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Steubenville Community Meets On Police Issues, Relationships

A conversation between Steubenville community members and law enforcement officials started with frank talk about the recent shootings of black men and police officers.

“If your life or the public’s safety is in danger, you have to use force. But I know I ask myself in those situations, ‘God, do I have the right to take this man’s life?’ I have to tell it the way it is. If an individual adheres to your command, that will alleviate the problem. Because once you pull the trigger you can’t get that bullet back. But if a law enforcement officer is going to act like a thug, he should be treated like a thug. If he breaks the law, he should be prosecuted and sent to prison,” said Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla.

Abdalla was joined by Steubenville City Manager Jim Mavromatis, Steubenville Police Chief Bill McCafferty, Toronto Police Chief Randy Henry and Wintersville Police Chief Art Fowler who served on a panel for the Black & Blue Health Forum Thursday evening at the Mount Carmel Baptist Church.

More than 100 people attended the two-hour forum.

“I thought tonight went very well. I was somewhat pleased with the attendance. I am grateful the police chiefs and sheriff were here and we opened up our hearts and minds during the discussion,” said the Rev. Benjamin Calvert, the church’s pastor.

Abdalla referred to the Trayvon Martin shooting in Florida and said,

“That young kid had the right to defend himself. Sometimes I get frustrated by people in power. I ask myself if that was my child, how would I feel? I ask myself why that young man was killed.

“Here in Steubenville we have young kids on the street right now with guns,” Abdalla continued.

“When I am patrolling the hilltop neighborhoods, I have kids ask me for a sandwich. Not for candy or pop. They are hungry and want a sandwich. I was blessed in my life and I am tickled to death to help the kids. I am inviting our pastors to ride with the police.

“We need help from the community. We need to gather together to help the kids. They don’t need a handout. They just need a helping hand,” continued Abdalla.

City resident Royal Mayo called upon Steubenville officials to make more of a commitment to hire black police officers.

“Just because you pass the written test doesn’t mean you will be a police officer. In today’s climate a lot of people don’t want to be a police officer. We recently had eight applicants for the police examination and seven of them showed up for the test,” replied Mavromatis.

Resident Tony Johnson said when he was young, everyone in Steubenville knew the officers patrolling their neighborhoods — something that isn’t always the case today.

“Is there a way we can get back to that so police officers know our neighborhoods and the people who live there?” Johnson said.

“I try to hire local. The officers assigned to the hilltop neighborhoods do get to know people’s names. Steubenville is not that big,” answered McCafferty.

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