Sometime this week, Kalamazoo residents will get to read a much-anticipated report on the mishandling of protests and rallies last summer by the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (KDPS).
That will precede a public meeting next week to hear from the investigators themselves.
What Happened: Protests following the murder of George Floyd last summer were met with pepper spray and riot police. A few months later, a rally by an out-of-town racist group was left completely alone until after violence broke out.
The disparity between how KDPS handled the two events led to outrage in the community and the firing of the public safety chief.
City leaders hired outside investigators to review the events and compile a report on what went wrong in the two situations. That report is what is expected to be released later this week.
What’s Next: The final report is expected to be posted to the city’s website sometime this week. City leaders will not get a private preview of the materials as was previously reported.
Then, at 6pm on Tuesday, August 10, the Kalamazoo City Commission will hold a joint meeting with the Citizens Public Safety Review and Appeals Board. Investigators will formally present their findings to the two panels and answer questions.
The meeting will be held virtually and livestreamed on Public Media Network, YouTube, and the city’s Facebook page.
You can read more on MLive.
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