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GOVERNMENT MAYOR MARViN’s COLUMN

Continued from page 18at the upcoming School Board meeting this Thursday evening with the goal of a Village/School collaboration. Due to the topography of the School as the School complex is situated at the second lowest point in the Village, no project

will ever alleviate all flooding, but this project would go a long way to mitigate damage both at the School and neighboring residential areas including Bolton Gardens. The Federal grant has the added benefit of requiring only a 25% local match unlike the 50% required in virtually all other grant programs.

In the interim, we are going forward with

our pipe/infrastructure cleaning and restora-tion program throughout the Village. As part of the Village Capital Improvement Program for 2011-2012, $500K was borrowed and put aside to provide resources for an on-going Village storm water management program.

Given that all recent scientific evidence predicts both an increase in frequency and

duration in future rain events, we will be vigi-lant in pursuing all opportunities for mitigation monies.

Mary C. Marvin is the mayor of the Village of Bronxville, New York. If you have a suggestion or comment, consider directing your perspective by email to: mayor@vobny.com.

Flooding

CRiME

On November 19, 2011, White Plains Police Commissioner Chong held a press conference to address the justification of White Plains

Police SWAT team using deadly force to subdue a 68-year-old man with a known heart condi-tion brought more questions than answers from Chamberlain family and within law enforcement circles of Westchester County. Mr. Chamberlain Sr. was a 20-year veteran of the Westchester County Department of Corrections, and he proudly served the United States of America as a Marine, receiving an honorable discharge.According to Journal News reports, Commissioner Chong stated that White Plains Police Officers was called to Mr. Chamberlains home for a 911 call report of a person in distress. Commissioner Chong even went further to state that his police officers even heard screaming voices coming from inside Mr. Chamberlain’s apartment. Commissioner Chong even claimed that Mr. Chamberlain refused to allow the police officers into his home and even attempted to cut the officers with a hatchet. Commissioner Chong painted the picture that Mr. Chamberlain Sr. was so wild and out of control that they had to call SWAT. Mr. Chamberlain Sr. was shot with a Taser gun, which did not slow him down, and then was shot four times in the legs and abdomen with beanbags from a shotgun, but continued to slash at officers with the knife until one officer shot him twice with his .40-caliber semiautomatic service weapon.When I first read this story, I knew something went terribly wrong for them to use deadly force on a man with a knife. As a Correction Officer for over 22 years, there is no way a FIVE-man SWAT team, with body armor and a shield cannot subdue and overcome a 68-year-old man with a heart condition. They are required to train for these situations all the time. In the Department of Correction this is done all the time without any use of deadly force. This fact was also known to Mr. Chamberlain’s son, Kenneth Chamberlain Jr., who has worked as professional body guard and is currently a Martial Arts Instructor.“Something just wasn’t right with the story”,

said Chamberlain Jr. He never condemned White Plains Police Department. The younger Chamberlain felt he wasn’t being told the truth in his father’s death.The Chamberlain family remained calm and respectful throughout this ordeal with a main purpose of obtaining the truth about their loved ones death. Even when others felt that White Plains police management was stone walling the Chamberlain family with information and even not telling the family where the body was being held the Chamberlain family stayed positive. The Chamberlain family met with the District Attorney Tim Ward to view the video and audio of the last moments of Mr. Chamberlain’s life. “I didn’t know what to expect” said Chamberlain Jr. “My father was not crazy, they killed him!” On Wednesday, February 15, the Chamberlain family and supporters gathered in front of the Westchester County Courthouse to tell the real story of the shooting of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr.In response to the call, police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians went to Mr. Chamberlain’s home. Once at his house, the police knocked on Mr. Chamberlain’s door and were verbally greeted by him. He told them that

he did not need assistance and there was no medical emergency. He told them that he did not call them.

Despite being told that there was no need for their services, the police refused to leave and insisted that Mr. Chamberlain let them into his home. Mr. Chamberlain had not committed any crime and he declined to let them into his home. Mr. Chamberlain communicated with police at length, and his medical alert service provider advised the White Plains Police Department that they wanted to withdraw their request for medical assistance because there was no emergency.

