-Caveat Lector- <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/"> </A> -Cui Bono?- http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/2000/0003/18/000318cops.html 2,000 rally to support Louisville police, ex-chief Sherrard doesn't attend, sends letter By JAMES ZAMBROSKI and CHRIS POYNTER, The Courier-Journal Louisville police and their supporters -- some 2,000 strong -- rallied outside City Hall yesterday to denounce the mayor, support their fired chief and call for the city to unite behind them. It was Louisville's largest demonstration since a massive anti-busing protest in 1975. Carrying placards that called for Mayor Dave Armstrong's resignation and wearing T-shirts emblazoned with "Armstrong's Wrong," the crowd led by members of the Fraternal Order of Police chanted and cheered in Jefferson Square as the mayor worked inside his office just across Sixth Street. But the officers and their supporters didn't show the level of outrage expressed when former Chief Gene Sherrard led a smaller march to the steps of City Hall two weeks ago, the day after he was fired. He did not attend yesterday's rally. "A common theme brought us together," Louisville FOP President Rick McCubbin said as he addressed the rally. "I salute each of you who have chosen to stand beside our law enforcement officers. . . . We disagree with the decision and we collectively say 'Armstrong's wrong.' " Although McCubbin claimed that "the support of the community is with law enforcement in Louisville," few of the people joining the FOP protest were African Americans. Nearly a third of Louisville's population is black. Officer David James, FOP vice president and an African American, said some minorities felt peer pressure not to attend. "I think because of the media hype -- it always shows African Americans not agreeing about what's going on -- and a general lack of truthfulness (by the media)," he said. In addition to a large number of police officers, the crowd included many family members -- including some who labeled themselves "SAD, Spouses Against Dave." ARMSTRONG FIRED Sherrard after the former chief approved awards of valor for two white officers who fatally shot Desmond Rudolph last May while he was in a stolen vehicle, trying to flee. Rudolph was black and the shooting outraged the African-American community. The two officers, Chris Horn and Paul Kinkade, returned their awards to the mayor Thursday, citing a desire to "be part of the healing process." Yesterday, three more officers followed Horn and Kinkade's lead. Officers D'Shawn Johnson and Tommy Blair and Sgt. Rodney Estes came forward and rejected the Medal of Honor each was awarded during the annual police awards banquet March 1. Only five others have received the Medal of Honor, the highest award a Louisville officer can receive, in the department's history. "My father always said, 'Stand for what you believe in.' We believe in Chief Sherrard," Johnson said as the three removed their medals and gave them to McCubbin as the crowd cheered. After the rally, Blair could not be reached and Estes declined to comment. Armstrong fired Sherrard March 2, saying he had violated his trust. The chief did not inform the mayor that Horn and Kinkade were receiving awards until two days before the banquet. Armstrong said he was also concerned that Sherrard did not recognize the community outrage that the awards would provoke. Horn and Kinkade said they shot Rudolph because they feared he was about to free the stolen Chevrolet Blazer, which had become mired in an alley, and run them down. A grand jury cleared the two officers of criminal wrongdoing, but questioned police tactics. An investigation by Col. Ron Ricucci, the city's public safety director, also found fault with police methods and the follow-up investigation of Rudolph's death. THE EPISODE drove a deep wedge into the city. And that friction showed in yesterday's march from FOP headquarters in Old Louisville to Jefferson Square downtown. "Police Protect the City While Mayor Destroys It" and "The Only Segment of the Community LPD Targets is Armstrong" were among the signs police and their supporters carried. Another read, "Indiana officers support L.P.D." National FOP President Gilbert Gallegos, of Albuquerque, N.M., was among the national FOP officers who participated. "Mr. Mayor, shame on you," Gallegos said. "Shame on you for accusing the Louisville police department of being racist, for being brutal and for taking away their leader. Shame on you for trying to divide this community." He was referring to a March 10 article in The New York Times in which Armstrong said he believed that "a small group of folks on the (police) force . . . have a culture . . . (that) only adds to the hostility of minorities who feel they are targeted by the police as second class citizens, without respect." McCubbin told the crowd that no one in the local, state or national FOP "condones bully cops. We do not support racial profiling." Though the clear sentiment of the rally was to support their fired chief, Mike Hedrick, Kentucky's national trustee to the FOP, was the only speaker who directly called for Armstrong to return Sherrard to the chief's office. Sherrard "made a mistake, admitted his mistake and took full responsibility for his mistake," Hedrick said. Now it was time for Armstrong to "admit his mistake and give us back our chief." RAY FRANKLIN, a former president of the Louisville FOP and now the national sergeant-at-arms, said the rally "is about unity, it's about community, it's about correcting a wrong. The nation is watching, let's get it done." Sherrard, who participated in the FOP's first march against Armstrong on March 3, did not attend yesterday. His wife, Patricia, was in the crowd. McCubbin read a letter from Sherrard in which the former chief said: "I have decided that my presence at this march would not be in the best interest of anyone. I hope no one is offended by this decision." He could not be reached for comment. During the rally, Armstrong was closeted in the suite of offices he and his staff occupy on the first floor of City Hall. The door from City Hall's lobby was locked, and no one was being allowed inside. However, on Thursday Armstrong called for the FOP to cancel the rally, saying it could only further divide the community. Yesterday afternoon the mayor issued a two-sentence statement: "It's time for all of us to unite, not divide. It's time for our city to move forward." Lori Felmey, 28, who previously worked for Louisville police, participated in the march with her basset hound, Abigail. Both Felmey and her 3-year-old pet wore the blue and white "Armstrong's Wrong" T-shirts distributed by the FOP. Felmey worked for Sherrard when he was captain of the 4th District and she knows his brother, Brian, a detective. "He was a wonderful guy to work for," she said. She believes Sherrard should be reinstated. Among those who took part in the march and rally were Robert Brown, 33, and his son, Robert Brown Jr., 12. Brown said he supports the police and he wanted his son to attend the rally to show his respect for the men and women in blue. Brown is a landscaper but hopes to be a police officer someday. Brown let his son, a student at Highland Middle School, take the day off so he could attend the march. As the protesters headed downtown from the FOP lodge, Robin Harris stood on the sidewalk, yelling angrily and pointing at them. "I think this is a prime example of how Louisville police abuse their authority," said Harris, who is black and lives in western Louisville. "They should be patrolling the streets and keeping the community safe. Instead they are whining." "It's annoying to me that so many people can come together to celebrate the death of a black man," she said, referring to Rudolph. "It's a slap in the face. . . . It's inhumane and insensitive." A few minutes later, Malcolm Miller, who was marching with his fellow police officers, said race isn't the issue. Miller, 28, is black and has been on the force for less than a year. He patrols the 4th District in western Louisville. "In the United States, you can make any issue a black or white issue," he said. "But it is not a black or white issue. It's being just and standing behind someone who has raised the morale of our department." Miller said the volatile situation the past two weeks has made him and other city police officers feel vulnerable. "The mayor is supposed to be the community leader . . . and if he doesn't support us, why should the rest of the city support us?" he said. -- ----------------------- NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ----------------------- ________________________________________________________ 1stUp.com - Free the Web� Get your free Internet access at http://www.1stUp.com <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. 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