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Subscribe to RSSSanford, Florida, the town at the center of the Trayvon Martin controversy, has named a new interim police chief, even as the prior chief remains on the payroll. The Grio's Joy-Ann Reid and msnbc's Thomas Roberts discuss.
SANFORD, FL -- Declaring that Sanford doesn't have the "luxury of time," the new interim Police Chief Richard Myers said on Friday he would launch an "a-to-z review" of the department and vowed to mend wounds opened by the Feb. 26 shooting of unarmed African-American teen Trayvon Martin.
"Sanford has gone through a highly traumatic event," Myers said in his first news conference here.
“We don't have the luxury of taking our time,” he continued. “Relationship building here is urgent work."
Myers began his post Friday, becoming the second man to lead the police department since its embattled chief, Bill Lee, stepped down temporarily in late March over questions about his department’s investigation into Martin’s death.
Lee continues on paid leave after the City Commission voted to reject his resignation nearly two weeks ago.
Myers will remain on the job for three to five months, pending completion of his review, city officials said.
Asked Friday if he would review decisions made by Lee in the wake of Martin's death, Myers demurred, saying those questions will be folded into his broad investigation of the department.
"If there are things that stick out to me as being problematic, we will probably have to take a deeper look at those things," Myers said, adding that he expects a thorough briefing on the Martin case.
But, he added, he is wary of running afoul of the state’s investigation into George Zimmerman, the community watch volunteer accused of second-degree murder in Martins death.
“Whatever I do in terms of a review of the department,” Myers continued, “I'm not going to do anything that can jeopardize the criminal prosecution.”
Myers replaced Sanford Police Capt. Darren Scott, who Friday morning looked on along with other city officials at the news conference outside city hall.
“I know how conflicted many of you are about the appointment of an interim chief who comes from outside the department,” Myers said in a statement directed at members of the Sanford police.
“I will do my best to provide you with quality professional leadership, and I ask that you demonstrate the same in following me,” he added.
Later, Myers faced questions from a local television reporter about his tenure in Colorado Springs, where, according to reports, two police officers were arrested in separate cases involving their personal lives about six months before Myers left his job.
“I don't connect those concerns," Myers said of the arrests and his subsequent exit.
"I was police chief in the 46th largest city in the country. Name a city in the top 50 that any week doesn't have a controversy in its police department," he added.
Myers said his exit followed the election of a new mayor with broadened power to replace department heads.
“We had a conversation, and he told me he was ready to move in a different direction,” Myers said of Colorado Springs mayor. “So I told him I would get out of the way.”
Norton Bonaparte Jr., the city manager here in Sanford, told reporters Friday he reached out to a number of candidates for the job. Pressed if other candidates were offered the job and turned it down, Bonaparte said no.
Earlier, Myers said he contacted his mentors and advisers when he received an invitation to meet with Bonaparte about moving into the middle of the tempest in Sanford.
"As an aside," Myers said, “I will tell you that many of my professional colleagues told me to turn and run in the opposite direction."
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When did the mission of law enforcement agencies change to include pandering to racist lynch mobs. I thought their primary function was to catch bad guys and put them in jail.
"unarmed African-American teen Trayvon Martin". No gun true, no knife true. He had size, experience, and Zimmerman did have cuts on the back of his head. I will wait for the outcome of the trial to learn if Trayvon Martin used his hands or object as a weapon. I don't know if Zimmerman will be found guilty or not. I did see pictures of a hairy face Martin a week prior to his death wearing a hoodie and making gang signs with his hands. Again, God Bless the Martin Family and my condolences for their loss.
Well, he grabbed Mr. Zimmerman's self-defense weapon and told Mr. Zimmerman "You're gonna die now".
My condolances to the Martin family for their loss as well. That's a pretty big price to pay, for not realizing that the word "parent" is a verb.
My big question is how many unhappy spouses have booked family vacations in florida (officer, i felt threatened)?
dewayden... reguardless of his size and strength, Trayvon Martin was a UNARMEN TEEN that Zimmerman under and over estimated and CHOSE TO FOLLOW and got beat up by (by the looks of the back of his head) so he killed him! Sometimes people lose fights that they started... that dont mean KILL THE PERSON YOU CAME TO WITH A PROBLEM for no reason because you have nothing better to do then try to be a superhero!!! He killed a INNOCENT TEEN that was MINDING HIS OWN BUISNESS!!!!
And Trayvon Martin was not "African-American". He didn't have dual citizenship in America and Africa. Africa is not even a country- it's a continent.
FYI - Zimmerman has a white father and Spanish mother. Look at his pictures. His Hispanic features stand out the most. But then it is far easier to blame or attack whites than Hispanics, isn't it!
"Relationship building here is urgent work", says the interim Police Chief. English translation: "They hired me to get the people who bitch the loudest and the most off their backs."
Yup. Pure politics. The concept of "right" and "wrong" just went out the window.
My, but the sanford city council is so quick act these short MONTHS later.....so all those stereotypes about the South are true. And I soooo wanted to visit Florida in my retirement.
the town of sanford did an investigation and found that mr zimmerman (a peruvian jew)acted in self defense
The history of the Sanford Police Dept has been very bad for at least the last 7 years. Instead of an "A-Z" review, the Dept needs to be disbanded. Let the Seminole County Sheriffs Office take over until an entire new PD can be hired. I am hoping as well that the citizens of Sanford vote out many of their city commissioners. Had the Sanford PD does it's job properly to start with, this would have never become national news.
