Press release submitted by Nick Hamill
Hamill
Libertarian candidate for Michigan City mayor, Nick Hamill, applauded President Obama’s announcement May 18, 2015, effectively bringing a halt to federal efforts to militarize local police departments. The president’s order brings a stop to the flow of armored vehicles, high-caliber firearms and camouflage uniforms to local police.
The president’s actions, according to a Hamill press release, are in response to a published report issued by a committee appointed to analyze police actions and community relations on the heels of high-profile
incidents involving police in minority communities, including Ferguson, MO, New York City, Baltimore and other cities.
“I am very pleased today,” said Hamill, who led LaPorte County efforts to return an armored military vehicle on loan to the Michigan City Police Department. “I urge Mayor Ron Meer and Chief Mark Swistek to proactively return the equipment on loan, including the high-profile
MRAP vehicle, before the federal government mandates the equipment’s return.
“Our original group’s opposition to the militarization of our police department was echoed in the report’s finding,” Hamill said. “They call for local law enforcement agencies to embrace a guardian — rather than a warrior — mindset to build trust and legitimacy both within agencies and with the public. That has been our point all along. We need to stop polarizing groups
within our communities, especially along racial and economic lines. I hope Mayor Meer heeds this advice as he wraps up his term as mayor.”
Contact Hamill at nick_hamill@yahoo.com.