EVERETT, MASS. (WHDH) - Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria declared racism a public health crisis on Monday.
“The City of Everett is culturally rich and abundantly diverse. Racism or discrimination, in any form, will not be accepted nor tolerated,” he said. “It is with this in mind that I find it imperative to declare racism a public health crisis in the City of Everett.”
DeMaria also signed the Mayor’s Pledge issued by the Obama Foundation’s My Brother’s Keeper Alliance. The pledge calls cities to review their police use of force policies, engage the community by including a diverse range of input, experiences, and stories, report review findings to the community and seek feedback, and reform police use of force policies.
Everett police are actively updating their use of force and de-escalation policies, as well as the rules and regulations with a duty to intervene clause, the mayor’s office said in a press release.
DeMaria says he is seeking to form a Regional Internal Affairs Coalition to increase the transparency of police misconduct and the processes by which they are investigated.
“As the needs of society change, it is the responsibility of local leaders to implement changes,” the mayor said. “My Administration will not be defunding our police department; rather, we will be reequipping the force by adding more tools to their duty belts.”
The city says they have added necessary personnel to support Everett police. DeMaria plans to reallocate police department funds to hire mental health professionals, therapists, and additional personnel who will provide access to services needed by the city.
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