DES MOINES, Iowa—David Rosenfeld, Socialist Workers Party candidate for Des Moines City Council at-large, addresses a candidates forum here October 30 sponsored by the African American Leadership Coalition. To a question about the role of cops in the Black community, several of Rosenfeld’s opponents said they had ridden in police cars, cited cops by name as friends or relatives, and gave high marks to “community policing” programs.

“You can dress them up with ‘community policing’ but working people, especially Blacks and Latinos, know the daily abuse, contempt, and brutality that the police deal out,” Rosenfeld said. “The Des Moines cops are cut out of the same blue cloth as the cops that beat Rodney King or Larry Milton.”

In December 1991 Des Moines cops brutally beat Larry Milton, a Black worker, sparking protests in the city.

“It is not a question of bad apples,” Rosenfeld continued. “It’s a bad orchard.”

After the forum several participants shook Rosenfeld’s hand and thanked him for his remarks. “We need someone like you on the council,” said one.

Rebecca Williamson, Socialist Workers Party candidate for city council in Ward 1, at far left, was the only other candidate to oppose the cops.

—MAGGIE TROWE