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Speakers at council public comment urge police accountability and allege wrongful child removals by DSS/CPS
Summary
Multiple community members used the public comment period to demand accountability for a police use-of-force incident and to describe personal experiences alleging wrongful child removals and falsified medical testing involving DSS/CPS and a local medical practice.
At the March 25 Winchester City Council meeting several residents used the public comment period to raise two recurring themes: concern about a police use-of-force incident recorded the previous day, and allegations that child protective services and medical providers had participated in wrongful child removals.
Public comments opened with Jeff Milburn (Ward 3), who raised concerns about a revenue-sharing arrangement tied to a city ball-field deal and the disposition of surplus city property (a scoreboard). He asked who is overseeing revenue distribution and why certain items were declared surplus.
Multiple speakers then addressed a widely circulated video of a Winchester police officer using a Taser and physical force against a restrained man. Sunny Prisma described concerns about repeated Tasering and asked how the city is addressing missing women and police priorities. Rodrigo Leon and Rebecca Camp, both identifying with activist groups, described the video as an example of excessive force and called for investment in community services such as community paramedics instead of expanded police militarization. Chelsea Dicus discussed de-escalation training as an alternative to force and cited comparative workplace-violence statistics for health-care workers.
Several speakers told the council of alleged wrongful child removals and cited specific local agencies and medical providers. Claire Connor said her son was removed after what she alleges were falsified medical test results at Amherst Family Practice, and that dozens of other families had contacted her after a social-media post. Demetrius Gwynn and Dave and Jane Dalton described long-term struggles with family-court and adult-abuse findings, and the Daltons said multiple adult children with disabilities were removed from their care; they described appeals and administrative-review processes they said had failed them.
Council did not take action during public comment. Mayor Beach and staff acknowledged speakers and noted the time limit and the city attorney and departmental staff indicated next steps where appropriate but made no policy commitments during the meeting.
