BRIDGEPORT - The ACLU of Connecticut condemns in strongest terms the homicide death of Dyshan Best, a resident of Bridgeport. The organization has reviewed the Inspector General's preliminary report, and has obtained a copy of the Bridgeport Police Department Staffing Report, shared below.
"We mourn the loss of Dyshan Best and grieve alongside his loved ones. As we honor his life, we also remain committed to dismantling the systemic violence in policing that continues to claim Black lives," said Chelsea-Infinity Gonzlaez, public policy and advocacy director of ACLU of Connecticut. "We stand with Dyshan's family in calling for transparency and accountability on the road to justice. We are working with the NAACP and the community to process the information about his death and to confront the failures in policing that led to this devastating moment. This should not keep happening."
The ACLU of Connecticut understands that the police officer's union has recently cast a vote of no confidence for Chief of Police Roderick Porter, and that both the union president and Chief Porter have called for an increase in the police force of at least 100 officers. The Matrix Consulting Group report rightly analyzes that the Bridgeport Police Department has adequate staffing at its current levels and does not need an increase in size of an order of magnitude that large.
"Challenging racial injustice in policing is a core priority of the ACLU of Connecticut, and we are thoroughly reviewing this case and previous uses of force," said Gonzalez. "We are also reviewing the staffing report and union contract information, and we will examine the Inspector General's full report on the homicide to help determine the right policy and advocacy actions with input from the community. We take police violence seriously and believe our taxpayer dollars should never fund death, injustice, and anti-Blackness. It is possible to interrupt cycles of state violence, and it is our responsibility to demand justice and accountability."
The ACLU of Connecticut stays up to date with police forces, suits and settlements, use of force reports, and collective bargaining agreements via Project Flashlight, a first-of-its-kind transparency and police accountability tool that aggregates data and provides insight into police forces in Connecticut.
Advocates for racial justice and those working in the community against police violence have been shocked and saddened by the death of Mr. Best.
"It's imperative that we reckon with the legacy of racialized state violence in Connecticut," said Erycka Ortiz, field organizer ACLU of Connecticut. "We cannot turn away. This is not an isolated incident. There are deep rooted historical patterns and we must challenge one another to address and acknowledge that footprint. It's devastating to see it manifest in our state today."
"What can I say, Dyshan? I didn't know you. But this is what I do know. You came to Connecticut to care for others, and now you're gone. I'm sick and tired of Black bodies pierced with bullets of racism," said Anderson Curtis, senior policy organizer for the ACLU of Connecticut. "Our community is hurting, and we demand attention, care, and systemic change."
"We mourn yet another unnecessary death of a Black person in Connecticut," said K'wya Stafford and Ashley Daniels, directors of Jebrell's Bridge Foundation. "Our family member met this fate six months ago in New Haven. We opened our community-based foundation to transmute our grief into societal progress. It's devastating to see this happen over and over again. Know we stand with Dyshan's family and community in calling for answers."
Find the Bridgeport Police Department Staffing Report here: https://www.acluct.org/sites/default/files/bridgeport_staffing_study_revised_draft_report.pdf
