Community activists, leaders in Annapolis push for police reform after Tyre Nichols' death officer
BALTIMORE - Annapolis' police chief and civil rights groups held a joint press conference Thursday about the police brutality that killed 29-year-old Tyre Nichols in Memphis.
Those leaders say the cycle of police brutality will only continue if real changes aren't made at federal, state and local levels.
Thursday's rally renewed the push for police reform and to hold elected officials accountable.
"We want real transparency, accountability and peace," Antonio Palmer, President of United Black Clergy, said. "And until then, we will keep marching. We will keep protesting. We will keep praying."
Civil rights activists met in Annapolis to condemn the violent arrest that led to the death of Nichols on January 7. Nichols died of his injuries three days later.
On January 27, police release video of the violent of assault, which prompted protests across the nation.
"What we saw was an extension of the global system of white supremacy that undermines the humanity of people of African decent, globally and in this country, so for me, it was just an extension of the legacy of this country," said Dayvon Love, LBS Director of Public Policy.
Maryland is no stranger to controversial police encounters.
The cases of Freddie Gray in Baltimore, Anton Black in Greensboro, and Daniels Jarrells in Odenton all underscore the state's need for police reform.
"Open the eyes of law enforcement to see that you can put a stop to this if you have the courage and fearlessness to do so," said Rev. Rickey Nelson Jones, President of Anne Arundel County NAACP.
"Most men and women wake up every day and want to serve," Annapolis Police Chief Edward Jackson. "The sad part about it is that the aggregate amount of police is the few in America that makes it bad for all of us."
Jackson said he has served the community for decades the best and worst of times.
"The best of times, in that we're accountable now., and communities holding us accountable," Jackson said. "The worst of times is we shouldn't be 25 years almost into the 21st century, you still shouldn't be revisiting young men who died to hands on necessarily a police."
Officials said that in some ways there has been progress, such as the Police Accountability Act and Anton's Law, which passed in 2021.
Still, community leaders say much more needs to be done.
"Body cameras which have its place, but hasn't really solved the problem, training which is important, but hasn't really solved the problem," Love said. "The key is community oversight of law enforcement."
"I hear the General Assembly, I hear police reform, we go above that," Jackson said. "Those are minimum standards, we have to raise them."
Community activists are working to make a difference by calling on legislators at both the national and state level to increase transparency and enact stricter laws against police brutality.