The Lancaster Community and Police Working Group  (CPWG) was formed in 2018 after a video of a Lancaster police officer using a taser on an unarmed man went viral, gaining national attention and sparking local protests. The Lancaster chapter of the NAACP, in tandem with the mayor and the chief of the police, felt it was necessary to form a group that would  review police policies and bridge gaps in trust between police officers and the community.

After the incident which sparked its creation, the Community and Police Working Group reviewed and made important changes to the Police Department’s Use of Force Policy, tasing policy, and complaint form system, and has been working to provide a platform for both police officers and community members to air their grievances and find solutions to collective problems ever since. 

The CPWG is made up of five community members and four city staff members, including Lancaster mayor Danene Sorace, interim chief of police John Bey, and Patricia Hopson Shelton, the president of the Lancaster chapter NAACP. It is led by Delia Sanchez, a Domestic Violence Legal Advocate, and Donald Morant, a Community Outreach Sargeant with the City Police department.

I spoke with Sargeant Morant about his role as a co-chair of the CPWG, as well as his nearly 23 years of experience within the Lancaster City Police Department. “A lot of people don’t even know that this group even exists,” he said, “and we’ve been in existence for the last two years. We want people to be made aware of our existence and be able to use us as a way to keep those positive relationships between the police and the community.”

In the past couple of weeks, the CPWG has been holding virtual listening sessions with residents to discuss the job qualifications for the new chief of police, following the fall 2020 retirement of former Chief  Jarred Berkihiser, who signed a separation agreement with the mayor due to their differing opinions on policing methods and priorities. 

“As far as what the Community wants to see in our chief, they want the chief to hold officers accountable,” said Morant. “They want the chief to be more involved in our hiring practices and in recruitment. And they want to see the chief more often- they want the chief to be out in the community, more so than past chiefs.”

In 2019, issues with the department’s handling of mental health issues prompted the hiring of  Leilany Tran, a police social worker, to deal with the onset of mental health calls.  Just this past January, a second social worker, Grace Mentzer, was hired to work within the police department as well.  

During the Lancaster protests for racial justice following the death of George Floyd in May of 2020, the Community and Police Working Group worked alongside protesters, clarifying information, answering questions, and collecting input. “We played a big part in getting out there on the front lines and having those conversations with the community,” said Morant.  

Right now, officers have very little time to connect with community members due to the high volume of calls and setup of the department. But that hasn’t always been the case. “Back in 2001 to 2004 I believe,” said Morant, “we had the officers assigned to specific sectors of the Community, and they were on bikes.” There have been multiple requests from residents to bring back this community-style of policing,  as it was more effective at integrating officers into the community and making them more approachable. “I think going forward we’re going in the right direction, it will just take some time to get there,” he said. 

The CPWG has done a lot to change policing in Lancaster –  but there is still a lot that needs to be accomplished.  Just this past September, Ricardo Munoz, a man diagnosed with Schizophrenia, was fatally shot by Lancaster City Police officers after a domestic disturbance call from one of his family members, prompting further protests calling for an end to police brutality. Just recently, Munoz’s mother sued the officer in question, the Lancaster police Department, and the city, for wrongful death and damages for violation of civil rights. 

There will probably never be a time where a group like this is not necessary. Policing in the United States has an undeniably complex and problematic history, and there will be more issues raised with systems of policing in Lancaster city. 

“From the chief on to the Mayor down to the co chairs and everyone in between, we’ve worked really hard to put this group together,” said Morant.  “Everybody in this group is very dedicated to what they do, and I hope moving forward that this group continues to do what’s best for the Community.”