Citizen Review Board Holds Protective Gear Open Forum

This is the first of three open forums happening this week.

DULUTH, Minn. – Riot gear, also called protective gear, was the topic of a community forum Tuesday night in Duluth, as it was the first of several open discussions put on by the Duluth Citizens Review Board…

These forums are happening this week before the council votes for or against a resolution to purchase the gear for its officers.

Dozens of people showed up to Duluth East High School on Tuesday to voice their opinions and learn more about the department’s intentions for the riot gear.

The Citizens Review Board will be collecting the comments for the city council before they make the vote.

“Their input matters, their feedback matters. I think it’s important to get across to the folks and the people of Duluth that we take these processes seriously. And we want to do our due diligence to get their input and feedback,” Vice President of the Citizen Review Board Jordan Moses said.

Duluth Police Chief Mike Tusken has said every major police department in the state has protective gear except for Duluth. He says the  gear would only be used in very rare occasions for large–scale threats to people or property, but some people believe the gear is threatening to minority groups and is militarizing police.

There were people from both sides of the issue voicing their opinions at the forum.

The next Wednesday night at 5:30 at Denfeld High School, followed by the final forum Thursday night at Old Central.