Brookline officials say they regret not listening to members of the public who tried to speak out about alleged racism in the town’s police department.
Members of the Brookline board of Selectmen temporarily left a meeting Tuesday night when protesters demanded to speak about allegations of white officers using racist language with a black colleague.
Now select board Chairman Neil Wishinsky says he wishes he hadn’t decided to bar open comments on the matter and wants to make it right.
“It’s an issue that we’re taking very seriously,” Wishinsky said. “We’re having independent reviews to make sure we’re doing things right and we’re going to give the public the opportunity to speak to us.”
Brookline Police Chief Daniel O’Leary has hired an outside consultant to take stock of the racial situation in his department.
The select board plans to hold a forum on the controversy—where they will hear from everyone that wants to speak—at their next meeting January 5.
