Daytona Times - July 21, 2016

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Top award for Halifax Health employee SEE PAGE 2

East Central Florida’s Black Voice

EE FR

HARRY C. ALFORD: There’s no responsible leadership to guide us out of crises around the world SEE PAGE 4

BAND PAYS TRIBUTE TO PRINCE AT DAYTONA BANDSHELL SEE PAGE 2

JULY 21 - JULY 27, 2016

YEAR 41 NO. 29

www.daytonatimes.com

Did Black Lives Matter set car on fire? Organizers of area events doubt anyone locally was involved. BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES

COURTESY OF DAYTONA BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT

An unmanned car parked near the Islamic Center of Daytona Beach is shown in flames.

Although a note implicating Black Lives Matter was found next to a firebombed Daytona Beach police car early Sunday morning, area organizers of marches and protests don’t believe anyone locally connected with the movement was involved. The car, which was parked near the Islamic Center of Daytona Beach, made national news.

Firefighters responded to calls and arrived to see a police squad car fully engulfed in flames. “Someone did firebomb the car at about 2 a.m. and left a note next to the car,” confirmed Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood.

Black Lives Matter note According to a police report, the note read: Black Lives Matter, A. Starling P. Castile and F… The Police!!! Alton Sterling, 37, was shot to death by police shot to death police in Baton Rouge, La. On July 5. The next day, Philando Castille, 32, was shot dead by

a White Minnesota policeman during a traffic stop for a busted taillight. The deaths have led to Black Lives Matter protests nationwide. “We are not attaching it to anything other than the person responsible is a just a knucklehead. There is no way to tell who left it there. This is just what we have,” Chitwood said. As of the Daytona Times presstime on Wednesday, there had been no reported arrests in the incident. The state fire marshal will investigate the incident, which appears to be an act of arson. See CAR, Page 2

DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Local law enforcement officers address residents during an anti-violence event on July 17 at Hope Fellowship Church.

Addressing the violence in a peaceful way Community events are focusing on seeking solutions, understanding BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES

Recent shootings across the nation have intensified local efforts to address violence. On July 17, a small group of residents attended an event at the Dickerson Community Center and James Huger Park, located in the 300 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The event showed support for the

Black Lives Matter movement as well as denounced violence, injustice and police brutality both nationally and locally. “I have love for my people. I don’t hate anybody, but I have love for my people first,” responded Sean Hamilton, who is a Daytona Beach resident and father of four sons. Both of his parents – now deceased – were police officers.

Promoting unity Hamilton organized the event with the help of Facebook and was motivated by a Black Lives Matter event that he

attended in Washington D.C. the previous week. “I was moved by the unity and the love. We are behind in Daytona. I am worried about Black-on-Black crime and police brutality. Fortunately, here in Daytona we haven’t had an incident of a cop killing an innocent Black person, but if they do we should hold them ac-

Residents invited to have coffee with a cop BY DAYTONA TIMES STAFF

Area residents and officers of the Daytona Beach Police Department (DBPD) will get a chance to sip coffee and chat during an informal event next week at a local Starbucks. Coffee with a Cop will take place at 5 p.m. July 29 at the Starbucks at 110 S. Ocean Ave., Day-

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tona Beach. The event is billed as an opportunity for residents and officers “to come together in an informal neutral space to discuss community issues, build relationships and drink coffee.’’

Breaking down barriers In a statement, DBPD notes that the majority of contact law enforcement has with the public

happen during emergencies or emotional situations. “Those situations are not always the most effective times for relationship building with the community, and some community members may feel that officers are unapproachable on the streets. Coffee with a Cop breaks down barriers and allows for a relaxed one-on-one interaction,’’ the department adds.

countable. We also shouldn’t have cops being killed,” Hamilton commented. Those who participated were glad to show their support. “We must start somewhere. We must support our community. We need to stick up for each other. We need to protect our citizens and ourselves. We are a

DBPD Chief Mike Chitwood stated, “We hope that community members will feel comfortable to ask questions, bring concerns or simply get to know our officers. These interactions are the foundation of community partnerships.”

National initiative Coffee with a Cop is a national initiative supported by the United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Similar events

TRAVEL: HEADING ON VACATION? BE AWARE OF POTENTIAL PERILS | PAGE 5 NATION: CELEBRITY RESPONSE TO POLICE KILLINGS IS NOTHING NEW | PAGE 7

See EVENTS, Page 2

are being held across the county as local police departments strive to make lasting connections with the communities they serve. The program aims to advance the practice of community policing through improving relationships between police officers and its community members one cup of coffee at a time. For more information, contact Lt. Major Garvin at 386-671-5308 or via email at garvinm@dbpd. us.


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