after 34 years of service. The Boston Globe reported that two individuals being considered for the position of Superintendent, Bureau Chief of Field Services were Deputy Superintendent Colm P. Lydon and Deputy Superintendent William Ridge. While both men are excellent candidates for the position, I can not help but feel like I am continually on a "merry-go-round" saying the same things. There are equally suitable and beyond well qualified persons of color who would do the position justice if given the opportunity, and here lies the word "opportunity".
Boston University is looking for a new Chief of Police/Executive Director of Public Safety. The word went out they would like to consider a "person of color" to fill that position. If you are not aware there are currently five (5) persons of color that hold that rank in Boston and Cambridge. In 2017, I would like that to be the norm and no longer something of amazement. In a Department of our size, I am not satisfied with the numbers and neither should you. I think we can do better and I will continue to work to see that we do better.
We are still awaiting the results of the court case on Dave Williams and the Smith case. To all the lawyers associated with the case involving Jones and Company, our sincere appreciation and thanks.
We won with the court concluding that basically the "hair test" alone is not sufficient to prove ingestion of drugs. They overturned the lower court decision against us. It is our hope that the City will consider an alternative method of testing, and in light of the ruling consider settling the case. The City declined to comment.
When this is finally over and done it will be the citizens of Boston that will foot this bill which will amount to millions of dollars. One comment in the Boston Globe summed it up nicely: "What is the cost of urine tests vs. a third legal appeal and back pay for six officers times years of salaries? If you can't be fair, at least be frugal. These are tax dollars"! I say well said.
Sincerely,
Executive Officers and Board of Directors
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IN MEMORIAM
The Massachusetts Association of Minority Law Enforcement Officers would like to take this opportunity to send our condolences to the families of the Police (Retired) Police Officer Dennis E. LeBlanc, (Retired) Officer Harold Gilbert, Boston Police Department, (Retired) Detective Tommy L. Montgomery, Boston Police Department, Police Officer Brian J. Griffiths, Boston Police Department, Sergeant Thomas W. Settipani, Boston Police Department, Police Officer Reginald "Jake" Gutierrez, Tacoma, Washington , Police Officer Nicholas Ryan Smarr, Americus, Georgia, Sergeant Colin J. Rose, Wayne State University, Missouri and Public Safety Officer Jody C. Smith, Georgia Southwestern University, Georgia.
Our thoughts and prayers are with their family as well as the extended family of brother and sister officers in their time of sorrow. May they rest in peace.
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Updates
Congratulations to the Cape Verdean Police Officers Association on their Annual Holiday Fundraiser. It a spectacular social event and MAMLEO was honored to be in attendance.
Congratulations to Police Officer Baltazar Darosa for being awarded
"Police Officer of the Year". If there is one deserving of this honor it is Baltazar. We wish you and yours all the best going into the New Year.
Congratulation goes to our sponsor and friend, Mr. John B. Cruz, III, CEO of Cruz Companies on being awarded the "We Are Boston Leadership Award" by Mayor Martin B. Walsh in recognition of his work to embrace Boston's immigrant heritage and diversity.
MAMLEO sends its sincere congratulations and well wishes to Attorney Tanisha Sullivan on her election as President of the NAACP. We wish you all the best. We also send our best to out going President Michael Curry. We look forward to continued collaboration on issues involving the citizens of Boston.
For those who may not have heard
Claude Defay has been re-admitted into the Academy. Also the SJC has denied an appeal to the "hair test" as it relates to the reinstatement of
Jones, Downing, Beckers et al.
These victories are made possible by the tireless work done on our behalf by Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal and his Associates at the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice. This work is done pro bono. Donations to the cause can be made to www.lawyerscom.org. No amount is too small.
We thank the election committee Paul Gaines, Bobby Tabb and Val Williams for taking time out of their lives to take on the MAMLEO election. The election will take place on Thursday, January 19, 2017.
MAMLEO congratulates all the officers who received medals at the Boston Police Relief Association Ball on Sunday, December 3, 2016.
On Tuesday, December 20, 2016 there was a "Listening Tour" at Hibernian Hall. The purpose was to make your voice heard and to testify before the Masachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus and to inform them of the communities of color agenda. In attendance was Representative Russell Holmes, Chair, Senator Sonia Chang Diaz, Senator Linda Dorcena Forry, Representative Evandro Carvalho, Representative Byron Rushing and Councilman Tito Jackson.
