Actions to take regarding allegations of racial profiling in the Bellaire Police Department is the subject of the fourth question in InstantnewsBellaire’s Q&A series with Bellaire City Council candidates.
We asked candidates:
In the wake of the Tolan shooting incident early this year, the Bellaire Police Department came under fire for alleged racial profiling. Do you believe changes need to be made at the Bellaire Police Department to address those concerns? If so, what changes would you like to see?
Here are the answers from the unopposed candidate for Place 1 on the council. Scroll to the bottom for information on the procedures of this Q&A.
Will Hickman
Will Hickman
Although it has been 10 months since the Tolan shooting, we are still at the beginning of the legal process.
Sgt. Cotton has been indicted by a Harris County Grand Jury, and is set for criminal trial in January, 2010.
The Tolan family has filed a civil suit against the City of Bellaire in Federal District Court in the Southern District of Texas in Houston. That case is pending, and the proceedings have been stayed pending the outcome of the criminal trial.
Until the criminal trial and the civil trial have been resolved, I will be unable to provide any further comments on the case.
What I can tell you at this point is that I am glad I live in Bellaire, and that me and my family are safe due to the great work the Bellaire Police Department does to protect us.
Yours,
Will Hickman
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In this series, candidates receive questions twice per week and have 24 hours to respond with an answer that is less than 300 words long. The answers publish with no editing. Do you have a question for candidates about Bellaire issues? Please email it to agrant [at] instantnewsbellaire [dot] com.
