NAACP Makes Recommendations For Naugatuck To Help Race Relations

NAUGATUCK, CT — The Greater Waterbury chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is recommending Naugatuck schedule town hall meetings and make other efforts to improve community relations following the racist message scandal that rocked the town.

The NAACP issued the recommendations this week after its members spoke to dozens of political and civic leaders and residents as part of its investigation into the scandal, in which Naugatuck Police Chief Steven Hunt's teen daughter sent racist messages on social media a couple of years ago.

In addition to hosting town hall meetings to foster open dialogue, the NAACP also recommended the chief's daughter issue a public apology, attend cultural sensitivity training classes and not have access to firearms. In her messages, the teen advocated for shooting African-Americans, among other vulgar sentiments.

The NAACP also recommended the following (also see the Facebook post below):

• Chief Hunt must secure his firearms as require by state statue.
• Board of Education should review its social media and code of conduct policies to ensure discipline is fair and impartial.
• Establish a resident driven Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEI), supported 100 percent by the Mayor and town officials.
• Hire a Diversity Officer to facilitate the work and recommendations of the DEI Committee.
• Ensure issues related to race and hiring practices are fair, impartial, and inclusive.
• Create a goal specific Affirmative Action Plan.
• Make transparent the process by which appointments are made to boards and commissions.
• Review/Create citywide policy to end Nepotism.
• Recruit and Hire Minority teachers.
• Hire/Promote black professionals to leadership positions within the town.

Hunt was cleared of any wrongdoing in connection with his daughter's messages, but Ginnie-Rae Clay, president of the Greater Waterbury NAACP, told Fox61 that the group's investigation discovered a pervasive sense of white privilege in the town, particularly among its men.

Naugatuck Mayor Pete Hess, who indicated he agrees with NAACP's findings, told WTNH-TV that the community is prepared to work hard on "diversity, equality and inclusion."