MANSFIELD — A second community meeting to discuss social justice issues involving Mansfield police and the community has been pushed back one day to Oct. 8, still planned for 5:30 p.m. at the North Lake Park Pavilion.
Alomar Davenport announced the change Tuesday, which will be the second such meeting since his Aug. 15 traffic stop by police, which resulted in two officers pulling their guns after they mistook a silver pen in his middle console for the slide of a firearm.
Davenport said he has learned the North End Community Improvement Collaborative is hosting a “Talk the Vote” event on Oct. 7 from 6 to 7 p.m.
Those events, part of a six-week Richland Source “listening tour,” are aimed at giving local residents a chance to make their voices heard before the Nov. 5 election. Davenport is a Democratic candidate in the Mansfield City Council 4th Ward race.
“To give those interested in the two events the opportunity to attend both, I have decided to move our community meeting to Tuesday, October 8th, at the North Lake Park Pavilion. I look forward to seeing you all there,” Davenport said.
Davenport described the second meeting as an event being planned by WE ACT, a local group founded in 2015 that has worked to better the relationship between local law enforcement and the community.
The first meeting on Aug. 26 produced a crowded meeting room at the Ocie Hill Neighborhood Center, though Mansfield police were told by the city’s law director could not attend since Davenport’s midemeanor charges resulting from the traffic stop were still pending in court.
Davenport said during the initial meeting a second meeting would be planned to include police officials once his case was concluded.
His case is now resolved and MPD officials are now scheduled to participate, including Safety-Service Director Lori Cope, Chief Keith Porch and Assistant Chief Joe Petrycki.
