Harlem, NY - In a time when reconciliation is sorely needed, the New York City Council sponsored a hearing of the Select Committee on Police Performance and Community Relations to bring together city council members, ranking police officials and community members to find solutions to the crisis that grips New York City.

The shootings of Amadou Diallo, Patrick Dorismond and others have left members of the African American and Latino communities in fear for their lives. Ironically, people aren't afraid of the usual suspects. Instead, they are scared of the very ones who are paid to "serve and protect."

The hearing, that was led by Annette Robinson, Chair of the Select Committee, gave Manhattanites an opportunity to hear a panel of four police officials answer questions posed by the committee. The councilmembers questioned the officers on a range of topics from "how police officers are trained" to "programs in place to better familiarize police with the populations they serve." Much to the audience's dismay, the police officials gave very standard answers that highlighted statistics and programs. The tension of the hearing rose more with each "robotic" answer. By the time the committee finished the questioning, the audience had gone from reserve and quiet to emotional and responsive. Community member were visibly upset and wanted straight answers to how the police were going to address the real problems that exist in the NYPD.

Ms. Robinson had to repeatedly ask for quiet so the officers could finish their answers. When the officers we finished, they resumed seats in the audience to listen to testimony given by community members. New York residents young and old offered their feelings about and stories of encounters with police. The first woman to speak testified that she had been beaten by police officers herself and demanded something be done to stop the racism present in the police force. She also offered that the true drop in crime in the city that the officers referred to was a result of the success of the Million Man March led by Louis Farrakhan in October of 1995 in Washington D.C.

This was the second of a series of hearings that will be held throughout the City. One thing is clear, there is a lot more work that needs to be done before the relationship between the NYPD and the City's diverse communities is improved. Councilmembers in attendance, Speaker Peter Vallone, Bill Perkins, Adolfo Carrion, Walter McCaffery, James Oddo, Angel Rodriguez, Christine Quinn, Lawrence Warden and Juanita Watkins. Also in attendance Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields.