Mat-Su Moms for Social Justice postpone Police Advisory Board presentation to Palmer Council

PALMER — The Mat-Su Moms for Social Justice were scheduled to present their idea for a Police Advisory Board in Palmer at the 7 p.m. regular meeting of the Palmer City Council on Tuesday. At the 6 p.m. meeting that had been scheduled to enter into executive session for a review of the City Manager, the group told the council that they would not make their presentation until they could rely on a safe and reasonable environment in which to do so.

Following the withdrawal of the presentation on the Police Advisory Board, 58 more people spoke during an extended public comment section about the proposal that never took place.

“We no longer feel safe coming to the meeting because of the mistruths Mayor DeVries has spread about our proposal, which led to hostility from the community. We also feel that our proposal will not receive a fair hearing in this hostile climate,” said Andrea Hackbarth. “We are concerned about Mayor DeVries’ pejorative use of Black Lives Matter to stir up her audience, as if she knew it would be a trigger and motivate them to take action against our presentation before they had read it or understood its contents.”

Hackbarth spoke to the council while surrounded by Janel Gagnon, Meggie Aube-Trammel and Laura Ojeda-Melchor, members of the Mat-Su Moms for Social Justice. The group submitted a letter to the council and an outline for a Police Advisory Board. The letter states that the group has over 300 members who are passionate about improving Mat-Su communities and felt that the Police Advisory Board would benefit residents of Palmer. On May 3, DeVries appeared at a gathering and spoke about the presentation.

“It seems as though the mayor did not read or understand the proposal; if she’d read the proposal, she would realize that none of this is true,” said Hackbarth. “In the video Mayor DeVries also tells people to ‘bring a bullhorn,’ and that ‘we need some sane voices,’ implying that we, the presenters, are insane. This is completely unethical behavior from a mayor and action needs to be taken to ensure she does not do this again. She should be a mayor for all of Palmer, not only the citizens she agrees with. As citizens of Palmer, we would like to issue a formal complaint against the mayor.”

The letter submitted by the Mat-Su Moms notes that the Police Department is the only city department without an advisory board and quoted Police Chief Magazine which argued that Police Advisory Boards would lead to more democratic and effective organizations, and that Police departments should encourage an engaged citizenry. The duties of the board would be to advise and recommend PPD on protection services, policies and procedures, enhance community relations and review citizen complaints.

As the meeting began at 6 p.m., more than a dozen individuals stood in the parking lot of City Hall, many waving ‘thin blue line’ flags and other signs. Hackbarth read comments posted to social media that threatened the group for their scheduled presentation.

“Due to this violent rhetoric, we do not feel safe attending this evening’s meeting. We are mothers with young children at home. The vitriol spread by Mayor DeVries and her friends has made us feel as though appearing at the meeting might mean we won’t make it home to see our children tonight. We are working to make Palmer a better place for them and for everyone who lives in the Mat-Su Valley, and we are disheartened that grown adults have made us feel this unsafe. Furthermore, we feel as though our proposal will not receive a fair hearing in such a charged atmosphere full of people who are primed to view it negatively. For these reasons, we plan to present our proposal at a future time,” said Hackbarth. “The mayor purposely lied to create outrage in the community, and it worked.”

The group was followed by 58 speakers total during the hour-long special meeting and the regular meeting that followed. Of those 58 speakers, 56 spoke in opposition to the proposed Police Advisory Board. At the 7 p.m. regular meeting when DeVries announced that the presentation would not take place, applause broke out among those sitting inside council chambers.

“I probably developed more as a single developer in our city limits than anyone. I still hold about $10 million worth of real estate here in our city. I built in this city because of what it represented, we had police powers, we had sidewalks, we had a community. What I see being proposed and this ideology I don’t agree with at all. I invested in this town because we have police powers,” said Richard Stryken. “People that own the majority of the buildings and the real estate in this community have built here because we believe in this community. I don’t believe in what’s trying to manifest into our community and bring other people’s ideas here. If they want them, go someplace else. It’s not for Palmer. You know when we talk about taxation without representation that’s where I feel like I’m at.”