At the same time politicians e.g., Obama, Pelosi, the DNC, etc., should not have turned the death of a person into a "get-out-the-vote" campaign. Just as Sharpton and Jackson used this event to fill their coffers.
Time4aPurge- I agree that the Sanford Police Dept. should be the focus of all this discontent, not the Martin or the Zimmerman family or their supporters! The Police didn't do a proper investigation and this is the result! You can't blame the Martin family for their actions after their son was killed! They knew the police didn't do a proper investigation and was in the process of covering up this mess. They appealed and reached out for help and thank God there are people like Mr. Sharpton around that fights for Justice for all! What would you do if your son was killed and there were unanswered questions and the local police refused follow up with a proper investigation? All they wanted was a proper investigation! On the other hand, the Zimmermans were screwed also! If truly Innocent, Zimmerman would have been cleared by a proper investigation and his life would not be ruined!
zimmerman was cleared by a proper investigation then the town of sandord and the state of fl buckled to the race baiters like sharpton and jackson and put an innocent man on jail so your upstanding citizens wouldnt destroy the town of sanford and loot the rest of the state
Bill- Your absolutely right.
Sanford is probably not any more in need of reorganization than many cities in the U.S. Ohio cops are absolutely nuts. Texas you have to be an ass&ole to apply. They have a test.
I would say that the Martin family lawsuit might just shut down the town of Sanford. From the timeline they took their sweet time getting there. The only thing Sanford did right was tell Zippy to back off. That might save them.
hmmm, looks like just a' NUTHER FOX >>> in thaa CHIKKEN-COOP! <> WHICH every-buddy nose is a verrrrry "CLEAR-CLEAN" and un-obstructed VIEW of, ...-by&4 - - - - Internal AFFAIRZ!!! Which is about as good as MOST grand juirezzz too tho. <> VERRRRY smart, intelligent, & definetely "UNBIAsed" Copzz they are 2 yuno-it, >>> don'chu???
George Zimmeman was told to stand down by the police dispatcher. He had NO right to confront Treyvon Martin whatsoever. Treyvon was walking home, minding his own business, talking to his girlfriend on his cell phone. George disregarded Treyvon's rights, created a dangerous situation for himself and Treyvon, and punked out of getting his a$$ kicked by shooting a kid he had no business confronting in the first place. This is NOT about race to me. It's about inappropriate conduct on the part of George, and as it now stands, George is getting what he deserved, and the Sanford PD is getting the black eye it deserves. The most unfortunate part is that Treyvon died for doing nothing, except being racially profiled in a climate of fear and disrespect. I would charge Zimmerman with 1st degree murder.
I like the part where the brilliant journalist mentioned that 6 months prior to this new interim chief 2 cops in his town were arrested. Duh at least they were arrested and not covered up like many chiefs do around this awesome country. That shows leadership, brilliant journalist.
The police need to quit picking on themselves; and pick on the Black troublemakers, of any kind.
I wish White people would get this much attention by the media when they are Murdered by Blacks. Anyone hear anything lately about the White women who was murdered by that Black women and her baby kidnapped?? Hell no, and we won't. I wonder why Obama didn't make a comment about that crime by a Black.
Perceived privilage is an interesting subject. George perceived that he had the right to stalk someone because he didn't know him. That is what is going to get him eight years and a felony record. More than once I have had people in businesses take the attitude that they needed to boss me. It really is the wrong thing to do unless you have good insurance. That you aren't in your house or for that matter in your town does not make you these people's bitch. George should have had his squirtgun out there if he was going to assault someone. Stand your ground doesn't give you all the ground. You have to stay put and someone else has to initiate the assault.
Two things:
Sounds like this new chief has some sensitivity to issues important to this case. Let's hope he can do his job without fear of retaliation.
At the end of the video clip attached to his story, I heard it stated for a second time that Z has a new and improved version of events via his family who, of course, was not present. As a mental health therapist, I can safely say that Z nor his family and defenders have any credibility whatsoever and that Z is obviously a very disturbed guy.
My third thing would be to remind folks that we will ever know exactly what happened that night, nor will the jury, but many of us believe the criminal charges are appropriate and that Z's many statements along with his aggressive past just don't do anything to make his "stand your ground" actions worthy of a serious explanation of what happened. It's clear to me that Z needed help long ago and didn't get it. Although his family may not be complicit in the actual confrontation, they certainly are complicit in attempting to trash the reputation of a kid who is not here to defend himself. Why? Because he was killed.
I WANT TO SEND OUT A MOTHERS DAY PRAYER FOR SYBRINA. And bright blessings to the Fulton/Martin family for many moons to come.
PS. I do not read hate mail. Life's too short. I do read the replies of civilized people whether they agree with me or not.
Unity7... please post the following on the wall of your office, it's your own words;
However, I would ask that you amend it ever so slightly.
Place a post script on it and note that you made the above assessment with NO personal interaction with the individual and you came to your professional assessment entirely on the basis of what you read on news blogs, saw or possibly heard in edited video clips.
If this is what you do as a "mental health therapist", I believe it incumbent on you to forewarn your patients that you make judgements based on little more than hearsay.
I think the media should try Zimmerman! Oh wait; they already have......
In my town Black people kill Black people all the time.Violence has no color .But racism does, it's hate.Give the system a chance.Then sue.