It's Black History Month,
the time set aside to pay tribute to
the oppression and progress of the
black community throughout history.
As a show about policy
and political movements,
there are so many figures and moments
in history we remember and appreciate.
But today we want to focus
on what's being done next,
what new adversities or recurring
ones will lead to new progress,
plus leaders working to envision and
make real a more equitable Connecticut.
Good morning and thanks for
joining us on the real story.
I'm a mobile force.
Joining me right now is state Senator
Heron Gaston, Democrat from Bridgeport.
Thanks so much for being here.
I'm so glad to be here.
Thank you. So kicking off.
Obviously we said we're talking
about Black History Month and
we know you're very busy right
now with your first legislative
session here in Connecticut.
You were voted into your
Senate seat this past election
representing a city with a large
minority population in this state.
What does it mean to you to be
a part of the progress toward
representation in our state legislature?
I think it's crucially important to
have representation that reflects the
universality and diversity of the Community.
To which individuals come from.
And as I look at Bridgeport,
I don't see Bridgeport as a
melting pot but a salad bowl.
And each of us have our special
ingredients by which we're
able to contribute to that.
And I also represent the town
of Stratford as well.
That also has a very diverse
racial makeup as well as
composition of the community.
Absolutely. As I said, again,
we're kicking off Black History Month here.
You actually worked with the late John Lewis,
a powerful civil rights advocate.
Do you think it's important?
While you work and look forward to also
keep history and the past in mind,
absolutely. You know,
one of the things I like to say to people
is that if you don't know your history,
you don't know your past.
If you don't know your past,
you don't know your present.
If you don't know your present,
you don't know your future.
I think it's critically important
to think about where we've been
and how far we've come and where
we still need to go as a society.
And we've made a lot of progress,
but we've also seen.
That the moral arc of the universe is long.
And as Doctor King once said,
but it bends towards justice.
And every now and then we see that
the pendulum swings in the right
direction and then sometime that
pendulum swings in the wrong direction.
But for those of us who want
to continue to center those
conversations that help to make
our country much more inclusive,
it's incumbent upon all of us to
make sure that we're continuing
to swing that pendulum forward
and swinging that pendulum with work.
You're Co chair of the Public
Safety Committee, we know.
There have been renewed demands
for more police accountability
after the death of Tyree Nichols.
But this isn't new,
and Connecticut has passed
some legislation before.
Right now, you are sponsoring a new bill
to increase not only accountability,
but trust between communities and officers.
Can you tell me a little bit
more about that proposal?
Yes. So my colleague Fred G and
I are working on this initiative
that kind of comes out of the
Alvin Penn Racial profiling Bill.
And so I introduced Senate Bill 223
that would require law enforcement
officials across the state of
Connecticut who come in contact with
motorists for a routine traffic stop.
I would have to notify.
And the reason why the motorist
is being pulled over,
it's a basic courtesy issue.
I think it cuts across communities.
I think that we have a generation
of people now that, you know,
we have taught as a society to ask
questions of institutions, of people.
And I just think it's the right thing to do.
To help foster positive interaction
from the very onset of that
stop for that law enforcement
official in the motorists
and would there be any
funding related to that bill,
what could community policing
efforts look like in our state?
Absolutely. So I think that you know on
top of of of this bill built into that,
I would also like to see implicit
bias training of law enforcement
officials going into the profession
as well as deescalation training.
I would like to see more.
Police departments and municipalities
and towns that have law enforcement
departments to engage with the
community as well about policing.
And maybe they could do classes like
Citizens review classes or giving
the opportunity to lay people to come
in and to see the intricacies of how
the Police Department actually work.
I know that when I was at Yale
University as an administrator.
I know that the Yale Police Department.
Actually provided a citizens police
Academy that allowed the public
to come in and to see and to
build relationships between law
enforcement and the broader community.
So I would like to see that happen
across our 169 towns and cities.
Interesting. And have you seen any
bipartisan support for this bill yet?
What's what's sort of the status
of your Senate bill right now?
Absolutely.
We want this to to be broad based.
We're working across the aisle with our.
Republican colleagues as well
on this and I do believe that
we are finding some synergy.
There are a lot of folks who are
in law enforcement who serve on
the Public Safety Committee and
so far we've gotten very good
feedback in terms of their their
leaning towards this bill and put
in some real teeth in our in our
legislation around this issue.
I'm well Speaking of those
Republican colleagues,
some on your committee have
opposed a bill to ensure police
without body cameras on whether
it be off duty or in another.
