This is the WFHB Local News for Friday, August 28th, 2020.

Later in the program, WFHB Correspondent Aaron Comforty talks to Abby Ang, local activist and scholar, about an alt-right flyer found at Indiana University. More in today’s feature report.

Also coming up, Diane Walker, attorney for the District 10 Pro Bono project and Limestone Post magazine contributor, continues her ongoing series titled “Eviction Crisis in Indiana.”

But first, today's local news brief.

832 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Indiana on Thursday, according to the Indiana State Department of Health, which also attributed 8 deaths to the disease.

Locally, Monroe County saw 21 positive cases reported on Thursday, while Brown and Green Counties both reported one new case.

Indiana University has not yet published the Covid-19 dashboard that it promised in a town hall meeting last month. The university’s COVID-19 statistics are not publicly available at the moment.

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Late yesterday evening, IU announced that it suspended all organizational activities at every sorority and fraternity and at the Evans scholars and Christian Student Fellowship houses.

The suspension of activities affects some 2,600 students. The Monroe County Health Department ordered eight of the fraternities and sororities to not only suspend organizational activities, but to adhere to a strict quarantine, by not leaving their houses.

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In a meeting on Wednesday night for the city’s public safety committee, city council member Isabelle Piedmont Smith asked Bloomington Police Chief, Mike Diekhoff, if systemic racism is present in the Bloomington Police Department.

Diekhoff said “I do not believe that there is systemic racism in our agency … I believe our officers don’t have racist thoughts and don’t participate in racist activities.”

Diekhoff’s comments brought swift condemnations from local activists.

Bloomington City Council Public Safety Committee Meeting 

The Bloomington City Council Public Safety Committee held a public meeting to discuss the Bloomington Police Department. BPD Chief Michael Diekoff said police officers receive 90 to 100 hours of training each year. He said Indiana only requires 24 hours. He said the department seeks new training each year.

Diekoff said BPD owning an armed vehicle is not militarization. He said militarization is about actions not equipment. Council member Isabel Piedmont-Smith asked Diekoff about BPD’s ownership and use of non lethal weaponry.

Deikoff said legal tear gas would be used in a mass riot. He said some areas of law enforcement have seen racism; however racism is not a part of BPD the officers do not have racist thoughts. He said officers are monitored with body cameras and held accountable by a Guardian Tracking system. Community member Jada Bee questioned Deikoff’s assessment of racism.

Bee said Bloomington and BPD are not outside of current events. Resident Savannah Pearlman officers chose to be officers, but people don’t choose to be Black. Community member Donyell Bird said social workers should not be involved with BPD.

Local law student William Sanchez said BPD officers must be wearing masks. Deikoff said officers are required to wear masks while interacting with the public. Piedmont-Smith said BPD has used no knock warrants. Deikoff said he could not guarantee a no knock warrant situation would not lead to a death.

IU Professor Put on Unpaid Leave

Indiana University Kelley School of Business Professor Eric Rasmusen has been put on unpaid leave for what IU is calling a “personal issue.”

The announcement comes after a series of sexist tweets Rasmusen made last week. Rasmusen’s comments were in response to a tweet suggesting parents would rather their daughters be “sexually immoral” and get a degree,