Meeting on State College’s oversight board for police turns into shouting match. Here’s what happened
A State College Borough Council meeting devolved into finger-pointing and name-calling Wednesday night, after a handful of organized residents — some of whom faced accusations of racism — attempted to continually speak and shout on race-related issues unrelated to the meeting.
Council President Jesse Barlow attempted to focus the standing room-only meeting at several points, as it was intended to be a hearing on the proposed Community Oversight Board (COB), where civilians would help provide oversight of local police.
Instead, several area residents loudly — and passionately — tried to argue against defunding the police, Critical Race Theory and the 3/20 Coalition, while more than a dozen others cheered them on. (Critical Race Theory technically is mentioned a single time in the public 62-page study on the COB, as it’s recommended for board member training. But Wednesday’s speakers also discussed the issue generally.)
In the days leading up to Wednesday’s special meeting, Centre County GOP chair Kris Eng sent local Republicans an email, which the CDT obtained, that called on them to attend the meeting and send a collective message because “the far left is systematical (sic) and intentionally stealing the Centre County we know and love.” She also wrote that groups in opposition “are NOT freedom loving people,” while referencing the 3/20 Coalition, an organization that was formed in the wake of the police killing of a 29-year-old Black State College man in March 2019.
“If the COB truly builds greater trust and a stronger community, to me, then this is good,” said Harris Township resident Chris Potalivo, whom Eng mentioned in her group email as someone who’s closely followed the 3/20 Coalition. “Regardless, it is now abundantly clear that the 3/20 Coalition do not want to better the community, but rather radically change our plans.”
Barlow interjected: “Excuse me, sir. We’re not discussing the 3/20 Coalition. They’re not actually in the ordinance. Please stick to the ordinance. Thank you.”
Potalivo’s voice then rose, before he agreed but continued discussing 3/20 anyway. Barlow again interjected.
“You’re already biased, sir. You are!” Potalivo shouted at Barlow. “The 3/20 group is predicated on lying to this community. ... No, I’m tired of being silent! For two years, I’ve been trying to get this nefarious group to get off their hatred!”
Potalivo walked away, yelling how Wednesday was supposed to be an open forum. Barlow then shouted back, correcting Potalivo and noting it was meant to be a hearing on the COB. General public comment is welcome at borough council meetings; special meetings like Wednesday’s limit comment to what’s on the agenda.
Barlow was forced to issue that reminder throughout the two-hour special meeting.
“This is exactly what I did not want this meeting to become,” an exasperated Barlow said. “This is a meeting about a specific ordinance.”
The idea of a Community Oversight Board originated last summer, shortly after the May 2020 death of George Floyd, a Black man killed by Minneapolis police. By September, a nine-person committee was organized to study the prospect of a local COB, with at least four public meetings held before the new year.
The study committee shared updates with the council and public throughout that time. It released a list of final recommendations Dec. 14, council continued to discuss the issue throughout this year, and a draft of the ordinance was released last month. Members of the 3/20 Coalition showed up at virtually every meeting to push board independence and emphasize the COB’s importance to the community; few residents spoke publicly against the COB — until Wednesday.
Wednesday was the final opportunity for formal public input. The previous meeting, on June 30, involved a handful of people and lasted about 35 minutes.
“I hope it does not escape the attention of folks that those of us who have been in the rooms here, pushing for this oversight board and pushing for the protection and safety of marginalized community members ... are coming with specific pointed asks and requests for this board,” said Geoffrey Landers-Nolan, a member of the 3/20 Coalition who specifically wanted the COB director to be a separate paid position and not a current borough staff member. “We are not here simply fear-mongering or arguing against something that has been in motion for a year.”
It’s not clear how many opponents of the COB attended at the direction of the County GOP, and only a minority of opponents shouted or yelled. Many shared their opinions in a measured way that touched on other issues such as taxpayer funds and board membership — but interruptions remained constant.
When former Penn State assistant football coach Dick Anderson, who coached under Joe Paterno, railed against Critical Race Theory and slammed “real racism” in the 1960s South, he was met with cheers and applause. “Please don’t do that,” Barlow told the crowd. “This isn’t a football game.” Divine Lipscomb, a Black man who won one of the Democratic nominations for a 2022 borough council seat, attempted to find middle ground when he said everyone was there because a community member died — whether it’s called murder or not, whether it was justified or not. But he was forced to pause for several seconds after shouts objecting to the word “murder.”
Tierra Williams, a 3/20 member and Democratic nominee for Ferguson Township supervisor, didn’t take the interruptions so kindly.
Williams unapologetically referred to the 2019 shooting of Osaze Osagie as a murder — no police officers have been charged with a crime — and, every time she was interrupted, she backtracked and repeated the word “murder.”
“You will not disrespect me,” Williams, the first Black woman to speak in person, said toward the end of the hybrid meeting. “That is not how this is going to work. I sat silently for everybody’s speech. You will not disrespect me. Reclaiming my time; they will not disrespect me.”
About 20 COB opponents walked out of the meeting shortly thereafter, with a speaker after Williams pointing to the walkout as an example of racism.
It is not clear what the County GOP hoped to specifically accomplish Wednesday night, as Eng did not return a message from the CDT seeking comment. Any defunding of the police would be discussed during future budget proposals, and the 3/20 Coalition has no direct connection to the borough; in fact, the coalition and borough have often butted heads. The meeting also comes more than a year after council already embraced the concept of a COB — and comes after a 2021 primary that boasted just one Republican nominee on council and saw the three most progressive Democrats earn nominations.
Council is tentatively expected to discuss the COB-related ordinance Aug. 9, before a vote to adopt it Aug. 16. The COB would then be implemented around October.
This story was originally published July 29, 2021 at 5:24 PM.
CORRECTION: This article has been updated to remove a misquote from Chris Potalivo.
