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During council comments at their meeting Tuesday, Silver City town councilors addressed two recent demonstrations in Silver City, a June 5 Black Lives Matter protest that drew around 450 people to Gough Park, and a June 19 support law enforcement rally in which more than 100 vehicles and nearly a dozen Cowboys for Trump on horseback paraded up Bullard Street.

I attended the rally to support our law enforcement, District 3 Councilor Jose Ray said. I was very impressed with the people who showed up there elderly and younger generations. We have to support our law enforcement, even though some people dont like em; but thats neither here nor there.

Ray also gave thanks to U.S. Forest Service personnel who are fighting two fires burning in the Gila National Forest north of Silver City, and encouraged visitors to the forest to clean up after themselves.

Be sure and pack it in and pack it out, he said, adding, God bless America.

District 4 Councilor Guadalupe Cano, who again had internet connectivity issues that made it difficult to hear some of her comments during Tuesdays online meeting, also addressed the recent demonstrations.

I attended both the Black Lives Matter protest rally and also the law enforcement appreciation rally, and I want to thank Chief [Fred] Portillo and the Silver City Police Department. They did an excellent job both evenings, making sure that those that gathered were peaceful. Everyone seemed to be OK and get along very well, despite things in the community being a little bit charged.

Police oversight

Cano then turned to an incident involving the Police Department that was filmed in Gough Park on the afternoon of Sunday, June 14.

A lot of times, you see things on social media, and just assume something has happened, Cano said, addressing Portillo. Thank you for clarifying things and making that [information] available to the community; you did an excellent job of making the community aware of what was happening.

The cellphone video, which caused an uproar on Facebook, shows two teenagers lying face down on the grass, being detained by a Silver City police officer who has his Taser drawn. The two boys allegedly got into a fight while playing with a larger group of kids, and the officer broke up the fight by using what both the officer and Portillo characterized as a show of force. The department determined no actual use of force came into play, since the officer said he never pointed the nonlethal weapon directly at the boys.

Town Manager Alex Brown told councilors that he and Mayor Ken Ladner had gotten a lot of inquiries about the towns use-of-force policy. Not negative comments, just inquiries about the policy.

The mayor and I thought it might be a good idea to get out in front of this and get correct information out there, and we talked about appointing an advisory committee of interested residents to help, Brown continued. But I started talking to Chief Portillo, and he was getting the same requests, and actually got a request from a group of people who want to review the policies and look at them together.

Brown suggested it might be a good idea to model a police advisory and policy review committee on a committee that was formed from an interested group a couple of years ago which assessed whether first responders in Silver City were overusing sirens on emergency vehicles. The group concluded that first responders were justified in their use of sirens, and that, on average, Silver Citians experience eight siren events each day.

The siren group actually ended up being advocates for emergency services, Brown added, turning to the police chief for more details.

Portillo announced that a policy review committee is already being formed, and was set to pick up a copy of the departments existing handbook Wednesday.

Theres an individual that reached out to the Police Department and town, and they are in the beginning stages of forming a type of citizens advisory committee, Portillo said. The individual is Andy Payne, and their main goal is to get some ideas from the public.

I got with my staff, and told them that the officers out in the field are the ones that we want to be part of it, so that way they can try to help educate the committee, and get the information out there and be more transparent, Portillo explained, adding that based on the conversation he had with Payne, the goal seems to be more public relations and building that bridge for communication. Its in the beginning stages, but thats the direction were heading.

Payne is a retired teacher and farmer, who emphasized to the Daily Press that the group on behalf of which he reached out to the chief has no leader.

After an email went out, we had a Zoom meeting, and I just happened to be the one that made the contact with the department, Payne said. Its a group of people who want to find out a little more about how our Police Department works, and the chief was helpful in getting us information. What are our Police Departments policies? Nobody really knows what the policies are. Were hoping to work with the police, if we need to work with the police on anything, and so far, the chief has been very willing to share information.

Cano asked if others might be included in the process.

Since were giving one group access to you in that way, I would say any group in town that wanted to approach the chief and talk about the policies and offer suggestions they should have access, Ladner said.

Portillo agreed.

Brown told the Daily Press that anyone interested in reviewing the departments policies should contact Portillo directly. The non-emergency number for the Silver City Police Department is 538-3723, and Portillos email is fporti llo@silvercitymail.com.

Tourism during COVID-19

Sunny 505 President Joanie Griffin apprised councilors about the current status of tourism in Silver City and Grant County. The company, which provides marketing services for both the town and the county, has more or less suspended its advertising campaigns in outside markets like Tucson, and anticipates the states COVID-19 restrictions will fundamentally alter the types of attractions the company will promote in the future.

Its a dicey situation, she said. Currently, the [New Mexico] Tourism Department has gone dark on all advertising for tourism, as has the town. We are taking our lead from the Governors Office and the Tourism Department. At this time, its really not safe to have tourists coming en masse, despite the loss of visitor dollars Silver City relies on.

Right now, we are promoting Silver City through our earned media outreach unpaid media coverage through our electronic newsletter, and posting on social media, Griffin said.

She said that when she gets word from the state that its safe to start advertising, we will ramp up our advertising with a safety-first message. She explained that Sunny 505 wont be promoting Silver City as a destination for festivals like the Blues Fest or mass gatherings like the Tour of the Gila, but rather will be highlighting outdoor activities like hiking, cycling and camping that can be enjoyed while social distancing.

We certainly will not be showing festivals with lots of groups of people, and if we show people dining, we will show them social distancing, Griffin continued, showing an advertisement featuring a lone woman rock climbing. All our ads will look like this photo here, or of families enjoying the outdoors.

Griffin also said that when she does get the green light to advertise again, all marketing materials will emphasize mask-wearing, social distancing and COVID-safe practices.

This is the new normal, she said, adding that grant money and funding from the state that was to be used this spring and summer will still be accessible and may even be increased by the state in the future. We have a nice account waiting.

GEOFFREY PLANT

Excerpt from:
Silver council welcomes review of police policies - Silver City Daily Press and Independent