Andover To Host Town Hall On Addressing Local Racism

ANDOVER, MA — Andover officials released a statement Tuesday on the death of George Floyd and recent racist incidents in the town of Andover. The Town Manager and the Select Board will host a town hall to "begin the process of addressing these issues in our community," according to the statement.

"The Andover Select Board, Town Manager Andrew P. Flanagan, Police Chief Patrick Keefe, and Fire Chief Michael Mansfield condemn the actions of the Minneapolis Police officers which resulted in the death of George Floyd and wish to provide the community with a first step for beginning the process of moving forward," the statement reads.

The statement does not refer to specific local incidents, but since Floyd's death in Minneapolis police custody on May, Andover has been roiled by at least two social media posts exposing incidents in the community. An Andover High School graduate shared posts by other Andover students using the N-word, and a resident of Dominican ethnicity posted a video of an Andover Fire Rescue lieutenant approaching her getting her own mail "to make sure someone wasn't stealing something."

The fire lieutenant was placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation.

The release notes a statement against bigotry adopted by the Select Board in 2018.

The statement also follows up on a recent statement from the Andover Police Department on its practices, in response to community questions.

"The methods used by police in Minneapolis that killed George Floyd are not part of any police training program in Massachusetts, including those used by members of the Andover Police Department," the statement reads. "Specifically, police are never trained to place a prone suspect on their face or to put pressure on the neck or throat of a person being detained."

The statement does not include any concrete actions, but the town officials commit to making change.

"It is our responsibility to foster a community that is anti-racist, where all voices are heard and respected," it reads. "Together, we will turn the page to a new chapter in Andover’s history. A chapter in which inclusion, acceptance, and equitable treatment of all is prioritized and integrated into the fabric of all that we do as a community."

Residents can send thoughts ahead of the Town Hall to InclusiveAndover@andoverma.us. More details on the town hall is forthcoming, according to the statement.

Read the full statement here.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.