Situation are still able to confront
crime and protect the public.
Any reaction to that bill?
What's your feeling for that?
Yeah, so I certainly do think that if
law enforcement officials are in our
community and they have a responsibility
and a duty to act when they see
something going on and occurring,
I do believe that they should be able
to use their police powers to protect
and serve those communities and those
constituents that might be in distress.
But I do believe that those
cameras should be on at all times.
For accountability purposes,
because at the end of the day,
the police are accountable to the
constituents and the residents
across our state.
They're paid with our tax dollars.
And so therefore,
our taxpayers deserve the right to
have transparency and to know what's
going on with their tax dollars.
And as a part of that accountability is
making sure that those cameras are kept on.
As you just said,
I think body cameras have been a big
part of this accountability conversation.
We've seen those videos come into play.
The Tyree Nichols incident before
that George Floyd and even in our
own state in West Haven,
CT just made statewide standards
for body cameras on officers.
You touched on it a little bit,
but in your opinion,
what are impacts,
if any of of potentially losing
those body Cam standards?
I think that we're going to continue
to put some real teeth into ensuring
that we are accountable to the public.
This is something that
the public is calling for,
not just here in the state of Connecticut.
But all across our country and we're
beginning to see that a lot of police
departments want to respond positively
to the public around this issue because
we want the public as well to grow
alongside our law enforcement officials.
And we want this to be a hand in glove
effort that we're not operating in silos,
but that we are working in tandem
with the Community and their
sensitivities and needs as well as
being accountable as law enforcement
officials in in their capacity,
absolutely some, some state.
Legislators have said,
though they feel or they've
heard from law enforcement,
that sometimes these cameras may
hinder them or they feel like they
can't fully perform their job.
Have you heard that at all from anyone,
whether in your own party
or across the aisle?
I actually have heard that.
And, you know, at the end of the day,
you know, I think that if you are
doing what you're supposed to do and
you're acting professionally and you
are engaging with the public from an
empathetic and compassionate perspective,
and you're being professional at all times.
It should not matter whether or
not you're being watched or not.
You know, one of the,
the mantras that I live by is, you know,
you know, whatever I do or say,
it should be able to, you know,
be on the screen across 95.
So, you know,
you should always be doing the right thing.
And I think the cameras really
help us to stay accountable,
not only to the public but
to ourselves as well.
So last question here,
you're an elected official,
but you're also a pastor in Bridgeport.
Can you talk a little bit
about any impacts you've seen?
From violence like these
incidents on your Community,
yes. I mean, all too often,
you know, I've experienced even
the ease with which, you know,
young people who look like me following
the crushing yoke of injustice by our
criminal justice system more broadly,
but then also having disproportionate
contact with law enforcement because
of the over policing and over
police presence in our communities.
And so growing up,
I saw a plethora of police officers on
a daily basis patrolling the streets.
And we have a lot of great law
enforcement officers who really
want to do the right thing.
But I've also encountered many bad apples.
And I think that when it comes to the
legal profession or law enforcement,
we cannot afford to have bad apples.
And where there are bad apples,
we have to be able to weed and those
folks out to ensure that they're not
giving a bad reputation for every other
person who's doing the right thing.
And who wants to go in law enforcement
and make a difference in our communities.
And so with my own personal experience, I.
I know all too well the importance
of making sure that police are
accountable to the Community and that
the Community feels that they could
trust the police and that they can have
a conversation with the police and not
see the police as being against them.
But seeing the police as a partner
with them helping to solve the
issues of the community
and that trust in your own way,
how are you looking ahead,
building trust with your constituents
up here at the state Capitol
I'm building? Plus, by letting them,
my constituents know the
bills that I'm raising,
that that I heard them while
I was on the campaign trail,
that I'm putting together pieces
of legislation that will speak to
what those concerns and needs are,
and then helping to address the
quality of life and day-to-day
issues that matter most to them.
And police accountability is
something that I've heard pretty
much at every door that I've
talked to door I've stopped at.
People have had this as a concern.
And so this is one of the reasons that
this piece of legislation is paramount,
that we pass it this legislative session.
Definitely a conversation.
Will continue having this session.
We'll thank you again so much, senator,
for being with us this morning.
Thank you so much for having me.
Well, coming up on the real story,
black history, one of protest,
political movement and community organizing,
and that's still how many things get done.
Today. We'll speak with one
advocate giving power to the people
demanding change in Connecticut.
She joins us today to talk about some of
those changes she believes are overdue.
Stick with us for this special
episode of the Real Story.