Name: Graham Police address pepper spray incident
Uploaded: 2020-11-01T11:44:00-0500
Duration: 1192680
Description: The Graham Police Department holds a press conference at their police department to talk about using pepper spray on crowd marching to the polls, who had a permit.

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The Graham Police Department holds a press conference at their police department to talk about using pepper spray on crowd marching to the polls, who had a permit. 

to be accurate about, actually and never be transparent to the community. We would like to provide details about what led up to the incident. Yes. Want to say, as an agency with respect most citizens ability to exercise their constitution. Excuse me. Right? Someone do anything in our power to ensure those rights remain And events such as this communication between the event organizers law enforcement is imperative to ensure safe of all their Oh, yesterday you received the copy of our press release. That kind of summarize what we did. Um, I'm going to reiterate that you guys already have it. So I just want to kind of go over a basic time line of communication between us and Mr during right prior to the the communication began back on the ninth. Whatever made numerous attempts toe create plans for safety for the event participants and to communicate Mr Dumb right about what our plan was gonna be That included providing five different routes of his march could take and creating rally points. It will be safe for the participants. He requested road closures, a quarter square north main, which due to the proximity to the voting polls we were not forming to authorize because it would limit access to the voting polls. So we didn't want to have anything here with that. So we expressed our plans for him and he still wanted to close the roads at the final hours prior to the event we sent him the safety plan that we developed after he received after we knew he received permission to be on the historic courthouse sent him the plan. What? We were what we were planning, which was to lead the march from the chapel to the courthouse. His participants will disperse into the courthouse grounds and we've provided overflow for any excess participants to go to the northeast and northwest corners of course square to include the use of sesquicentennial car. He was made aware of this plan prior to and made. It was made very clear that no road closure was authorized and we provided the reasoning for that. Not only was it a polling issue, it was also a deity issue, which would have also required their permission to close the court square due to it being in the eighties. Um, towards the conclusion of the event, the sheriff's Office had interaction with people in the rally that led to people coming out into the streets when we tried to prevent people from being in the streets. At that 0.1 of our officers was assaulted, and at that point, that's when we deemed that it was a safe event and then that it was involved. When we went to disperse the crowd, the dispersement measures we used was using a pepper farmer that was never directed at any person we directed towards the ground that created a vapor, and it kind of just went to the air as a Puritan. Our officers were never ordered to dawn mask or anything like that, so they suffer the same effects of it as well. It's a mild irritant, and we chose to use that rather than physical force, to get people moved out. I understand that some people were saying that we pepper spray Children and other and disabled folks again. I'm gonna reiterate we never directly sprayed anyone in the face. It was all directed towards the ground in an effort to disperse the crowd. The initial dispersement was after they made it the court square. We allow them to Paul's for eight minutes and 47 seconds after about nine minutes, told them they needed to clear the road once it was clear that they have no intention to clear the road. We spread a couple sprays on the ground, and the crowds moved to the respective areas where they were. There's adequate space front of the courthouse to accommodate his group. I think we estimated between 25 50 participants. There was plenty of space in the courthouse to account. This event was never scheduled to go to the polls. It was scheduled to go to the courthouse after their rally. They were providing instruction that if anyone that wish to vote could leave utilizing our city sidewalks to go to the polling sites, we never thought we didn't want to authorize the road closure directing them to the polls because again, road closures such as that require us to cordon off the area for our hours before the event starts and to keep it cordoned off to the roads clear that would have caused us that closed all the parking on Westtown around Court Square in North Main Street. As you know, there's not much parking in Downtown Grand, and that would have a decent amount of our parking that people realizing to get to the boat makes him the timeline of events. We will be compiling a complete list of all the other timeline with detailed dates. Way also have several emails. Those will be available upon request. We'll have that completed timeline, probably by close of Business Day on Tuesday or early Wednesday. Uh huh. And A. Sfar is the use of force is that people are concerned about those will be investigated for our policy as any use of other use of force would be on once we complete Does. Investigations will make a determination of whether there's use of force to work within our policy. We need the public to understand that we made every effort to coordinate with the plan of this event to make sure that it will success for future events. We need vital communication that allows for adequate proper planning, so the organizer's can relay that information to the participant. Everyone has a clear understanding of safety. Their intent from the beginning was to take the road prior to him leaving Wayman Chapel. He was seen on Facebook live telling the crowd that way, did not authorize the road closure and that he wanted the participants to block the road. We knew that going in and we try. We wanted to ensure the safety of not only then because the roads were still open and what we wanted to ensure the safety of all the visitors to downtown Graham and for the bullet. Previous events and elements counties