Criticism, Scrutiny At Fairfield Forum On Race

FAIRFIELD, CT — Fairfield public officials faced criticism and scrutiny at a forum Thursday on race and law enforcement, held after George Floyd died in custody in Minnesota, sparking protests in Fairfield and across the country against police brutality.

“The intent for me is to allow the public to have the opportunity, as many people as possible, to speak,” First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick said as the event began.

Much of the forum, held remotely via Webex, was dedicated to remarks from a panel of elected representatives and police officials. Several members of the public also spoke. Their questions were not addressed directly by the panel, but were discussed by fellow community members in Webex’s chat function.

“Does our local police department really need firearms?” resident Jason Racheotes asked, while in the midst of presenting a long list of questions to the panel, including inquiries about how town law enforcement is penalized and funded.

Earlier in the forum, Capt. Robert Kalamaras said a review of Fairfield’s training records and policies show the department is “doing most things right,” although room remains for improvement.

“Our nation’s law enforcement system has fallen way to tyranny,” said Representative Town Meeting member Tameisha Powell-Dunmore, D-District 6, later adding police and communities must come together.

Chief Christopher Lyddy said his approach to the present public concern was to “shut up for a while and listen.”

“One common message, broad message, that I’ve received is that people of color do not feel comfortable walking down our streets in our predominantly white community,” Lyddy said. “… I’m deeply concerned about the weaponization of police in our community.”

The department will not respond to calls for service that are based solely on the color of a person’s skin, he said.

In discussing the need for body cameras and independent investigation of complaints against law enforcement, state Rep. Brian Farnen, R-District 132, referred to “a few bad apples” in policing, a phrase with which community member Molly Baker took issue.

“It is not just a few bad apples,” she said, calling for prison abolition and defunding of law enforcement. “… Training needs to change drastically in all police departments.”

Other ideas suggested by community members included regionalizing area public schools to create a more equitable distribution of resources, increasing affordable housing and allocating more money for social workers.

Resident Hannah Kayumba said social justice organization Fairfield Yabantu asked for town police to receive training on diversity, but it hasn’t happened.

“A lot of you just came on here to do lip service,” she said.

As the forum drew to a close, Kupchick said some of the community’s comments about Fairfield police were unfair and that defunding law enforcement was inappropriate.

“Frankly, I’m a little disappointed in the partisanship that I heard,” Kupchick, a Republican, said.

State Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey, D–District 133, called for Fairfield to elevate the voices of people of color.

“We as people with power and authority have a particular duty to listen, to hear, to feel,” she said.

Farnen asked Fairfielders to, “talk to each other, not at each other.”

Many who attended the forum took issue in the Webex chat with how the event was run. Town meeting Majority Leader Jill Vergara, D-District 7, was unhappy that more town meeting members and school board members weren’t invited to participate. Others expressed disappointment that the panel was not more diverse.

In addition to Kupchick, Kalamaras, Powell-Dunmore, Lyddy, Farnen and McCarthy Vahey, panelists included Republican Selectman Tom Flynn; Democrat Selectwoman Nancy Lefkowitz; state Sen. Tony Hwang, R-District 28; and state Rep. Laura Devlin, R-District 134.

At the event, Kupchick announced she had appointed Lefkowitz to lead the town’s new Equality and Justice Task Force. Lefkowitz, a Democrat, said she would actively listen to black residents.