>>>
>>> WCNC
>>> WCNC CHARLOTTE, THIS IS FLASHPOINT WHERE POWER AND POLITICS COLLIDE AND THE TOUGH
QUESTIONS GET ASKED AND
ANSWERED.
>> GOOD SUNDAY MORNING AND
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON
FLASHPOINT.
I AM BEN THOMPSON..
JOINING ME IS COUNCILWOMAN
MAYFIELD AND LONGTIME FRIEND OF
THE PROGRAM, WAYNE KING.
LONG TIME SINCE HE HAS BEEN ON.
>> THANK YOU, GLAD TO BE BACK.
THE PUBLIC DEMANDING ANSWERS
FROM CMPD AFTER THE DEPARTMENT
RELEASED MORE BODY CAM FOOTAGE
FROM LAST MONTH DEADLY OFFICER
INVOLVED SHOOTING.
AT FIRST, ONLY TWO MINUTES
RELEASE, ONCE WE FOUND OUT
THERE WAS MORE, NINE MINUTES,
NBC CHARLOTTE PUSHED THE REST
OF THE VIDEO.
THE JUDGE APPROVED. DANQUIRS
FRANKLIN WAS SHOT.
WHAT IS STILL UNCLEAR AT THIS
POINT FROM THE NEW VIDEO WE GOT
THIS WEEK, DID OFFICERS CHECK
ON FRANKLIN, DID THEY DO FIRST
DAY.
MOST CMPD OFFICERS ARE NOT
TRAINED EMERGENCY TECHNICIANS,
OFFICERS MUST SECURE THE SCENE
FIRST BEFORE RENDERING AID.
THEY CAN ONLY USE DIFFERENT
RELATORS WHEN SOMEONE IS IN
CARDIAC ARREST, IF AN
INDIVIDUAL HAS A PULSE AND IS
BREATHING, CPR IS NOT
APPROPRIATE.
I WANT TO START WITH THE CITY
COUNCILMEMBER AT THE TABLE.
WE START WITH THE YOUR REACTION
TO THE VIDEO AND REACTION FROM
CMPD.
>> FULL DISCLOSURE, I SHARED
THIS WITH RESIDENCE IN MY
COMMUNITY AT TWO DIFFERENT
NEIGHBORHOODS MEETINGS.
TO ME PERSONALLY, THE
ADDITIONAL NINE MINUTES WOULD
NOT HAVE BEEN RELEASED TO THE
COMMUNITY.
>> WHY?
>> BECAUSE IF THE FAMILY
REQUESTED IT, THAT IS A VERY
DIFFERENT CONVERSATION THE
IMMEDIATE REQUESTING IT.
AS A FAMILY MEMBER THAT LOST
SOMEONE, ONE, I DON'T WANT TO
SEE SOMEONE DYING AS PART OF
THE NEWS MEDIA BLITZ.
I ALSO DON'T WANT THE COMMUNITY
AND OTHERS COMMENTING ON IT
BECAUSE WE NEED TO WORK TOWARD
HEALING.
I WANT THE FAMILY TO BE ABLE TO
START WORKING TOWARD HEALING
OPPOSED TO HAVING THESE
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. AS NOTED,
IT IS NOT UP TO ME.
I WOULD HAVE PERSONAL CONCERNS
ABOUT IT BUT I RECOGNIZE WE ARE
IN THIS STATE AND THIS AGE
WHERE WE THINK GENERAL PUBLIC
SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO ALL
INFORMATION.
WHAT WAS IMMEDIATE WAS THE FACT
OF THE BEGINNING, WHAT HAPPENED
IN THE BEGINNING WITH THE
CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE VICTIM
AS WELL IS THE LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICER BUT TO WATCH SOMEONE
DIE ON TELEVISION, THAT I HAVE
A CHALLENGE WITH.
>> THERE IS A POINT TO BE MADE
FOR SURE, NOT EVERYTHING IS FOR
PUBLIC CONSUMPTION.
WHAT DO YOU DO AS A CHARLOTTE
LEADER ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF
TRANSPARENCY?
GIVEN WHAT THE CITY IS GONE
THROUGH THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS,
WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT
TRANSPARENCY?
IF YOU DON'T SHOW IT, THERE
WILL BE MORE QUESTIONS.
>> I STILL SAY THE
RESPONSIBILITY GOES TO THE
FAMILY FIRST.
NOW, IF THE FAMILY WANTS TO
RELEASE IT, THAT IS A VERY
DIFFERENT CONVERSATION AS
OPPOSED TO MEDIA DEMANDING ITS
RELEASE FOR CONSUMPTION.
IF THE FAMILY NEEDS IT AS PART
OF THEIR HEALING, I COMPLETELY
RESPECT THAT AND I AGREE WITH
THAT.
