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Pastor urges mayor to condemn alleged police brutality; mayor outlines investigation and training
Summary
During public comment Reverend Jamila O'Neil urged Mansfield leaders to publicly denounce police brutality and asked for Mayor Jody to speak; the mayor responded that the city follows a multistep internal investigation, has met with NAACP and MIMA leaders, and described increased officer training and plans for quarterly community meetings.
Reverend Jamila O'Neil of Greater Mitchell Chapel AME Church urged Mansfield officials to publicly address a recent officer‑involved incident involving Calvin Caldwell and called for a statement from the mayor and city leadership saying the community does not stand by police brutality.
"We don't agree with police brutality," O'Neil said during the public‑comment period, and asked leaders to "choose a side of right" by issuing a public statement. She said the incident and additional reports of police brutality have deeply shaken her congregation and others in the community.
Mayor Jody used his allotted time later in the meeting to respond. He said the city has a "very stringent internal investigation process" for public complaints and that legal constraints limit what officials can say about an ongoing investigation. He said city leaders have met with NAACP and MIMA representatives, are setting up quarterly meetings with community groups, and plan to publish some data showing that resistance‑to‑arrest numbers have declined even as overall arrests rose over five years.
The mayor also described expanded training for officers — de‑escalation and implicit‑bias training — and invited Reverend O'Neil and others to meet with him and department leaders. "We take concerns very seriously, as does the department," he said, and added that while legal limits can constrain specifics, the city will share more information as it becomes available.
The public comment and mayoral response were presented without a vote; officials emphasized ongoing investigative and community‑engagement steps rather than immediate disciplinary announcements.
