Video from a Lorain police cruiser, captured an incident in early November. The man arrested, is now suing the department for excessive use of force.
“I think this gave some alarm, there were some red flags," said Pastor Timothy Williams of Greater Victory Church in Lorain.
Another incident from Lorain police dash cam video, shows 32-year-old, Pele Smith slammed against the windshield of the police vehicle, shattering the glass.
“Disturbing. Shocking. I think it's kind of difficult to watch," said defense attorney Mark Petroff, who’s representing Smith, who was sent to the hospital after that incident, which happened back in 2014, another use of force case in Lorain.
“I think the incidents have shown us that we want our endeavor to be better," said Lieutenant Daniel Reinherdt with the Lorain Police Department.
Both these incidents being brought to light this past year on the Lorain city police, but now officers tell me, it's time to be proactive.
“The challenge with law-enforcement, with police and communities goes way before the video stuff we see...so we recognize there's a gap, and the gap is it just a racial gap, the gap is a generational gap," Williams said.
Bringing together 10 community leaders like Pastor Timothy Williams, Lorain police will now have a use of force civilian advisory board, trained to look at those types of cases, and in turn help bridge the gap between community police relations.
“Our relationship in Lorain, specifically is reasonably healthy he could be much healthier, we are just a moment away from an incident that could do you derail a lot of good hard work," Williams said.
It's something Lieutenant Reinhardt, one of the officers leading the group, told me he thinks is necessary for transparency and change.
“It's just a safeguard and no way for us to be accountable to the community, and gain trust to know that every forms that we use is being reviewed not just by us, but by community leaders," Reinhardt said.
The board is looking for one more member to make it complete, someone younger preferably. The hope is they'll be able to start reviewing use of force cases by this April.
