As Robin Woodberry spoke during The Next Steps Coalition's fifth virtual Town Hall on Policing - it became clear this one would take a more direct approach to addressing concerns the Black community has with area law enforcement.
 
"One son called me from the back of a squad car because he got stopped for a Christmas tree air freshener with terror in his voice," she said. "If you're going to stop us for something minor, then give us a ticket and let it go."
 
Tuesday's virtual town hall gave people like Woodberry the chance to share bad experiences with police agencies, and those agencies a chance to respond.
 
"I inherited a mess," said Campbell Police chief Patrick Kelly. "I stopped the stops for things like air fresheners and license plate lights, stopped bringing out the dogs to search."
 
Jaladah Aslam of the Youngstown Warren Black Caucus says the frank conversation is especially timely, given the differences in how mass shooters are apprehended versus the outcomes of so many unarmed Black men and women.
 
"The reality is somebody like Elijah McClain (who was not armed and died after being placed in a chokehold by officers and sedated by paramedics) just waking home was not treated the same way as a white perpetrator," Aslam said.
 
Newly minted Youngstown police chief Carl Davis agreed with his own perspective - referencing the ordeal former Warren officer Noah Linnen caused last year when he made up a story about being shot at.
 
"Why did I have to get on the phone and call my son...who lives in Warren and drives a black car and tell him to stay his butt at home?" said Davis. "Why did I have to have that conversation?"
 
As the conversation turned to fear many Black residents have of reporting an officer for fear of retaliation, it became clear that conversation is not finished.
 
The chiefs and sheriffs who joined the town hall said they understood the hesitancy to report an officer, but added that they can't address or fix problems if they don't hear about them.