Dozens gather to protest the firing of Mount Vernon Police Commissioner Carl Bell

MOUNT VERNON — A small group of residents and community activists gathered in front of City Hall on Friday to protest the ouster of Police Commissioner Carl Bell and demand an explanation for why he was fired.

Damon Jones of the group Blacks in Law Enforcement of America organized the rally and decried Mayor Ernest Davis’ decision to fire Bell, who had held the post since July 2010.

“He tried to straighten up a police department that really had no accountability,” Jones said of Bell. Instead of enjoying the mayor’s support in that effort, Jones said, Bell, who was fired Tuesday afternoon, “was being undermined.”

Bishop William Ewell, a minister at the nearby New Hope Cornerstone Apostolic Church, described the departed commissioner as “a hands-on commissioner (who) really pushed the department forward.”

Davis has not publicly explained why he dismissed Bell. In a brief exchange in City Hall with a reporter, the mayor said, “I don’t comment on personnel matters. You should know that.”

The mayor’s finances and business interests and several nonprofits he founded are being investigated by federal authorities. Several of the protesters outside City Hall said they found the timing of Davis’ decision to fire Bell suspicious.

“Is this because you have the feds — you’re on their radar?” said Nazarine Duncan, a Mount Vernon resident who has worked to raise awareness about the violence plaguing the city. “To me, it looks like he’s trying to take the light and shine it on somebody else.”

Duncan’s two children survived an attack by a gunman two years ago. Bell was largely responsible for bringing their attacker to justice, she said.

“To me, he (Davis) had no justifiable reason why he fired him,” Duncan said. “We are owed an explanation.”

Citing the federal investigation, Ewell said, “In the midst of those things, I feel this was the wrong time to fire the police commissioner.”

In an interview this week with The Journal News, Bell said he had tried to raise the standards of the city’s police force and “instill some structure.”

He said his attempts to discipline officers who misbehaved were undermined by the mayor’s meddling. Bell said the mayor told him he didn’t understand politics.

Davis has not said whom he will choose to replace Bell or when he will make that appointment. For the time being, Deputy Commissioner Reginald Ward is overseeing the Police Department.