A FAILURE IN CHARLOTTESVILLE – AT 7:14 A.M. ET:  Ever since the Charlottesville clashes several months ago, when neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and their left-wing counterparts romped through the normally peaceful and civilized town, we've wondered exactly what went wrong.  Now, a fine report has been issued raising serious questions about the strategy of the Charlottesville police department.  From USA Today: 

Last summer in Charlottesville, in a clash between neo-Nazis and confederate monument supporters on one side, and “antifa,” or anti-facist, and Black Lives Matter supporters on the other, numerous people were hurt, and one person, Heather Heyer, was killed when a white nationalist supporter drove his car into a crowd. Now an independent report has come out, suggesting that much of the blame for the clashes, injuries and death lies with poor police work by the Charlottesville Police Department, the Virginia State Police and the University of Virginia Police.

The report, authored by former U.S. attorney Timothy Heaphy for the Charlottesville City Council, found, as reported by USA Today:

Charlottesville police didn’t ensure separation between counter-protesters and so called alt-right protesters upset with the city council’s decision to remove the Robert E. Lee statue from Emancipation Park.

Officers weren’t stationed along routes to the park, but instead remained behind barricades in relatively empty zones.

City police didn’t adequately coordinate with Virginia State Police, and authorities were unable to communicate via radio.

State police didn’t share a formal planning document with city police, “a crucial failure.”

Officers were inadequately equipped to respond to the clashes between the two groups, and tactical gear was not accessible to officers.

COMMENT:  Read the whole thing.  This is an excellent after-action report, the kind that can bring positive change to police departments everywhere.  The only people responsible for violence are the people who commit it, but police departments play a crucial role in preventing violence in the first place.

Charlottesville, where our older daughter lived for decades, is a wonderful town, and should not be judged by the events of one day, which were initiated by outsiders.

December 5, 2017