Editor,

The “21st Century Policing: Big Job, Big Questions” public forum on Thursday, July 30 was well attended with many people present wearing Keaton Farris’ “I See Your Hate and Raise You One Love” T-shirts.

Greg Banks, Island County prosecuting attorney, and Mark Brown, Island County sheriff, chatted it up, sharing laughs the half-hour before the forum got under way. While I appreciate the friendship that comes out of their agencies working closely together, that friendship makes me question Greg Banks’ ability to objectively look at what happened on Mark Brown’s watch.

Greg Banks closed his opening statement making it clear he and Mark Brown would not be answering questions concerning the death of Keaton Farris. This was a surprise given the topic of the forum. Not one of the folks wearing Keaton’s T-shirts was called on during the open Q&A session.

When asked who monitors police actions, panel member Chris Carney, American Civil Liberties Union lawyer, brought up citizen review boards and reforms in the Los Angeles Police Department. Those reforms were strongly resisted by the department. Today the results are in and those reforms have resulted in fewer injuries and confrontations by police officers and the citizens they serve. Watching Greg Banks rolling his eyes while Chris Carney spoke was revealing to this audience member. It showed a lack of respect to Chris but also to us, the audience and to the people who pay the taxes that fund his office.

We cannot trust that our community members and loved ones with mental illness could be safe inside Island County Jail when there are still plenty of employees there who witnessed abuse and negligence (in Keaton’s case — death) that has been going on in there for years. Jail employees either participated in or turned their backs on what their fellow employees were doing. Until Mark Brown’s own officers and the jail staff can be strong enough to out the misuse of power initiated by their own co-workers, there is no going forward. In the meantime, setting up a citizen review board may be the thing to do.

JULIE O’BRIEN

Clinton