York County woman, widow of Baltimore police officer reflects on riots

Read the full story here:
http://www.ydr.com/local/ci_28038912/york-county-woman-widow-baltimore-police-officer-reflects

From the time news had spread that 25-year-old Freddie Gray died in Baltimore and throughout the following weeks, including when police responded to rioting there, Kim Deachilla of York County was taking several phone calls a day. Reporters from across the country and from as far away as Australia and France had questions. But it wasn't just media who were calling. As communications director for the Baltimore Fraternal Order of Police, Deachilla talked to Baltimore police officers who also wanted answers. When would they get relieved? How many overtime hours had they already accumulated? And all those calls were before the city's top prosecutor charged the six police officers involved in Gray's arrest last month.

Deachilla comes from a family of police — the widowed wife of a Baltimore police officer, she later married another Baltimore officer, and her son, Patrick, is trying to become a cop there. She's also been around and participated in protests before, having grown up during the Vietnam War, so she understands the importance of peaceful demonstrations.Deachilla said her job grew by "leaps and bounds" over the last few days when the city was put under a state of emergency after protests turned to riots this past Monday night. Deachilla, who said her opinion does not reflect that of the FOP, still recognized that there is a bigger conversation needed after the riots.

Last edited by Common Sense (5/03/2015 9:38 am)