Wayland Selectmen Issue New Racism Statement After Criticism

WAYLAND, MA — The Wayland Board of Selectmen this week revised the town's response to local and nationwide protests following the police killing of George Floyd. The move comes after a group of town residents said the town's initial response fell short.

On July 20, 17 residents signed a letter to the Selectmen asking for concrete action in response to widespread unrest — including that Wayland police make Black Lives Matter one of the department's core values, and that the town release data on traffic stops and police interactions with people of color.

"We want to first emphasize that our Wayland Police Department is a valued part of our community and well-respected by towns people," the letter said. "We believe that recent events have created a critical opportunity for our community to undertake meaningful change together to address unconscious bias and help all members of our community feel welcome. We can all aim to do better."

Floyd died on May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for more than 8 minutes. Floyd's death sparked protests in cities across the U.S., but also came after outrage over the deaths of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, who was shot while jogging near his home in Georgia. Since Floyd's death, multiple Black Lives Matter demonstrations have happened in Wayland and surrounding towns.

On June 26, Town Administrator Louise Miller, Chief Patrick Swanick, and other police officials released a letter in response to nationwide protests. The letter quoted Martin Luther King Jr., listed the police department's core values, and highlighted that the department has been certified by the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission.

Abbie Wonderly, who signed the July 20 letter, said Swanick and Miller glossed over some of the more important parts of recent protests.

"[A] more appropriate response — I think — would have been to recognize the pain and grief so many were experiencing as a result of the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others; to acknowledge the reality of racist policing in America, and to assess how the department may or may not have racial bias or disparities in the way it operates," Wonderly said in an email this week. "I don't doubt that the police are committed to everything outlined in their letter, but it was not the right statement for the moment at hand."

The Selectmen's new statement on racism was released Tuesday night following several weeks of discussions. The letter is more explicit about the pervasiveness of racism, and Wonderly called it "a far cry better" than the June 26 response.