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Residents, officials talk about tensions on Anderson's east side
Video cameras being added to Anderson police cruisers
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Eric Gambrell and Dorothy Gambrell — residents of Anderson’s east side — told city officials about what they feel is harassment from police officers on Monday.
And they also heard of measures the city is taking to help ease their concerns.
One of those steps is the addition of video cameras in 50 of Anderson’s police cruisers. The move to put cameras in the patrol cars was made well before Monday’s meeting.
Anderson Mayor Terence Roberts said the cameras should be operating in the cars within the next couple of months. The cameras would automatically record all calls that officers respond to.
“Ultimately we want to have the cameras in all of the cars,” Roberts said.
The meeting was held between four residents, the mayor, Anderson Police Chief Martin Brown, City Manager John Moore and City Council members Tom Dunaway and Tony Stewart.
The meeting was held after an officer responded to a 911 call on the eastside on July 14. The officer was sent to a disturbance near Fortson Homes apartment complex on the city’s east side. An officer ended up at Dorothy Gambrell’s home on Railroad Street, a couple of blocks away.
On Monday, she was told that the officer mistakenly went to the wrong address.
The Gambrells said they believe people are being harassed by officers just because of where they live.
“I guess they feel like that the area is bad but not everybody over there is bad,” Eric Gambrell said. “There are some good people over there.”
Mayor Roberts and the Gambrells said they thought the meeting went well.
"I feel like the meeting today went real good," Eric Gambrell said.
“It think it went well too,” Dorothy Gambrell said. “We just wanted to be heard.”
And the mayor said the council wants the residents to know that they are there for them. He also said it is difficult to balance the concerns from some residents that patrols are needed on the east side and the importance of treating people fairly.
He said Chief Brown assured the Gambrells that he would not condone unprofessional behavior from his officers. But the mayor also asked the Gambrells to get involved in the community meetings held on the east side.
“They seemed to be satisfied with the fact that we sat down and listened to them,” the mayor said.
Stewart, who was called to the Gambrell home on July 14, said he was glad to see that the residents were “exonerated.”
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The police were in the wrong IMO.
I am white on live in a great area of town, in the Historic district, but still feel that way.
Just because people live on a certain side of town, are a different color, or make less money than me, that does not mean they have less rights.
And I can promise you that I would have thrown a excrement fit if I had people over and we were outside(Which I do on a regular basis, and have never seen the police) not bothering anyone and the police came and told us to go inside.
People have the right to gather and if they weren't imposing on anyone's (1)Life (2) Liberty or (3) Pursuit of happiness. Then they should be able to do what ever they want.
Remember the police never received a call about the group that they told to go inside.
The police went to the wrong address and started telling people to go inside, which is an obvious violation of rights, IMO.
They weren't bothering anyone, it was the wrong address.
I personally, without knowing the people involved on either side of the situation think that the police owe them a public apology.
Now if these people were causing problems that would be a totally different story. But from what AIM has reported, these people were doing absolutely nothing wrong.
I'd be just as angry as some of them are.
the facts are the police was answering a loud disturbance call. they had every right in the world to quieten the crowd down it was only after the truoble maker unjustly hollered racism that the trouble started.it had nothing to do with race and those stupid people knew it.
Communities need to be proactive and get involved in making their neighborhoods decent places to live. Anderson police and sheriff's departments do not target or treat any community differently from any other. That is fact. If there were gangs of youths, crowds gathering late at night, drug dealing, and other such activities in my neighborhood my neighbors and I can guarantee it would not go on.
I believe a Police substation should be set up in the middle of this neighborhood. These folks care nothing about the neighborhood or the welfare and safety of the people in it. Citizens that complain about police force are simply JUST doing that, complaining. You never hear anything about the people of this community being proactive in reducing crime and drug use, it's always started by a Civic leader or the police. I believe that it is everyone's contention in Anderson that it is mostly the kids of the folks in these neighborhoods that wreak all the havoc, and if the parents are unwiiling, or scared to stop them, the police should intervene, and be allowed to do their job as the situations dictate!
in response to The_Shark
Remember the elderly lady that was shot and killed in Atlanta because the cops busted into her home thinking they were in a drug dealer's home. I WOULD HAVE SUED AND OWNED THE TOWN IF THAT WAS A FAMILY MEMBER OF MINE!
I entertain at my home and I have 50+ people there, inside, outside with the music laughter, etc. Cops have ridden by, but have never stopped. IF I'm ever accused of doing anything wrong by the police, they better have their info correct. I think you know that how you are treated depends on where you live- JUST BE HONEST...
Ease up it's just a figure of speech. Anyway I don't believe it was in Atlanta, it was another town in Ga.
The main problem here is Stewart. Keep him out of the mix and things would be alot better. If he wants to be the Police so bad let him go to the Academy like the rest of them and walk a day in their shoes for their pay, then he would change his mind.
in response to consitor_veritas
What are you talking about??? Let's stick to the article.
Oh you are definitely NOT one of my neighbors, we have people in our neigborhood that speak English. What nationality are you??
in response to The_Shark
I don't live in a drug infested neighborhood, I'm speaking of where I live.
in response to consitor_veritas
I had to ask a coworker about your comment... You are insinuating I'm Black and that only Black people do those things. LMBO You are labeled as an "Angry" white man. I bet I know what your problem is! lol
in response to The_Sundance_Kid
It is a good thing you listed your race, if not you would have labeled as well. lol
in response to just42day
They can't be honest with themselves...or they would go out and shoot themselves in the head. You're not going to get any serious conversation with these people. You might as well face it.
in response to c_v_the_sequel
I had to ask a coworker about your comment... You are insinuating I'm Black and that only Black people do those things. LMBO You are labeled as an "Angry" white man. I bet I know what your problem is! lol
Why do you dislike a entire race just because maybe you have had a run in with some??? Your posts speak volumes.
BTW I can get along with anyone, race isn't a factor. It's the person's personality and mindset that tells others who you are.
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