Opening Statement of Councilmember Grosso

Committee on the Judiciary & Public Safety

Public Oversight Roundtable on Policing and Public Safety in Wards 7 and 8
July 12, 2018

Thank you, Chairperson Allen. I want to thank you again for holding this important hearing and
for bringing the conversation into the community this evening.
Unfortunately, I won’t be able to join you in Deanwood due to prior commitments, but my staff
will be there, and it is critical that we bring our deliberations to our constituents and not always
expect them to come to the Wilson Building.
This issue—of how often elected officials go into neighborhoods to talk with residents—has
been on my mind since I met with a group of students a few months ago, who told me they felt
like they never saw the Mayor unless TV cameras were present.
These students, along with many other young people in the city, have been telling me how
they feel ignored even as they struggle with many challenges, including the violence that
surrounds them.
Even as they feel battered by the effects of violence, these youth also express a lack of trust in
police, and a belief that they would likely be dismissed or mistreated if they sought help from
MPD.
Unfortunately, I believe this is the experience of many residents, not just young people.
The recent incident at Nook’s Barbershop is emblematic of an approach to policing that has led
to a lack of trust between police and the neighborhoods they serve.
More police and aggressive, questionable tactics have all been tried before and yet violence
persists. There is a better way.
I feel strongly that it is time for an overhaul in our approach to policing—a transformation of
the MPD into an agency whose highest priorities include promoting non-violence and
collaborating deeply with the community, with neighborhoods.
Such a transformation would mean a department would have a spotless track record of
internal accountability, and a culture of intervention by officers when they see a colleague
doing something wrong.
It would be about recognizing that the people in community should be leaders in creating a
safer environment, with support of the police, not the other way around.
A shift like this would require police leadership to see that there are very deep-seated
problems with how law enforcement operates in this city and rising to the challenge of
changing the paradigm.

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To be sure, this kind of change requires hard work by the entire city, but the role of MPD is
vitally important.
My questions today will focus on the progress and potential for such a shift.
Thank you to all the community members here to testify today and to the government
witnesses as well.
I look forward to the conversation.
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