Here’s what Whatcom leaders, police are saying about racial injustice
Local law-enforcement officers, elected officials and other community leaders issued statements over the weekend as demonstrations continued across the U.S. in reaction to the killing of an unarmed black man in the custody of Minneapolis police.
Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu said it was “a painful moment for our country” in a statement to The Bellingham Herald on Monday, June 1, 2020.
“Heartbreaking events have turned a bright light on the gap between our high ideals and the everyday reality of communities of color across America today,” said Sidhu, a native of India who immigrated to the U.S. from Canada.
“No one has freedom until we all have freedom. Freedom is not waving the flag. Freedom is freedom from bigotry. It is ‘liberty and justice for all,’” Sidhu said. “I join with leaders across the country in condemning racism in the strongest terms. Racial injustice and racial inequality are not just part of our past — they are very real today and cannot be ignored or wished away.”
Bellingham Police Chief David Doll emailed a message Sunday, May 31, to The Herald denouncing the officers’ actions in the death of George Floyd, which was captured on mobile phones and surveillance video.
“As a police officer, I have tried to understand the reasoning and tactics, but simply cannot,” Doll wrote in the statement, which was also posted Saturday, May 30, on the department’s social media.
“The officers’ use of excessive and unnecessary force is evident and is an act— and a tragic outcome — for which they should be held accountable,” Doll wrote. “As such, it is not a time for silence among our police leaders; rather it is time to unify, speak out and proactively address these important issues.”
Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo posted a statement at his department’s Facebook page Saturday, May 30.
“We are fortunate to have a law-enforcement culture in Whatcom County that places a high value on professionalism, compassion and kindness,” Elfo wrote. “I am proud to lead a team of deputies who have absolutely no tolerance for brutality, misconduct or incompetence of any kind. They hold each other accountable with high standards.”
Bellingham Mayor Seth Fleetwood told The Herald that he was “appalled and grief-stricken” at Floyd’s killing.
“The horrific killing of George Floyd lays bare the shocking ease by which a black man’s life can be taken away,” Fleetwood said. “It is yet another underscoring of the systemic racism that pervades our country. I followed the weekend protests and riots across the nation with deep sadness for our country.”
Fleetwood praised “the peaceful expressions we have seen in our own community.”
Whatcom County Prosecutor Eric Richey added his voice Monday afternoon, condemning Floyd’s killing as a “travesty” on his official Facebook page.
“Halfway across the country, we are not immune to bias. Bias exists in everyone,” wrote Richey, who required his entire staff to take implicit bias training when he first took office in 2019.
Richey listed several other ways that officers are trained — including crisis intervention and first aid.
“Whatcom County has and will continue to prosecute law enforcement officers when they commit crimes either on or off-duty. No one is above the law,” he said.
Vigil and march
In Bellingham, a Friday vigil and Saturday march drew several hundred participants and a memorial continued to grow at the entrance to the Bellingham Public Library, which is closed because of the new coronavirus pandemic.
Herald reporters were unable to reach organizers of the events, and no sponsors were listed on event notices that circulated on various social media.
“The mood was somber and soggy” on a day when a record .78 inches of rain fell, said Beth Hartsoch of Bellingham.
“But there were also families with kids, strollers, people walking bikes, a teacher from my kids’ school,” Hartsoch told The Bellingham Herald via Facebook Messenger.
Video from the Saturday afternoon march showed participants chanting “No justice, no peace” and carrying signs as they walked from Elizabeth Park to the library vigil site and then to Trader Joe’s.
Most everyone wore face coverings to protect each other against COVID-19, participants said.
Education responses
Bellingham Public Schools Superintendent Greg Baker compared institutional racism to a plague.
“However, another pandemic has been wreaking havoc for hundreds of years in our country — that of racism, bigotry and hate. We are now, again, faced with the murder of an African American man, George Floyd. We know that many of our families and especially our children are trying to make sense of these events,” Baker said in a statement to students and staff.
“It’s important to remember that what happened to George Floyd did not happen in isolation,” Baker said. “Let’s not forget Amaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, Emmett Till and too many others. We as a district and community denounce these murders and we stand in solidarity with our communities of color. We commit to asking the hard questions of how we hold ourselves and our community accountable for enacting justice and dismantling the systems that enable racism, bigotry and hate.”
Baker offered a list of resources from the school’s website for students who need help understanding and coping with current events.
Western Washington University President Sabah Randhawa, himself a Pakistani immigrant, discussed the “heavy burden” on every person of color in a statement Friday, May 30.
“I urge every member of our community to consider the ways systems of oppression and violence harm us and others, and to find ways to support and uphold members of our community who are suffering right now,” Randhawa said.. “While we are distant from each other, the simple act of checking in with friends and colleagues, of reaching out, is more important and more powerful than ever.”
This story was originally published June 2, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