Despite this information, the police continued to insist that they gain an entry to Mr. Chamberlain’s apartment. During the incident the police banged on Mr. Chamberlain’s door over and over again, causing him to fear for his life. “In fact, Mr. Chamberlain contacted his medical alert service provider while the police were banging on his door and asked them for help. He told them that the White Plains Police Department employees were outside his door and were going to kill him,” said Mayo Bartlett Esq., the Chamberlains family attorney.The medical alert service provider recorded the communications between the police and the Mr. Chamberlain. “During the incident, the police were disrespectful to Mr. Chamberlain and

Continued on page 20

The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. By DAMON JONEs

- A Hate Crime

Page 20 The WesTchesTer Guardian ThursdaY, FeBruarY 23, 2012

Continued from page 19 threatened him as he stood in his apartment and told them that he just wanted to be left alone. The police continued to bang on Mr. Chamberlain’s door for approximately an hour. During that time they taunted Mr. Chamberlain, cursed at him, and called him a nigger,” said Bartlett.They ultimately broke through his apartment door and forced their way into his apartment, all without his consent. Upon entering his home, and without warning or prior verbal warnings or orders, police immediately used a Taser weapon against Mr. Chamberlain and attempted to shock him with the Taser’s electricity. Mr. Chamberlain was standing approximately six to eight feet away from the officers, and he was

wearing nothing but boxer shorts when the police began their assault against him. After using the Taser against Mr. Chamberlain, police shot beanbags at decedent through a high-powered weapon. Finally, an officer discharged his firearm at Mr. Chamberlain and at least two bullets entered his chest; killing him.“Why didn’t the police just leave? What was the purpose of staying when Life Alert the company that called you to go to the house have asked you to leave the house,” said Chamberlain Jr.The family is requesting Mr. Chamberlain’s homicide be investigated by the United States Department of Justice, or the New York State Attorney General. “The shooting should be investigated and prosecuted as a hate crime since

it appears that his killing was motivated by hate,” said Bartlett.From what was heard in the audio, the only one that was in control was Mr. Chamberlain Sr. Oh, there was a knife, but does that still justify the use of deadly force when you have a FIVE-man SWAT team with a shield against a 68 year old man with a heart condition?“The shooting of Mr. Chamberlain was a clear overreaction of the White Plains Police Department. The officers using the word Nigger and killing Mr. Chamberlain, all should be charged with hate crimes by the Department of Justice” said Ronald Hampton, Blacks in Law Enforcement of America, Washington D.C. office.Recently, a 29-year-old man, Anthony Copicotto barricaded himself in his apartment following

an armed standoff. The difference is, they didn’t kill Mr. Copicotto and he had replica guns and AK- 15 rifle. According to Lt. Keith Williams of Stony Point Police of the Copicotto incident “The officers did an outstanding job and used a lot of restraint.”Only in Westchester County can Life Alert call the police to a black man’s house and he’s shot and killed by those that are called to save his life. The recent wave of shootings have shown it doesn’t matter if you a star college football player, a Police Officer, a Marine Veteran and Correction Officer , as long as your skin is dark, there is no restraint or control for them not to pull the trigger and label it - Justifiable Homicide.

Damon K. Jones is Executive Director of Westchester Blacks in Law Enforcement.

CRIME

The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. - A Hate Crime

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

It is apparently appropriate to use a developer to help create and pay for needed parking in downtown New Rochelle, but it is seemingly improper

for a developer to finance moving the City Yard to Breechwood Avenue. On February 14, 2012, the New Rochelle City Council discussed the financial proposals presented to them from two disparate companies over which a vote will need to be taken by the next meeting.

The Forest City Residential proposal was recently given a 60-day extension under the definition of an MOU (memorandum of understanding) to produce a plan for the water-front at the present City Yard site. A discussion ensued on the necessity to move the City Yard to Beechwood Avenue and the New Rochelle’s need to bond $600,000 to prepare a design for a new City Yard at the Beechwood site which the City had purchased several years ago.

