To the Editor:
MISSION STATEMENT
“The mission of the Mahomet Police Department is to safeguard the lives and property of the citizens we serve. We will work in partnership with the community to enforce the law impartially, protect lives, and enhance public safety. We will at all times conduct ourselves with the highest ethical standards and we shall treat each citizen with professionalism, courtesy and respect. We will do this with honor and integrity.”
Good morning,
Please accept this email as a formal complaint against Police Chief Mike Metzler, for his misconduct and inability to perform in his role as the chief of police for Mahomet Police Department. His interaction with the community at large, does not align with what your city’s police department mission statement.
On July 8, at approximately 1pm, Paign to Peace, a local, youth organization, organized a protest in Mahomet on this day. Prior to the protest and days leading up to July 8, there had been several discussions around planning with the chief and organizer’s of this rally. Upon arrival, Chief Metzler, was very confrontational and did not exhibit his training with deescalating the issues, but rather incited negative behavior through his own actions. His conduct included discriminatory harassment, unlawful stops and standing in front of vehicles, and threats to citizens that attempted to be peaceful with showing solidarity. As the chief and the lead of the police department, he is supposed to exhibit and reflect, in the highest regards, professionalism. His actions did not align with your mission states.
I witnessed Chief Metzler invade my and other protesters’ personal space completely unnecessarily and unsafely (It should be noted that he was not wearing a mask and when he was asked to wear one and even offered a mask, he refused on several occasions). He leaned in and squared off with everyone he interacted with, using well-known intimidation tactics and non-verbal techniques that communicate his dominance and control. He even went so far as to place his hands on at least one protester, physical contact that was completely unprovoked, unwanted, and uncalled for! Chief Metzler clearly engaged in escalation behaviors, and not the de-escalation techniques I’m sure he has been trained to use.
The second thing that caused frustration before the march could even begin were the barriers that Chief Metzler attempted to put into place. It is my understanding that the organizers, Paign to Peace, had a permit for the event and, included in the permit, was the stipulation that vehicles and pedestrians were granted permission to march in the roadways. Just prior to the beginning of the march, Chief Metzler approached Paign to Peace and told them they could not include vehicles in the march. This is not what was agreed upon and it is unclear why he was attempting to prohibit the use of the vehicles. I have participated in many parades/marches throughout my time in this community and pedestrians and vehicles have always shared the roadway. Clearly, this was an attempt to silence the protesters and introduce unnecessary barriers. There was a vehicle present to carry the speakers/amplifiers and microphone, for those who would speak at the intersections. There was a vehicle carrying water, snacks, first aid kits, extra masks, and other necessities. There was a vehicle that was supposed to lag behind the pedestrians, in case they needed to rest, given the blistering hot temperatures. (It should be noted that this vehicle was not allowed to follow us.) Chief Metzler eventually allowed two vehicles to lead the march, although it should also be noted that he gave them permission to proceed, and then stood in front of them and blocked their vehicle, several times at the beginning of the march.
These tactics are all designed to intimidate and assert his control/dominance, and these are just some of the reasons that protesters were angry today. I was angry, too! Yes, some protesters said things during the march that you may think were unnecessary, but I completely understand their anger and frustration! Imagine for a moment that you are trying to peacefully protest inequality, injustice, and unnecessary use of force by law enforcement, and those very same people are at the protest, instigating and antagonizing protesters. At one point, officers were laughing out loud when confronted with their unsafe behaviors- they were not wearing masks and were getting within 6 feet of protesters. If the police are truly here to serve and protect its citizens, doesn’t that include wearing a mask to protect us from the transmission of COVID-19, especially if they are going to get into our space? This is yet another example of how the police seem to carry themselves as though they do not have to abide by the same rules that the rest of us do. It reinforces the need to eliminate qualified immunity for law enforcement nation-wide. If law enforcement can not follow simple mask guidelines, how can our community expect them to abide by laws that ensure civil rights, prohibit racial profiling, and engage in equal application of the law?
I would like immediate answers to issues that are not loudly spoken about and for there to be solutions to behaviors as such.
Kindly,
Rita Conerly
