New Kensington protest to recognize slain city officer before demanding end to police brutality

A Black Lives Matter protest being held Saturday in New Kensington will start with demonstrators placing a wreath at a memorial honoring a city police officer who was killed three years ago, an organizer said.

“This is not an anti-police event. This is a pro-black lives event,” said Jon McCabe, an organizer from Lower Burrell.

“Looking at statistic after statistic, it’s very clear black lives are not getting justice right now,” McCabe said.

Protests have been held across the country since George Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes on Memorial Day. Some of the protests have turned violent, with protesters lashing out at police, but a flyer for the New Kensington event cautions those attending to “leave all hate and negativity at home.”

“We want to make it clear we do not stand with violence,” McCabe said. “Any people who try to incite violence are not a part of our protest. They would be outside infiltrators. This is a protest for peace and justice.”

Organizers, however, concede the New Kensington area has had its own issues when it comes to police-community relations.

“There have been cases of police brutality here in New Kensington and in Arnold,” said organizer Aaron Moore, a New Kensington native who lives in Arnold. “It’s not a thing that we’re unfamiliar with.”

In a federal lawsuit filed last year, a Verona man accused Arnold police of violating his civil rights and claimed the department’s police procedures resulted in a “history of excessive force and unlawful arrests.”

Matthew Heyl said he was wrongfully detained, searched and roughed up by police investigating a report of an armed man trying to get into an apartment. The case was dismissed with prejudice this year.

In January 2017, a video showing officers from Arnold and New Kensington punching and stomping on Justin Rae Harvey, then 40, of New Kensington during an arrest outraged some after being posted on Facebook. Harvey was accused of pointing a handgun at officers and fighting with them.

Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck said he found no proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the two officers’ actions were criminal.

Peck said he could recall five cases alleging the excessive use of force by police in Westmoreland County since 2013, but no officers involved were charged.

Of the five cases, three involved minorities, he said.

Peck said there could be cases he is not aware of because local police chiefs can investigate brutality complaints against officers themselves. However, he said departments typically refer them to an outside agency such as his office.

“By and large, I don’t see this as a problem in Westmoreland County, or at least it hasn’t appeared to be a problem from the cases referred to the DA’s office,” he said.

Organizers say they will be standing in solidarity for Floyd, Breonna Taylor and all affected by systemic racism.

“We can listen to politicians and the words and the platitudes and the cliches. Until we see policy and change, these problems are going to continue,” McCabe said. “We are going to protest, and we are going to vote. That is going to be the reoccurring cycle until we see the changes that we need.”

Saturday’s protest is scheduled to run from 2:30 to 5 p.m.

Organizers plan to encircle New Kensington’s City Hall and sit in silence for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time that former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin held a knee on Floyd’s neck in video captured of the incident.

Three clergy members — Darly Johnson of Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, Jerry Jefferson of World Overcomers Ministry and Ronald White of Canaan First Baptist Church, all in New Kensington — are scheduled to speak. Elected officials have been invited and will be given a chance to speak if they choose.

McCabe said organizers are asking Alle-Kiski Valley residents who have encountered police brutality to come to the protest and speak about it.

Organizers plan to place a wreath at a memorial for New Kensington police Officer Brian Shaw before the protest begins. The memorial is on City Hall property.

Shaw was shot and killed while on duty in November 2017. Last November, a Westmoreland County jury convicted Rahmael Holt of killing Shaw and sentenced him to death.

“The message of our protest doesn’t combat Brian Shaw or his legacy. It doesn’t tarnish anything,” McCabe said.

Asked for comment about the planned protest, New Kensington police Chief Robert Deringer said, “I would just like to say that we look forward to the event and are very hopeful that it is peaceful.”

Moore said he has a good rapport with Deringer and believes he is open-minded.

“We can work together to see what we can do in our towns and cities to curb police misconduct,” Moore said. “It’s important that police are involved.”