A Community Oversight Board for the Chattanooga Police force is a bad idea. And this week Community Control Now the promoters of this idea just demonstrated what a really bad idea it is.
The Hamilton County Election Commission counted the signatures on their petition four times! And after one count and three re-counts, the promoters failed to reach the required number of signatures required by law.
However, rather anything being their fault, they are now making unsubstantiated, irrational and volatile charges of racism, white supremacy, fascism, etc. as the reasons that they failed.
I have been involved in three large petition efforts. One of them failed to get the required number of signatures. The Election Commission allowed me and others to review their work in great deal. In no instance did I think that the Election Commission staff ever cheated us. In our losing petition effort, we submitted 4600 signatures and had 3300 signatures rejected. We too missed by 300-400.
The promoters (who would most certainly be on this Community Oversight Board) have now showed how utterly unqualified they are for such work. Through their proposed board, it would be a certainty that they would attack the police, side with criminals and destroy justice in our city. We can all thank God that their petition initiative failed.
Charles Wysong