A decision by a grand jury on whether to indict the police officer involved in the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson Missouri is expected any day, but Springfield NAACP chapter president Teresa Haley says the timing of the second of a series of town meetings Thursday night was coincidental.
“The last time we met we set this date regardless of what happens in Ferguson,” says Haley. “We want to continue to have these meetings; perhaps set up an education summit, doing a youth summit. We are also talking to the police department about bringing in black males to sit down with the police.”
Haley is optimistic that the town hall meetings will bear fruit. Springfield Police Chief Kenny Winslow is as well. He says it has opened up lines of communications between his officers and the community at large that previously did not exist.
He did acknowledge, however, he has met with Sangamon County sheriff’s officials to develop contingency plans.