I applaud all who came to have their say but nothing new was heard. The things that were spoken of were the same things spoken by people before me. When are we going to stop talking about gentrification, the lack of jobs, education and diversity and start doing something about it? We are being pushed farther out of this City, wake up!
Congratulations goes out to Kylie Webster-Cazeau and Meggie Noel for being named Bostonians of the Year by the Boston Globe.
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Soul Patrol
November 19, 1971
On Saturday, December 10, 2016 we said farewell to Detective Tommy L. Montgomery. As I sat in St. John Missionary Baptist Church I realized that nowhere in the obituary had they listed an important fact, and that was Tommy was one of the founding fathers of the Massachusetts Association of Afro American Police (MAAAP). He was also an original member of the "Soul Patrol".
The "Soul Patrol" began it's existence on November 19, 1971. It was a pilot program that would last 10 weeks and was the brain-child of Jack E. Robinson, President of the NAACP and Boston Police Commissioner Edmund L. McNamara. Thirty-two African American men were taken from other units and placed with Deputy Chief Herbert Craigwell to form what the streets called the "Soul Patrol". At that time there were only 64 Blacks in a force of
2, 742. Among them were Tommy Montgomery, Jerry Langston, Tom Scott, Robert (Bobby) Armstead, Richard Armstead, Valimore (Val) Williams, Preston Williams, Courtland (Courtie) Ballard, Richie Cox, George Bishop, Haskell Kennedy, George (Sonny) Clark, Eugene Lee, Loman McClinton, Joe Patrice, Joe Rizzario, George Vest, Henry Johnson, Willis Saunders, Brad Jones, Tel Burns, Henry Nelson, Paul Johnson, Arnold James, George Santos, Sergeant Earl Bolt, Sergeant Leroy Chase, Mel Goodrich, Joe (Tiny) Williams,Roy Howard and Charlie Dickerson.
Crime in the Black community was no different than it is now. The root of the problem has always been poverty, lack of education, social stagnation, isolation, lack of communication you put a name to it; it festered in the Black community. There was a deep seeded lack of trust between the community and the police, not much has changed. The community was even more segregated than it is now. There had been 4 murders in the area in the past week and the leaders of the NAACP were alarmed that it brought the total of murders up to 100 for the year.
On the first night of their assignment in Roxbury and Dorchester they arrested dozens to the amazement of their Supervisors.
It's no surprise that a community would respond to people they knew and grew up with. They didn't worry about "snitching" to a guy who lived down the street from their family for twenty years. That's an advantage a White officer from Quincy does not have. That's not to say it can't be worked on but it takes trust, empathy, and sensitivity. These men understood their community and were there to help and heal. They were no nonsense, hard working and dedicated. Would this work today? Who is willing to take a segment of officers who look like the community in order to gain trust and a working relationship and not just arrest records and stats?
The "Soul Patrol" was not without controversy. The White officers of the Boston Police Department felt they were being discriminated against by not being allowed to work that "Unit". Mind you the robbery and bank squad, hotel, harbor and mounted units were all "White" with absolutely no chance of seeing a "colored" face ever! Daniel J. Sweeney, Chairman of the Boston Police Patrolman's Association vowed to "take every step necessary" including court action to have the "Soul Patrol" stopped.
The "Unit's" success was phenomenal to the point that even Sweeney had to say he "couldn't knock them ". This Unit was closing down after hours joints, "bookies" illegal liquor, prostitution that was running with the "blessing" of whom. The money was drying up.
But they would disband by the early part of 1972 when White officers eventually joined their ranks and the Black officers who were the original members of the "Soul Patrol" moved on. What is missing is whether or not arrest records remained the same and the rapport between the officers and the community continued. I will let you judge for yourself by looking at where we are today.
Detective Tommy Montgomery has passed, may he rest in peace. Their stories, what it was like to be Black and an officer in the Boston Police Department back then, the trials they went through must be written down and shared.
Those left to share with us their rich history are: Courtland Ballard, George Bishop, Roy Howard, Brad Jones, Haskell Kennedy, Jerry Langston, Loman McClinton, Preston Williams and Valimore Williams. There has been talk of a book and even a movie on this but to date, nothing. We should not wait for others to tell our story. Time is ticking, and waits for no man.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY WISHES
Dave Williams, (Retired) Jerome Thomas, Martin Joseph, Courtney Powell, (Retired) Superintendent Bruce Holloway, and Erick James.
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Disclaimer
The views and opinions in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the Massachusetts Association of Minority Law Enforcement Officers, Inc
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