Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Public speakers demand accountability as East Lansing hires outside counsel to review police actions
Summary
Multiple speakers at the Nov. 18 East Lansing council meeting accused Police Chief Jennifer Brown and officers of racially biased statements and misconduct; others defended the chief. City Manager Robert Bellman reported the council authorized outside counsel (Hahnemann law firm) and engaged Michelle Crockett to conduct an independent review of recent downtown incidents.
A heated public-comment period at the East Lansing City Council’s Nov. 18 meeting centered on allegations about police conduct and statements by Police Chief Jennifer Brown arising from recent downtown incidents. Several residents demanded accountability — including calls for the chief’s removal — while supporters urged the council to back Brown and the department.
Harold Pope said the chief’s reported comments "represent a deeply harmful departure from these principles" of transparency and equity and argued that "the resignation or removal of the current police chief is necessary." Multiple speakers asked the…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
