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Residents and advocates press East Lansing council over police chief’s remarks and request independent investigation
Summary
Public commenters and local organizations called for Police Chief Jen Brown’s resignation or a state investigation after new surveillance footage and comments attributed to the chief. Council directed staff and legal review of policies and oversight practices but did not take formal disciplinary action.
Public commenters at the East Lansing City Council meeting on Oct. 7 demanded accountability after newly publicized footage of an Aug. 23 incident and recent comments attributed to Police Chief Jen Brown.
Speakers representing the East Lansing Independent Police Oversight Commission, the NAACP and families directly affected by the incident urged the council to keep and strengthen civilian oversight and to seek outside review. Amanda Morgan, an oversight commissioner, said the commission must retain authority and resources to foster “genuine and sincere conversations about change.” Kath Edsall, speaking on her own behalf, said news outlets released surveillance footage that contradicts the department’s earlier narrative and accused the chief of having selectively released body-worn camera clips. Harland Pope of the NAACP called for transparency and said the footage showed what he described as undue use of pepper spray on a young man.
A caller from the Women’s Center of Greater Lansing read a press release asking Mayor George Brookover and the council to seek Chief Jen Brown’s resignation and to request independent investigations by the Michigan Department of Civil Rights and the Michigan attorney general’s office. Several commenters said the chief’s public remarks “othered” Black and brown residents and undermined trust between law enforcement and the community.
Mayor Brookover acknowledged the city’s history of confronting racial disparities and asked the city manager and city attorney to undertake an immediate review of police and personnel policies and report back on outside resources — for example, the MSU School of Criminal Justice — that could support reforms. City Manager Belliman called the chief’s comments “offensive and racist,” said an apology fell short for some in the community, and described the moment as an opportunity for learning; Belliman also said he stands behind Jen Brown’s willingness to grow.
Councilmembers and staff repeatedly emphasized transparency concerns raised by the oversight commission, including a recent practice reported by commissioners of receiving monthly use-of-force reports without officer names. The council did not take disciplinary action at the meeting; instead, members said they would monitor developments and seek legal and policy guidance on records release and oversight authority.
The council’s next procedural steps on this matter will be determined after staff and legal review; speakers at the meeting requested publicly available results of any reviews and independent investigations.
