Talks over law enforcement changes in Cedar Rapids hit snag

CEDAR RAPIDS - A move to formalize talks over potential changes in local law enforcement and judicial practices was put off Wednesday in a closed-door meeting held by local officials and social justice advocates.

After weeks of discussion leading up to the meeting, representatives of the NAACP and the Iowa Justice Alliance along with county and law enforcement leaders did not sign off on the idea of entering into a formal mediation process facilitated by the U.S. Department of Justice.

'There were a lot of detail questions,” Linn County Supervisor and Iowa Justice Alliance representative Stacey Walker said afterward.

The meetings were organized by the NAACP and the Iowa Justice Alliance after a white Cedar Rapids police officer, Lucas Jones, shot and badly injured for life a black motorist, Jerime Mitchell, last November.

The shooting and investigation led to calls for change in the law enforcement and judicial systems. Neither the officer nor the driver was charged in the incident.

For weeks, attendees had been discussing a 12-step document outlining calls for changes made by the NAACP and the Iowa Justice Alliance, which included collaborating with the Justice Department to eventually reach a memorandum of understanding.

That non-binding understanding would be signed by the Iowa Justice Alliance, the Iowa-Nebraska NAACP, the Linn County Attorney's Office, the city of Cedar Rapids, the Linn County Sheriff's Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Marion Police Department.

But a decision to enter mediation with the goal of reaching that understanding was tabled until a Nov. 17 meeting.

'As I understand, it is unsure whether it's going to be limited to those items brought forth in the 12 steps,” said Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner. 'It may be expanded beyond that, and that's the issue. I think that most of us are OK in expanding beyond those 12 steps, especially since we've already indicated that we can't meet all of those 12 steps for a variety of reasons. But if you're going to be bringing any more into the discussion, what is it we intend to bring in?”

The mediation process would be overseen by the Justice Department's Community Relations Service. An official from there has been involved since Oct. 11.

Gardner said another disagreement arose during Wednesday's meeting over the mediation document, which was obtained by The Gazette.

'The formal mediation sessions are closed to the media, the general public and other outside parties. However, with agreement of all parties, subject matter experts or observers may also attend,” it says in part.

The Gazette was barred from most of Wednesday's meeting as a result. But no decision was made whether members of the public should be allowed to observe under stipulations from the Justice Department.

'Legally, can the general public or other outside parties be present?” Gardner asked. 'It was determined that legally yes they can, but it's up to the group to determine if they wish for them not to be.”

Entering the mediation process could mark a big change in discussions the group has held on the 12-step document up until now.

'It's our hope that it's going to yield even stronger results in terms of community policing relations,” said Betty Andrews, president of the Iowa-Nebraska NAACP.

l Comments: (319) 368-8536; michaela.ramm@thegazette.com