Church, police group to finalize protocol for Charleston following Charlotte shooting

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Members of the RESET group in Charleston plan to finalize an official protocol for the city soon as a precaution to fatal police-involved shootings across the nation.

“We’re trying to build the relationships now so that if a crisis happens, that we’ll be better prepared to deal with, better prepared to community,” said Charleston Deputy Mayor Rod Blackstone on Thursday’s “580 Live” heard on MetroNews affiliate 580-WCHS.

The most recent officer-involved shooting was Tuesday night in Charlotte, North Carolina where Keith Lamont Scott, 43, was shot and killed by police. Police said Scott was holding a handgun as he exited his car and was warned multiple times to drop it, but his family claims he was holding a book.

Scott’s death lead to a night of protests and violence in Charlotte. Authorities said more than a dozen officers were injured.

“It seems like it is out of control,” Blackstone said. “It makes me wonder what else was happening there beforehand.”

The RESET group, made up of local clergy, community leaders and law enforcement, was established after Michael Brown, 18, was killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014.

“We got a whole bunch of police officers and a whole bunch of clergy across different denominations and different backgrounds together to start the conversation, to help the police understand what folks are hearing in the community,” Blackstone said.

The group meets regularly to talk about police-involved incidents in hopes that racial tensions don’t escalate in Charleston and across the state.

For more information on RESET, visit their Facebook page here.





More News

News
UMWA to fight planned Pennsylvania coal mine closure, 700 mining jobs at risk
Cumberland Mine less than 40 miles from Morgantown.
March 28, 2024 - 2:23 pm
News
Bridge collapse having an impact on West Virginia coal shipments
About third of the coal mined in northern West Virginia is shipped out of the presently idled Port of Baltimore
March 28, 2024 - 1:18 pm
News
Charleston animal shelter seeks more donations, fosters following U-Haul crash
The corner roof of the Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association building was stabilized Thursday morning.
March 28, 2024 - 12:41 pm
News
Controversial unemployment bill becomes law without governor's signature
The bill freezes employer contributions and freezes benefits for people who lose their jobs.
March 28, 2024 - 12:20 pm