Protesters Demand City Rescind Officers’ Awards

About 50 protesters rallied in front of City Hall on Wednesday, demanding that officials rescind an employee of the year award given to two officers who shot a black motorist to death last year.

The rally came two days after the City Council issued an apology for being insensitive to community concerns about the shooting of Irvin Landrum Jr., 18.

Protesters said the apology was simply an attempt to regain support from a community that is growing disenchanted with some of the city’s actions.

City Manager Glenn Southard stirred the controversy when he picked the officers for the awards and released the criminal record of one of the event organizers, Landrum’s uncle, who was last convicted of burglary 17 year ago.

Organizers expressed further outrage with Southard on Wednesday, saying he apologized but then indicated that he was compelled to do so by a city council member. Southard has said he will not regularly talk to the media, and has not returned recent calls seeking comment.

Across the street, a counter-protest of about a dozen residents carried signs in support of the Police Department. Some agreed that there needs to be a change in the city government, but said the two officers have been unfairly targeted by the protests.

“We want to be able to heal,” said Marci Horowitz. “But until we see all the rhetoric dropped, we won’t be able to move forward.”