A local social justice activist teamed up with a pair of borough businesses on Tuesday morning in order to provide a hot and hearty lunch to the members of the Lansdale Borough Police Department.
The effort was spearheaded by 39-year-old Shaheer Johnson — a frequent speaker and organizer at last year’s Black Lives Matter rallies — who said that he felt inspired to take action after reading about another incident where a black officer with the Lansdale Police was called a racial slur while on the scene of an incident several weeks ago.
In that incident, 34-year-old Danielle Ferry was charged with four counts of aggravated assault as well as misdemeanor counts of terroristic threats, simple assault, false imprisonment and reckless endangerment, following an incident that occurred on Feb. 3.
The criminal complaint from her arrest alleges that Ferry referred to the black officer as a “n-----r” and a “c—t,” and began spitting in the back seat of the vehicle while stating “I hope you get the coronavirus. I’ve been coughing for weeks.” The complaint also states that Ferry spit in the face of another officer while implying she may have the coronavirus, and she also allegedly punched a medic in the face with a closed fist, police said.
Johnson said that not only did he want to show solidarity with the black officer, but he wanted to do something for the entire department to let them know that they have the community’s support.
He then enlisted the help of Lansdale Tavern owners Julie Palermo and Buddy Harris, along with Round Guys Brewing Company owner Scott Rudich, and pieced together a plan where they would provide discounted food and Johnson would pick up the tab. Then, officers working the dayshift on Tuesday could place orders for lunch at both locations and have it delivered to the department at noon.
“I wanted to show my appreciation to the officers, especially those who were involved in that specific incident,” said Johnson. “And though it wasn’t my initial motive, I realized that I could use this as an opportunity to dispel the idea that, as a Black Lives Matter activist, I’m supposed to be anti-police. Nothing is further from the truth.”
“As a people, we are too often quick to chastise bad deeds, but are not there to show appreciation for good deeds,” Johnson added. “I support the police, especially the Lansdale Borough Police Department. In my experience since the initial George Floyd protests, they have shown that they are trained well, they are dedicated to the community and are willing to engage in discussions that lead to meaningful progress.”
Both Rudich and Harris told North Penn Now that when they were approached by Johnson, they were more than happy to help out the cause and show their support for local police. In fact, Rudich’s staff opened up nearly two hours earlier than normal, in order to participate and prepare food for the officers.
Both Harris and Johnson also stated that their effort was an opportunity to flip the narrative from a negative story of racism and violence towards police to a positive one where the community unites and rallies around their own.
“Hate exists, but love wins,” Harris added. “When we read the article, we felt sad for the officer, and for the entire community. These instances have to be reported. We must know about them. But that doesn't mean the story has to stop there. When something like this happens and we, as a community rise-up, I like to think we help change the ending to the story. There is too much good in our town, our officers, the citizens…to let hate control the narrative.”
Lansdale Mayor Garry Herbert said the men and women of the police department tend to encounter people on their worst days, often meaning they’re on the receiving end of offensive language, misdirected anger and, at times, physical abuse. Additionally, with the COVID-19 pandemic still raging across the area, local officers no longer have the opportunity to strengthen their relationships with community members via engaging the public at events, attending school functions or hosting popular community events such as Coffee with a Cop.
“Police officers, like everyone else, value knowing that their hard work is appreciated,” said Herbert. “I cannot thank everyone enough who helped show our officers how much we appreciate them and the demanding work they do every day. Acts of kindness like this speak volumes about how much we value their service, and they remind all of us how a little appreciation can go a long way.”
Lansdale Borough Police Chief Michael Trail added that the gesture from the community filled him with pride.
“The men and women of the department work hard to earn and keep the trust of the community, and just to see them out here today, bringing food…this is truly a partnership,” said Trail. “This doesn’t end here today, and it didn’t end last summer with [the protests and rallies] that we attended. This is an ongoing, constant tending to our relationship with the community, and every single day is an opportunity for us to grow, together.”
Activism and Lansdale Police
Immediately following the death of George Floyd in May 2020, Chief Trail was the first police chief in Montgomery County to publicly release a statement condemning Floyd’s death, referring to it as “murder” and calling on community leaders to unite in the name of progress and reform.
In the protests and rallies that followed, members of the department were frequent participants, engaging demonstrators and forming relationships and coalitions all with the expressed interest of how best to move forward. Among them was Johnson, who caught the ear of Trail at one of the early protests, which eventually lead to weekly meetings with Mayor Herbert and members of borough council as part of the Lansdale Equality Coalition.
“I’m anti-brutality and pro-accountability,” said Johnson. “I’m not against police at all. I’m against those officers that are not held accountable for their actions. If I do something wrong, I should be held accountable. The same should apply to everyone else, without exception.”
Johnson readily acknowledged that his view may put him squarely in the middle of what has become one of the country’s most divisive issues, but he added that he won’t be influenced by those saying he shouldn’t vocalize his support of police, nor those condemning his association with the Black Lives Matter movement.
“Not all officers are bad, just like not all people are bad and not all black people are bad,” said Johnson. “My issue is with the system. If a white person breaks the law, they go to jail, and if a black person breaks the law, they go to jail as well. But if a police officer breaks the law, they get things like administrative leave, they lose their job, but they’re not charged, etc. There needs to be accountability.”
Johnson added that hopes that his actions locally can help set an example for unity and further discussion in the future. In the interim, he said he’ll continue to be a voice for those who need the support.
See also:
Lansdale Woman Punches Medic, Spits On Cop And Drops Racial Slur During Arrest, Police Say
Lansdale Police Pool Money To Purchase Replacement IPad For Child Abuse Victim
Lansdale Borough Takes Community Approach To Policing
Hundreds Attend Peaceful Rally In Support Of George Floyd In Lansdale, Police Show Their Support
Demonstrators Pack Downtown Lansdale For Rally Against Racial Injustice
