Mother of Akiel Denkins calls for body cameras, police accountability

“No justice, no peace” has become the rally cry of those who say they want change in how minority communities are policed.

Raleigh’s Police Accountability Community Task Force, or PACT, stood collectively before the City Council Tuesday night, expressing disappointment in city leadership and policing. Leading the presentation was Rolanda Byrd, the mother of Denkins who was shot and killed by a Raleigh police officer in February.

“I feel like those cameras should have been in place,” she said. “It only took three months for Charlotte to do it and the whole department is fitted with cameras.”

Specifically, PACT asked for the support of a community oversight board, {{a href="story-7'}}changes in marijuana infractions{{/a}} and body camera policies developed with community involvement.

Mayor Nancy McFarland said inroads have been made to create change.

“Providing implicit biased training to officers, that is scheduled to begin in mid-October. We’re also conducting a body worn pilot program that is also scheduled to begin in Mid-October,” McFarland said.

During PACT’s presentation, the organization rolled a video clip showing an officer breaking the window of a car and pulling a man out.

A spokesman from the Raleigh Police Department said the incident was the result of a number of violations by the man in the car and the officer’s actions were justified. PACT disagreed with that stance.

McFarland also said there would be two community wide meetings to move forward on the discussions held Tuesday night and city leaders will decide in the near future exactly when and where the meetings will be held.