such as souls to the polls were successful events and should be an example of proper coordination with local agencies to ensure safe. That event led to 208 bottom boats being casted by elements count aggressive. That was done by proper coordination and communication law. Any questions? Can you go over the specifics of what that chemical was? Maybe, like brand name or ingredients? It's a pepper fogger. Similar docs break. But rather than coming out in the stream just comes out in the paper. Do you know how many people were arrested and did it guilty? We know our A Z arrested eight of those 85 We're not out resident, and one of those was a member of the meeting. Uh, demographic details haven't been verified. Yet. Once the reports were completed, our release a press release showing identify the individual that were arrested. Lieutenant, could you come in on the reporter who was arrested and why? And upon learning that he was a reporter while he was still resting? Yes, sir. I don't have exact details, but my understanding is that he was given the commander get out of the roadway multiple times. I have to be exact. And after the fifth time, he was at severe meaning went from the roadways when he was approached in places. So what were the charges for the address? They range from resist delay and obstruct fair to disperse, and one was an assault on law. Can you also comment on the sort of reports we've heard on the side that the there was an issue with respect to a gas can and a generator that were on courthouse grounds Contrary to the permit, Yes. I realize that's the sheriff's permit, but can you comment on it during the permitting process, The organ, others are advised that they're not have any gas. Power generator property, due to the flammable nature of the accelerants, used the power of them. They don't want gas cans. And right next up to right up next to courthouse, my understanding. Mr Carmichael's aware and sound the agreement. One of the participants was seen carrying a gas can into the closed off area right from the store courthouse. When the deputies investigated. I believe they found a generator and the gas, and when they went 20 right and was it concealed? His understanding, a baby carriage or something? I understand that it was concealed with sheriff's. Also out there did the department consider any other methods of crowd control. Before these and pepper spray, we gave numerous verbal commands. The only option other than using the mild irritant would have been physical force. We did not want to physically force people out of the roadway and busy force. The mild irritant, like I said, was exposed to the officers as well as the people. It wasn't it wasn't extremely rich, and it's not even. It's not even compared to get taking the stream of OSI to the face. It's literally just a mild here to that gets in the air that I will say after the major event towards the end, is there was people that were staged for in this treatment we requested are we had our fire department in coordinated with the M s. And we had a strike team that was going in to assist anyone that was injured. And we did render aid to multiple. They did render a multiple people. I'm not sure if anyone is actually transport in the hospital, but I know one was treated and refused. I know they refused transit, Lieutenant. My understanding from Reverend Drum rights people is that he had an agreement with Chief. They have an eight minute Paul's on the North Main Street approach to the courthouse. Yeah, he contends that they were entitled to that eight minute George Floyd salute right immediately in front of the monument. My understanding you tell me that they had already paused for about five minutes. Blocking Harden Street was that Was the agreement fulfilled or who didn't fulfill it? My understand is we fulfill the agreement, the information I received, they actually wait until after the nine minute mark from their own courts. Where before we get the order to disperse for them to go into their perspective. I was there, and I did not hear that command. Can you explain how it was given? The only way we could give it is verbally. Officers were there. I've seen videos where officers were seen waving people towards the areas where they were supposed to be. I can't say if it would have been projected for long distance. Any sort of amplification. Bullhorn? The initial the initial was. But we also reiterated Thio, Mr Graham. Right. And I will say that just prior to the event starting, the attorney representing him send us a message saying they agreed to our safety plan and understood. Okay, we I was saying that he told his people that from what I understand, he did not then not order, but he told them, basically blocked the road. Even though we weren't allowed in the habit. He just told me, Verify that the eight minute pause, the mind, um, I want to happen. Yes, we were under the understanding that it was like eight minutes and 42 seconds. So they were gonna call. We did agree that we were gonna allow them to pause in the right for that time frame. And my understanding is that we did not give the order to disperse. So after what, when they had over the time. And we're also aware of the hardened street stop, yes, we were They were they were brief qualities. We didn't say that we didn't classic. There were times that week consideration. We knew that they were still going to do there eight minutes, 42 minutes. Bombs. So access to the Poland was that part of the issue here Or as faras what happened to like it needed to stop it eight minutes because that was the agreement, or was it because people needed to get to the polls? I'm trying to get clarity on what caused you to have to that it's time to go. The agreement initially was explicitly stated that way. We're not authorizing the road closure for voting site reasons way we agreed prior to the event. Starting that way would allow the policy for eight minutes and 42 seconds. Once that time concluded wear under the understanding that they were aware of that, that they would move to there areas which would be in front of the store, courthouse or the other two areas we created to make room for kind of during that discussion process, you talk more about wide law enforcement. Fellow is so important to keep that one road open, so I'm guessing there are other routes. The polls as well. Main Street is a