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Emily Burkhard & WNYT Staff
Updated: July 05, 2020 06:00 PM
Created: July 05, 2020 02:31 PM
BETHLEHEM- Many young protestors gathered to share a list of demands for the Bethlehem Police Department Saturday.
There are 11 police policy changes on the list, including automatic firing of officers that are found to have racist correspondence or conversations, abolition of all police for profit programs, body cameras worn at all times, abolishment of bounty hunters and private police.
Lastly, protesters are asking the department not to comply with riot control or curfew enforcement with Albany police.
17-year-old Kinsie Rush says though most of those demands involve changes to police procedure, their goal is to protect black lives, not endanger law enforcement.
“This is not an anti-police movement. We more so want changes to be brought into our police force to protect those currently at risk and being hurt. We want changes to be made. We're not fully against the police,” says Rush.
Protestor Devyn Garrett says celebrating her 17th birthday that day did not feel right because as a biracial young woman, some of her ancestors were not free on Independence Day.
Garrett says if opposing sides could find a way to join forces, there is no question things would change, though she knows that’s a long shot.
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