Stryken said he felt so underrepresented that he hoped the city would not require members of the council to live within city limits in the future. Stryken was followed by Mike Robinson who identified himself as the President of the Mat-Su chapter of the Proud Boys, who also spoke against the postponed presentation. Councilwoman Jill Valerius asked DeVries to maintain order in the room and limit the amount of applause after public comment so as not to make anyone with opposing views feel uncomfortable. Members of the crowd responded by shouting “freedom” and booing. DeVries asked the crowd of over 50 people inside the council chambers to remain quiet, but most public commenters received applause after they spoke. Nearly 100 people were gathered at city hall in the parking lot and inside council chambers. Deputy Mayor Sabrena Combs asked DeVries how long public comment would go on, citing Palmer Municipal Code 2.04.120.

“All presentations to the council shall be limited to three minutes per person, five minutes per group and also limited to a total time of not more than 30 minutes, unless the limitations are enumerable, in which case the mayor may set reasonable limits,” reads the code.

After a brief disagreement, DeVries said that public comment would continue. A motion was made near the end of the meeting to postpone the executive session for manager review until after the regular meeting, which eventually ended at 10:59 p.m. A committee on the whole discussion on annexation was also postponed due to the overwhelming amount of public comment. One email was submitted to the council written in opposition of the Police Advisory Board.

“We will listen to the people,” said DeVries.

Though it was not posted on the agenda until the day of the meeting, DeVries read a proclamation declaring Peace Officers Memorial Week and May 15 at Peace Officers Memorial Day. DeVries recalled Palmer Police Officer James Rowland who was shot in the line of duty on May 15, 1999 to the family of the late Officer Rowland. Palmer Police Chief Dwayne Shelton presented the family with Rowland’s identification badge, and the crowd gave the family a standing ovation twice.

Once the proclamation was read, public comment continued with 45 speakers during the regular meeting.

“Obviously I’m a black woman, right, probably the only one in the room and I am appalled by this kind of display. Why would people stand up against one another? We are mankind, humanity like the gentleman said god made us all equal and equivalent. The police officers that work in this town represent the strong and the brave. They do what many people are afraid to do and if we come against them who is going to stand up for us. I think this is a travesty. This is very, very sad when people stand up against those who want to protect them,” said Rosalind Griffin. “When we try and dismantle the police officers that are sent to protect our children we have another problem okay. I’m very very disgusted and these whoever they are, I don’t know if there is any of them still left in the room or if they left afraid and if they did leave afraid, who are they going to call? They can’t call the police because they’re trying to dismantle the police so it’s really a very, there’s something crazy about this.”

Many members of the public who spoke on the postponed proposal said that they did not want socialist policies and made comments about the Black Lives Matter movement. One member of the public proposed a group called the “Mat-Su fathers for biblical justice,” and numerous members of the public called on principles of religion and faith to lead the council. Karen Crandall read from Proverbs chapter six verses 16 through 19.

“As far as having a gun the only gun that I care about is the word of god and prayer so I’m just going to say what god has to say about this advisory board,” said Crandall. “I think that should be the standard that we measure all decisions that are made what does god have to say and I know that he does answer prayer, that’s why this thing is kind of going down and the people are rising up for a righteous standard.”

Sarah Heath owns a local law firm and helped organize the Mat-Su Opioid Taskforce. Heath suggested that the Mat-Su Moms seek to help with existing resources in the Valley.

“I worked for Governor Parnell and Governor Walker both as leading the Mat-Su and in charge of boards and commissions. I am very aware of the finances involved and the limited resources when you evaluate boards and commissions and the efficiencies that are there. The Alaska Police Standards Council is a well working strong system that’s already established to evaluate our police so my concern with creating moms for social justice is the lack of strategy that’s in implementation,” said Heath. “I appreciate the intention of individuals. I completely disagree with the unbalanced approach of this group of women.”