YES, WE NEED TRANSPARENCY, YES
WE NEED TO TAKE OWNERSHIP, WE
HAVE A LANGUAGE NOT ADHERED TO
REGARDING HOW YOU SHOULD
INTERACT.
WE HAVE THE ESCALATION LANGUAGE
AND TRAINING, WE HAVE A NUMBER
OF TRAININGS TALKED ABOUT, THE
CONCERN IS IN THE MOMENT OF THE
INCIDENT, WERE THE TRAINING
TOOLS UTILIZED?
>> LAST QUESTION ABOUT THIS, DO
YOU THINK CMPD IS BEING FAIRLY
CRITICIZED?
>> YES, THEY ARE FAIRLY
CRITICIZED.
AS A COMMUNITY, WE ARE TO
CRITICIZE, AGAIN, YOU HAVE
LANGUAGE WE HAVE BEEN PROMOTING
THROUGH COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS
WHERE WE SAY, HERE ARE THE
TRAININGS THAT HAVE BEEN
IDENTIFIED AND HAVE INSTITUTED
FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
WHAT YOU DID NOT SEE, WHETHER
THAT TWO MINUTES OR FULL 11
MINUTES WAS THAT TRAINING BEING
UTILIZED.
>> I KNOW YOU ARE NOT A
CHARLOTTE CITY LEADER
NECESSARILY, THIS IS A PROBLEM
CHARLOTTE HAS BEEN GRAPPLING
WITH FOR YEARS, DIFFERENT
INCIDENTS.
ALSO, SOMETHING THE COUNTRY HAS
BEEN GRAPPLING WITH, WHAT IS
THE RIGHT ANSWER IN THESE
SITUATIONS?
>> I THINK THE COUNCILMEMBER IS
RIGHT ABOUT THE FAMILY
INTERACTING FIRST, NO ONE WANTS
TO SEE THEIR LOVED ONE SHOT ON
TV.
AND NOT ON NATIONAL TV.
I DO AGREE THE CMPD THOUGH, YOU
HAVE 17, 1700 OFFICERS IN
CHARLOTTE AND MOST OF THOSE
FOLKS ARE FINE UPSTANDING
PEOPLE AND YOU WILL HAVE
PROBLEMS IN AN AGENCY THAT
SIZE.
BUT I THINK THE COUNCILMEMBER
IS RIGHT, YOU HAVE TO USE OTHER
TACTICS SOMETIMES AND TRY TO
FIGURE OUT HOW TO DE-ESCALATE A
SITUATION.
BOTTOM LINE, I'VE HAD A
PERSONAL FRIEND SHOT IN THE
LINE OF DUTY AS A POLICE
OFFICER, YOU DEFINITELY HAVE TO
MAKE SURE THE POLICE OFFICERS
ARE SAFE, IF THERE IS A TIME TO
SHOOT SOMEONE, IT HAS TO BE
DONE AND IT IS UNFORTUNATE, IT
IS SAD.
YOU KNOW WHAT, THE PEOPLE THAT
PUT ON THE BADGE EVERY DAY, I
RESPECT THOSE PEOPLE AND THE
OFFICERS OF CMPD.
I OBVIOUSLY INTERACTED WITH
THOSE FOX A LOT OF TIMES, I
THINK CHIEF PUTNEY RUNS A GREAT
AGENCY.
KUDOS TO HIM.
ANYTIME YOU HAVE A INSTANCE
LIKE THIS, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT
EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED, WHAT
POLICIES NEED TO BE PUT IN
PLACE, I THINK THE
COUNCILMEMBER IS RIGHT BY
SUGGESTING, YOU LOOK AT THOSE.
>>> SWITCHING GEARS, ON
WEDNESDAY FEW DAYS FROM MY,
TEACHERS IN THE CAROLINAS WILL
GO TO THEIR RESPECTIVE CAPITALS
TO PUSH FOR CHANGE.
AMONG THEIR DEMANDS, HIRING
MORE SUPPORT STAFF, PAY
INCREASE, EXPANDING MEDICAID TO
IMPROVE STUDENT HEALTH AND
RESTORING RETIREE BENEFITS FOR
TEACHERS.
THIS COMES AFTER NORTH CAROLINA
TEACHERS HAD A RALLY AT RALEIGH
LAST YEAR.
I MADE THIS POINT BEFORE AS
HAVE OTHERS, REPUBLICANS LIKE
TO TOUT THE ECONOMY, NO DOUBT
THE ECONOMY LOCALLY, STATEWIDE,
NATIONWIDE, DOING WELL.
IS IT WRONG FOR A GROUP OF
TEACHERS LIKE THIS, WE KNOW
HAVE SOME OF THE HARDEST JOBS
OUT THERE, TO BE EXPECTING, WE
WANT OUR SLICE TOO.
