Sun Gazette - Candidates Weigh In on Militarized Police

Interview

By Nico Salvatori

A three-way race to represent the state's 10th Congressional District is among Republican incumbent Tom Marino, of Cogan Station; Democrat Scott Brion, of Liberty; and Independent Nick Troiano, of Milford.

QUESTION: The shooting death of black 18-year-old Michael Brown by a white police officer in Ferguson, Mo., in early August prompted civil unrest that often resembled a war zone: protesters were confronted by a police presence of a quasi-military nature. How is the constitutional right to free speech and free assembly compromised when it is up against a militarized police force equipped with armored vehicles and tear gas, and what can law enforcement agencies across the country do to respond to public outcry without overreaching?

BRION: "I think we need to be very cautious about militarizing police forces. Historically, we haven't needed to do that. The police are here to protect and serve. I don't think we should have police officers with snipers. We've gone through much more turbulent times in the past. I am all for efforts to demilitarize the police because we do have the right to assemble peacefully and to have free speech."

Brion attributed the mistakes made in Ferguson to a history of bad communication and bad relations between police there and the community. He said police officers should be community members.

"That's what the police want. If we support them more heavily in that area, instead of militarizing them, they can achieve that objective. If we have a problem like that in Williamsport, we'd want to handle it in the right away. We really want to make an emphasis to have good community policing."

MARINO: "I don't think there was overreaching in Missouri. When you have people ransacking, starting fires, assaulting citizens and police, and vandalizing, do you expect the police to greet them with a bouquet of flowers?"

Marino emphasized the complexity of the issue by comparing the split-second decision making expected of law enforcement to the length of time the Supreme Court is granted to decide matters of civil rights. Marino believes protests should be conducted in a nonviolent fashion and that the right to free assembly should not be abused to commit crimes. Marino criticized the federal response to the issue, saying that President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder only "fueled the fire."

"Ferguson is a state issue; not a federal issue. The law enforcement authorities know what they're doing. Let law enforcement down there do its job. Unless there are federal violations, then that government should not get involved. I'm a states' rights guy."

TROIANO: "I think the problem in Ferguson predated the period of unrest that we saw in the city, insofar as you had a force of police officers who weren't embedded deeply in the community or had not built trusting relationships with the community. So one lesson we take away is, having a police force that is more deeply understanding of and embedded in the community."

Troiano said the level of militarized police in Ferguson concerns him, that it amounts to "intimidation" compromising the exercise of free speech. He said he supports efforts to examine whether police departments across the country utilize equipment that is commensurate with the threats they face.

"I support police officers wearing on-person cameras to increase accountability. But first, we need to make sure that those who are protecting public safety are themselves protected against any unruly crowds. Ferguson offers an opportunity to examine these issues and make sure we don't have a situation like that again."

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