major thoroughfare. Three Grand Elm Street was also access for the bullet voting, which is a one way street. Once you pass over maple, a lot of people would use. Foursquare is from Elstree around four square to go straight up to the voting polls to do there going forward. Does the department have any regrets? With the way things were handled yesterday, there's disappointment. We were hoping to have a safe event. We wanted to have good coordination with event coordinator. We wanted them to have a six. They were under the same understanding we were. We thought when the event started that they were not authorized. Thio keep the road closed for an extended period of time that the road closure was temporary just to accommodate marks, which we lead from from the chapel had road closures up to the courthouse's When way gave the order to clear the road well, it was cleared officers that the people had no intent in the room. That's when we deployed Barker measured. Instead, let me come to the end of the the event, and the question is, and again, Reverend Drumline experience system that his permit was till two o'clock or possibly 2 30 for take down and so forth. Yet y'all or the sheriff's department came out and announced the end at about one o'clock. Why was it ended early? And why was no announcement explaining why it was ended early? And what was the reason? My understanding was that once they saw the generator that when they went to confiscate a generator, there was a disturbance. Not sure if Deputy was assaulted or whatnot. That's when the crowd became violent. That's when it got pushed out into courseware. When people getting out right and you say no injuries and no one transported or I'm not saying of injuries, I'm just saying that I'm not aware of anybody that was actually transported. I know that there was a cup and I don't have those numbers in front of me. But I know several were transported violence strike team, and they were brought to a triage location where they were evaluated by M s and determine whether they need to be trained. Then he talks with the organizer's. Did you discuss what would happen after? Yes, people would be moved. I mean, that is a place kind of looking. Yeah, thank you. And that's where the coordination failed. We've made multiple attempts to get Mr Drum Mic to come into a walk through the event to see where everything was located, where the introduce and aggressive work for their access to the historic courthouse, how they were going. That means never, well, more replaced. Walk. You need wave at one time point best when we discussed the five different plans that we have with different routes and point people still into but very clear the problem lower right player. And then we even send them to the sheriff's office to get this story. Courthouse uses a rally point because we had a large front on there that accommodate several people. A approximate number of participants of 512,000 we decided then okay, will create some overflowed, accommodate yeah, and most we saw the number of crowds number of the crowd at 1 25 ft. We leave. There was plenty of places. So what was the distance that they were going tomorrow? You do get up in the United States. Has I believe it was roughly that? I can't I don't know exactly what I believe. Policies and procedures speak. Uh, and are you support policy? Dale's into the easily force. Doesn't this per se say anything about the press years? At that point as a police perspective? Once you my my thought is that once you're giving the order to disperse my own forces But they you know, right for us our and be personally watching a video. When I was man, put his never saw any Children. There was something there, but I never saw any immediate way. Do regret. We don't want any Children to get hurt. We don't want anybody together. In fact, all those that the pepper fog is is unfolding. We We were very clear on what we were people to do. We were trying clear from the street. Once it became violent, our officers got assaulted. Yes, I think unsafe this person craft. Mr. John Barrett says part of the agreement is he and the others were not permitted to return the grand for 72 hours as part of the release process. Is that true? That was issued about Master. I haven't earned that. I don't know what their condition work. Can you crack? Yes, in life. But he was driving this. But that means County Sheriff's Officer Graham. What good elements Kind of sheriff's office for what was for the security online store courthouse were responsible for all the street operations that we were maintaining. The core squared our courts Where North Main Street knowledge, sidewalks. So once the once the event started, we're basically just standing, by the way, where they've been cleared traffic get across the if they wanted to go. Yeah, one more question about set up the There didn't seem to be any set up until Reverend from right, and the marchers were at work squares or a truck or two over on the right hand side. Um, why, my understanding was they were going to set up ahead of time. But didn't you have any idea? The sheriff's also believe granted a permit starting at 8 30 to give them time to set up a stage because they were given approval about by the county to do that. And I understand it was that they were going to set one up set up in that time frame. We also offered them the use of the suspects. US Court Square Thio put their stage and generator because that generated was part of the presentation to set up the stage, generated their city a degree. Was there concern, however, that they were also using the truck to try to block traffic? It was the way told the driver needed move the vehicle. They were given time to offload generator at the Northwest Force, where it says poor and they were able to get stage and courthouse. And that was the need to generators. You got the generator there than the one that was discovered on the courthouse grounds. That's the question. No. Yes, ma'am. We will do. An extra number will be my brother. Which state? Your name and title for a record. Lieutenant Daniels is spelling. Please. D A N i E l s s in your will. Grant. Please. Thank you. So thank you.

Graham Police address pepper spray incident 

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Graham Police address pepper spray incident

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