Statement from Gayle Lacks and Michael Clemmons, Co-Chairs of LiveFree for POWER Interfaith with Elder Melanie DeBouse and Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler, Co-Directors of LiveFree for POWER Interfaith.
POWER Interfaith, a leading social justice movement in this region, representing thousands of concerned community members in Philadelphia and across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, wishes to express our sincere condolences to the family of Eddie Irizarry.
We also voice our moral outrage for the lies, attempted cover-up, and the senseless murder allegedly committed by Officer Mark Dial and his partner on August 14, 2023. The people of Philadelphia and the members of POWER Interfaith stand in solidarity with the Irizarry family in demanding absolute truth and absolute justice for this egregious act. POWER Interfaith admonishes the Philadelphia Police Department that truth and justice must be the highest priority (swift justice must be executed) for there to be any trust in policing within the community.
We urge the CPOC (Citizen’s Police Oversight Commission) to uphold their mission and obligation to the citizens of Philadelphia- to continue their independent investigation of this incident, to keep the public informed of their findings, and to hold police accountable. The CPOC needs to develop means of monitoring excessive use of force by police as well as a long-range plan to relieve the taxpayers of Philadelphia and place the moral and financial burden of such egregious acts of excessive use of force squarely on the backs of the perpetrators.
Our hearts stand with the Irizarry family, and our voices will persist until justice prevails.