KALAMAZOO, MI Activists who came out to oppose a Proud Boys rally in Kalamazoo last month say a recently released city review of the police response failed to acknowledge the mistakes that prompted a surge of criticism.

Kalamazoo City Manager Jim Ritsema and Public Safety Chief Karianne Thomas were among a handful of city leaders who discussed the preliminary report earlier this week.

Both said there were several areas for improvement as the city plans for the possibility of future public protests, demonstrations and rallies high among them accountability.

Related: City review of police response to Kalamazoo Proud Boys rally finds areas for improvement

The lack of specifics in the preliminary report of where police could have done better exemplifies just how far the city and public safety department have to go when it comes to accountability and transparency, some of the activists said.

Were supposed to trust that they are going to do the right thing every time in every scenario, no matter how unrealistic that may be, but they cant even acknowledge to the public that some of their officers during the last event may have acted inappropriately whether it be from their own personal implicit bias or whatever the case may be? asked Tyrone Burnett, 42, who attended the rally to observe and protest the presence of the Proud Boys.

Community activist Quinton Bryant echoed Burnetts sentiments.

I think they need to be transparent on what they are saying they need to improve on, Bryant said. Anybody can say, I need to learn and figure out what I can do better, but if you are not bullet-pointing actions, its kind of hard to know what you are talking about.

Thats part of the frustration in the community. We keep hearing the same words transparency and accountability but where is it? You need to show us what you mean by that. Because, without action, they are just words.

Burnett said aside from adjustments to communications and media relations there was a complete lack of specifics in the report and that many of the key issues that arose Aug. 15 appeared to be flat-out ignored.

I want to know who gets to police the police, he said. I want to see my local department be the model across the country and build a true relationship with the community.

If you have that, if you know the people down there, they are going to be less apt to try to get in fights with people down there and more apt to do their doggone job and protect the people who had a permit. They completely blew it.

Related: None of them saw a single repercussion, counter-protester says of Proud Boys who rallied in Kalamazoo

The lack of arresting of Proud Boys and arrest of an MLive journalist gave the impression to Burnett that police didnt want the media showing who was coming out of the parking garage.

And while public safety officials have discussed how there was over-watch on the event and numerous details given about an assault involving a counterprotester, he questioned where the over-watch was for the Proud Boys and why no assaults were mentioned involving Proud Boys, despite ample time to review videos and reports.

Where was the information on how 200-plus people came into town, how did they move in, where did they move from? Theres complete silence on that and as a community member thats what leads to distrust, Burnett said.

Im not buying the Were being transparent and open part, he said. It seems like spin, and covering your own behind to me.

Burnett said it is easier to forgive someone when they specifically acknowledge where they failed and where they need to do better.

You have to acknowledge your mistakes, own your mistakes, move forward and do better, he said.

Bryant said he was still upset over how Kalamazoos Black Lives Matter protests were handled by police on June 1.

He said peaceful protesters were treated like the bad guys by police then. At the same time, the Proud Boys, defined as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, did not get the same treatment when they came to town.

There has been no ownership of that, Bryant said, which is a problem.

The impression that I got is that the police did not protect and serve the residents of Kalamazoo, Bryant said. It seemed like they were more interested in protecting the Proud Boys and making sure that they were safe. They got to terrorize the town safely. They got to leave the town safely, without any of them getting arrested.

Related: Police chief says Proud Boys completed their mission by causing chaos in downtown Kalamazoo

Terror was a key word missing from the report, said the Rev. Nathan Dannison of Kalamazoos First Congregational Church.

Dannison, who organized and sought a city permit for a prayer vigil at Arcadia Creek Festival Place held to counter the presence of the Proud Boys, has served as the vice chairman of the citys police oversight board for the past three years.

In that role, Dannison said, he has become intimately familiar with the activities of KDPS and their capabilities.

From over here, where I stand, it seems that they used none of those capabilities to enforce the laws of our city, and I want to know why, he said. I think the city needs to start addressing the issue of domestic terror and riots. Those are the main words that were missing from that report.

Dannison said he was confused as well as to why the report did not address any facts of what occurred on the ground that day.

He also expressed concern at the city attorneys office being directed to look into potential changes to the citys permitting process or ordinances to help legally deter groups like the Proud Boys from selecting a city like Kalamazoo for their next march.

I dont know why we need new laws, Dannison said. I feel like we just need to enforce the laws that we already have on the books no parades without permits, no traveling across state lines with the attempt to incite a riot. And if people are driving around without license plates, you should stop them and ask them for identification.

The pastor said he was also alarmed the report suggested potential vetting of legal observers and members of the press that would be allowed to cover events, which could prevent members of independent news media from being able to cover events.

Most of all, the pastor said, he is still upset about why a cordon was not set up to separate the unlawful assembly of Proud Boys from his prayer vigil.

It just looks bad, Dannison said. It looked like they were protecting the Proud Boys.

Dannison said he asked Thomas in June to do an internal investigation of her department and to his knowledge it is yet to be done.

What I want to see is an investigation into white supremacy in the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, he said. I want to know 100% that there are zero known affiliates of white supremacy groups in KDPS.

I dont know why that is a hard ask.

Also on MLive:

Kalamazoo police chief responds to criticism of handling of Proud Boys rally

Kalamazoo City Commission forms committee to guide police force in response to protests

$300-per-week in federal unemployment to Michigans jobless wont last long

I have never and will never run, says Kalamazoo pastor sought by police

Coronavirus in local schools is inevitable, Kalamazoo County health director says

Excerpt from:

Activists say Kalamazoo blew it with preliminary report on police response to Proud Boys rally - MLive.com