Two Republican Councilmen, Al Tarantino

and Lou Trangucci, had serious objections to funding the design phase of the project at this time. Councilman Tarantino expressed concerns that encumbering the city with the need for a bond to cover future costs to move the project to a new location at the city’s expense was not warranted because of the duress presently suffered by the city, and the lackluster prospects of the economy at present. Tarantino believes excessive debt can hamper the City by being a catalyst for layoffs of personnel, specifically of fire and police officers.

Councilman Trangucci agreed with Tarantino’s analysis. He did not want to vote on a bonding proposal until Forest City Residential fully divulged their proposal for the present City Yard property. Trangucci emphasized that in the past, it was assumed that development of the City Yard site would be predicated on the developer’s plans for Echo Bay and the mone-tary contribution that Forest City Residential would present to offset the development costs.

Tarantino asked for appraisals of the current Beechwood site and the present City Yard site to determine their value and to ascertain if they are clean.

New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson and City Manager Chuck Strome insisted they could not determine the value of the present City Yard site unless they knew what was the intended use for the property. City Manager Strome advised that necessary soil remediation would be the responsibility born by the developer, but costs of moving the City Yard venue would be an expense incurred by the City alone. Bramson agreed, stating that a waterfront developer could not “carry the costs of a City Yard move unless we are willing to accept a very high density” in their development.

A different perspective revealed itself when the Simone MOU proposal was discussed. The Simone Project, formulated in four phases, this an undertaking that would contain 550 resi-dential units, 13,000 square feet of retail space,

and 1,100 parking spaces, including provisions to replace the Church-Division Garage. While Bramson recounted the past proposals for the area, Commissioner of Development, Michael Friemuth, cautioned that the Simone Project would be completed in four phases, yet no guar-antee has been made that all four phasesof the project would transpire.

Councilman Jared Rice questioned the breakdown of rental units at 80/20 (80% market rate, 20% affordable). It was suggested the mixture could be 60/40 for the first phase. It had become evident that residents were comfortable shoping on Main Street but that the 60/40 mix was “not ideal.”

During the discussion, Strome strongly recommended moving forward with the devel-opment lest the City find itself required to invest several million dollars to rebuild or upgrade the Church-Division Garage. Mr Strome suggested the MOU would allow the City “to work with the developer.”

Peggy Godfrey is a freelance writer and a former educator.

Contemplating the Role Developers Play in New Rochelle’s Finances?By PEGGY GODFREY

FINANCE

I am not a Washington insider, but in the course of a long career I have come to know a few people who work on Capitol Hill. I happened to talk to one of

them in the closing weeks of 2009, just before the federal estate tax was scheduled to take a one-year hiatus.

It would never happen, my contact assured me. Democrats controlled the Senate, the House of Representatives and the White House, and they were going to ensure that the tax would continue as it existed in 2009: at a rate of 45 percent on estates greater than $3.5 million.

Things did not work out that way. The estate tax actually took its one-year break. When it

returned at the end of 2010 – after Republicans had scored solid election gains, but before they took control of the House – it was at today’s top rate of 35 percent, and it applied only to estates greater than $5 million.

Political intelligence from Washington ought to carry a label warning that it is inher-ently unreliable. There are 535 legislators, who all seem to believe that they single-handedly control the fate of the Republic, while at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue sits the occupant of the Oval Office, who is convinced of the same thing. And they’re all wrong.

I do not mean to suggest that informa-tion about what is happening in Washington is valueless; far from it. An army of well-paid lobbyists proves the opposite every day. Traditionally, lobbying is considered to be the art of influencing legislation and government policy, but that is only part of the job. Any good lobbyist would tell you that a big part of the work is just keeping track of what is happening inside the government before it emerges into public view.

This is where the line between lobbying and the more recently defined field of “political

Continued on page 21

Limits Of, And On, Political IntelligenceBy LARRY M. ELKIN