An attempt at harmony between Boulder’s local NAACP chapter and city leaders has turned into a contentious battle over the appointment of Stephen Redfearn as Chief of the Boulder Police Department. City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde reported the NAACP chapter to its parent organization after they breached a confidentiality agreement by releasing a clip of a meeting where Redfearn was accused of being “anti-Black” and displaying “cultural incompetence.” The NAACP had been opposed to Redfearn’s appointment due to his involvement in the Elijah McClain case.
Rivera-Vandermyde defended her decision to hire Redfearn and criticized the NAACP’s actions as an attempt to influence the hiring process. She revealed that Redfearn had been upset by homophobic language used at the meeting and that the discussion was meant to build positive relationships. The NAACP had been calling for Redfearn’s resignation over his handling of the McClain case, where he altered dispatch logs and later testified against the officers involved.
Redfearn defended himself in an op-ed, describing McClain’s death as “heartbreaking” and expressing that he had followed proper protocol in handling the incident. The NAACP president, Annett James, did not respond to requests for comment on the recent developments. It remains to be seen how this conflict will be resolved as tensions between the NAACP chapter and city leaders continue to rise.
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