Thread by @shayshinecastle

Hey, #Boulder, it's city council night. A full meeting, including a public hearing over the city's proposed leasing of Harbeck House: boulderbeat.news/2019/04/13/bou…

The first look at updating Boulder's building codes (which sounds like a total snore, but there are actually some interesting things in there.) We've also got a discussion on meth use in the city, which has been decouples from one over homeless encampments.

And council will be voting to call up the Liquor Mart development: 147 apartments and ground-floor retail.

Also, there's a cop sitting between me and @CassaMN, so I feel lonely. Like in the old days, before there were two ppl covering council meetings. *le sigh*

Pretty full house tonight. I think quite a few of these folks showed up in solidarity with Sammie Lawrence, who was arrested while filming a police interaction with people experiencing homelessness.

Seriously a full house. There are even ppl sitting on the floor.

Open comment starting. Jamie Wagner from SAFE opens it discussing Sammie Lawrence. Lots of ppl in the audience holding up signs.

Wagner calls for an internal investigation into this incident, and for council members to "vocally condemn" the actions of the police officers involved in arresting Lawrence.

Victoria Vela (also from SAFE) is repeating Wagner's call that the cops involved be removed from active duty while the investigation is ongoing. "Racism, ableism ... and police brutality (are) a public threat."

William McGrew: "(Sammie) stands up for his dignity, and we stand beside him."

Rep. Jonathan Singer is here, too.

I have to break into this Sammie open comment thread to say that Elizabeth Black just gave a truly amazing presentation in story-form about prairie dogs that have ruined 1,000 acres of open space agriculture land. 10/10 recommending watching the video of it tomorrow.

Sammie Lawrence is speaking now. He's crying a little bit, having trouble getting out his words.

Thanks Aaron Brockett for "being aware and communicating with me."

April 5 was my first time being arrested, he says. It turned out to be a lot of firsts: My first time getting my brain rattled by an officer. My first time having an officer witness a seizure and telling me I was faking it and to get up.

"My first time an officer told me to put down my weapon after I told it was a walking aid. My first time being denied water post-seizure."

"My first time being denied my walking aid from police because it's evidence. ... The first time the community took direct action because of me. Thank you for your support."

"The last first time I will speak about is the first time my mother was scared for her baby... as many black women are."

Leslie Glustrom, who *always* gives a presentation on the muni, is using her time to talk about Sammie Lawrence instead: We have bigger issues in this community. I know it’s hard to hold the police accountable. I know it’s hard to hold the city attorney accountable."

"This is so far beyond acceptable. We'll talk about energy some other day. Until we get this issue addressed, nothing else really matters."

"Deg Kirtan Singh: I think that Boulder is a flagship city for Colorado and also for the United States. The choices we make, others mimic. It’s evident in our culture and in our decisions."

Paula Shuler is speaking about the prairie dogs, too. Nagle has not looked up at her *once* during her comments. Morzel is shooting her glances but also looking down a lot.

I thought ppl were being dramatic when they said prairie dogs were the most contentious issue in Boulder. They were not.

James Feeney is talking now about the land use code.

Actually he's talking about the dark skies ordinance. His neighbors use bright lights.

I recommend a sleep mask. BOOM. SOLVED IT.

Tamar Stone is here against the North Boulder Library "to provide some balance" to the previous two speakers who were for it. She owns a condo near there, bought it after she knew about the plans. But now it's too big and has been moved closer to her house.

"It would be like to walk out your front door, 20 ft and walk into the entrance of a McDonalds. Come walk our streets, call me to walk with you."

Brett Sawchak is also against the library. Too big, will bring too many cars. "This 30-yr dream of a small community library has outgrown" the area.

"If Boulder does need a sixth library, please locate it" in a traffic-friendly area.

That wraps open comment, but now staff is going to address a few things.

City Manager Jane Brautigam: I'm sorry for the injuries that Sammie suffered. (Testa couldn't be here). This incident was investigated throughout the chain of command. No violations of police rules and policies were found.

Lawrence's arrest is under review by the DA.

City Attorney Tom Carr: The video footage did not conform to what I heard tonight. "It's troubling we hear things like assaulted and that officers were ticketing homeless folks." Homeless were talking to individuals, no ticket, no intent to issue ticket.

"Mr. Lawrence was asked to step back 12 times. He was never asked to stop filming." Also says that other ppl showed up and it was a single officer, who asked the ppl to separate a bit, when they wouldn't, asked Lawrence to put down the staff.

Body cam footage will be released once the criminal investigation into Lawrence is complete. "Very hard that ppl get so emotional based on what they heard" when it doesn't match what Carr saw.

"World would be a safer place if ppl stepped back when they were filming officers." And if an officer puts you under arrest, "fight it in court."

"Officer, from everything I've seen, did absolutely nothing wrong." Officers are worried about how to do their job in this environment.

Update from Brautigam on status of the police oversight task force. Dr. Carolyn Love will facilitate; emails have been sent to 60 ppl who have expressed interest in applying. Deadline is April 26 or 29.

Meetings of the task force will be open to the public. The first meeting will include implicit bias training.

Brockett asks if the outside investigator can look at Lawrence's incident as well. "I'm not going to second-guess police's internal investigation, but there are concerns" in the community.

Yes, Brautigam said. They will ask if the contract can be extended.
Weaver: I think in this context, it's probably a very good idea.

OK, Lawrence's incident to get an outside review.

That's the end of open comment. Please unroll, @threadreaderapp