IF WE TOUT THE ECONOMY, TALK
ABOUT HOW AWESOME EVERYTHING
IS, WHERE'S OUR FAIR SHARE?
>> I THINK THE LEGISLATURE,
29th IN THE COUNTRY, TEACHER PAY
IN NORTH CAROLINA WHICH IS
ABOVE THE NATIONS AVERAGE WHICH
IS GOOD, SECOND IN THE
SOUTHEAST WHICH IS PHENOMENAL.
MY SON GOES TO A PUBLIC SCHOOL,
I FEEL LIKE THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
ARE THE PLACES TO BE, I BELIEVE
IN SCHOOL CHOICE.
I BELIEVE PEOPLE NEED TO MAKE
THEIR CHOICES ABOUT WHAT IS
BEST FOR THEIR FAMILY.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE
TEACHERS GET PAID VERY WELL IN
NORTH CAROLINA.
THE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE HAS
INCREASED THE PAY, COULD THERE
BE MORE DONE?
CERTAINLY.
IS A TEACHERS JOB HARD?
ABSOLUTELY.
WHAT I WANT TO DO IT?
ABSOLUTELY NOT BECAUSE I'VE
SEEN IT.
THEY WORK VERY HARD, IT IS FAIR
TO ALWAYS WANT MORE, THAT IS
CERTAINLY FAIR FOR ANY JOB OF
PEOPLE, I'M SURE PEOPLE
WATCHING THE PROGRAM ARE
WISHING THEY GET PAID MORE AS
WELL.
IT IS CERTAINLY FAIR.
WHAT I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR IS
TO LEAVE THE CLASSROOM MAY 1
AND SHUT DOWN SCHOOLS.
THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL SCHOOL
SYSTEMS SHUTTING DOWN.
>> OPTIONAL TEACHER WORK DAY.
>> THAT IS THE PROBLEM.
>> COUNCILWOMAN, DOES HE MAKE A
POINT?
PILE ON REPUBLICANS WHEN IT
COMES TO TEACHER PAY.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE
TRAJECTORY OVER THE LAST FEW
YEARS, I REMEMBER PEOPLE GIVING
GOVERNOR McCRORY A HARD TIME
ABOUT THIS, WE WERE 49th AT THE
TIME, WE ARE GOING IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION WHEN IT COMES TO
TEACHER PAY.
>> I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS A
REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRATIC ISSUE.
THIS IS AN ISSUE OF A STATE AND
CITY, SPECIFICALLY WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT CHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG,
THAT IS SEEING INCREASINGLY
HIGHER RATES REGARDING HOUSING,
BASIC NEEDS AND GAS.
WE HAVE TEACHERS THAT ARE
COMING OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKET
TO PAY FOR BASIC SUPPLIES AND
NEEDS IN CLASSROOMS.
>> EVERYBODY KNOWS A TEACHER
THAT PAYS FOR THEIR OWN.
>> EXACTLY.
THERE'S A CHALLENGE IN THAT,
TEACHERS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT
POSITION, BEFORE YOU BECOME AN
ATHLETE MAKING MILLIONS OR AN
ARTIST, THERE'S THAT TEACHER
THAT I IDENTIFIED, SAW
SOMETHING IN YOU, ENCOURAGE,
EDUCATED, SUPPORTED YOUR
GROWTH, YOUR CREATIVITY.
AND WHEN WE HAVE TEACHERS
STRUGGLING OR TEACHERS OUT
THERE THAT CAN QUALIFY FOR
GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE, THERE'S
A MAJOR CHALLENGE.
YES, OUR TEACHERS NEED TO BE
PAID MORE, THEY NEED TO HAVE
MORE SUPPORT IN THE SCHOOLS, WE
NEED TO HAVE MORE COUNSELING
BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE TO TALK
ABOUT THE INCREASED NUMBER OF
BULLYING THAT HAPPENS AND
INCREASED NUMBER OF CHILDREN
COMMITTING SUICIDE BECAUSE OF
BULLYING.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE AN
OVERCROWDED CLASSROOM AND NOT
ENOUGH COUNSELORS IN THE SCHOOL
ACCESSIBLE, THESE ARE ALL
CHALLENGES THAT CONTINUE TO
STRENGTHEN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL
SYSTEM AND WHEN YOU ADD ON TOP
OF THAT, CHOICE AND CHARTER
SCHOOLS, YOU'RE TAKING MY TAX
DOLLARS, IF I HAD AN OPTION, MY
TAX DOLLARS WOULD GO DIRECTLY
TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL, TO NOW
GIVE TO CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT
MAY OR MAY NOT BE SUCCESSFUL
AND VERY WELL CAN CHANGE THE
WHOLE TRAJECTORY IN A NEGATIVE
WAY.
>> WE COULD DEDICATE AN ENTIRE
EPISODE OF FLASHPOINT TO THIS.