In the pews of the Imani Temple in north Lafayette Thursday night, black community leaders embarked on a four-month operation to craft what they say is a resounding call for justice for victims of police brutality.

Uniting to plan a week of events in New Iberia starting October 12, community activists met at the Catholic church and established committees for different aspects for the operation such as outreach, fundraising and logisitcs.

“It’s overwhelming how organized we are already,” The Rev. Victor White Sr. said. “I’m excited to see how this develops.”

The rally will culminate in a final march on October 17 to New Iberia City Hall where they will deliver a letter of demands, including Iberia Parish Sheriff Louis Ackal’s resignation.

Other events could include a symposium to address their issues with the current state of policing in America, a walk out taking place in colleges and high schools around the state, fundraising concerts and educational workshops.

Imani Temple pastor and criminal lawyer John Milton led the two-hour meeting.

“We have to have a strategy in place to show what we’re asking for is just,” he said. “Why do police officers continue to kill get away with it? Maybe it’s because of the immunity laws in America and the qualified immunity those laws give them.”

The death of White has become a rallying cry for these leaders to take action, they said. Victor White Sr. became their figurehead, and the community has rallied around his son’s death as a prime example of excessive force and corruption by local police.

“What’s going to bring justice to Victor White III is making sure no one else has to go through this,” Milton said.

The Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office has been under scrutiny after multiple instances of in-custody deaths over the years, as well as brutality taking place within the Iberia Parish Jail. The continued outcry has prompted the U.S. Attorney’s Office to work with the FBI to conduct their own investigation, specifically into the death of Victor White III.

“The spirit of the call is that when you call for justice, it can’t just be a cry and someone says, “OK,” Milton said. “You have to demand reform that will change the system that oppresses people with police brutality.”

Although the march will be in unison with the 19th annual nationwide marches held by The October 22 Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Milton said it’s up to those here to make their march a success.

“We are the ones on the ground,” The Rev. John Milton said. “We are the ones that are going to make this thing happen.”

Victor White III died in police custody March 2, 2014, by what the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office called in August a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. Police found only a small amount of drugs on his person during an initial search, but no gun.

Victor White III, police said, produced the gun while in the backseat of the police car and, while his hands were behind his back, shot himself.

Although Victor White Sr. said he knows his son will never come back to him, something meaningful can come out of his death.

“I know we can fight for justice for his life being taken,” Victor White Sr. said. “Not just for his death, but for other families who have suffered at the hands of police using excessive force.”

Despite police reports saying Victor White III killed himself, Victor White Sr. is unconvinced his son would take his own life.

“My son was killed due to police brutality,” Victor White Sr. said in May. “That should fall on (Ackal). He still hasn’t taken responsibility for the death of my son, and they’re still saying it was suicide. We know that he didn’t kill himself.”

Ackal responded to criticism in May by civil rights activists, saying it’ll be a “cold day in hell” before he steps down as sheriff, IPSO Public Information Officer Maj. Ryan Turner told The Advertiser.

“He has no intention of resigning,” Turner said. “He’s going to do the job he was elected to do.”

Even if the movement can enact reform in police immunity laws and the alleged abuse of black people by police, this is only the beginning, Milton said.

“Our inititive here is only the start,” Milton said. “We have bigger problems to face.”

The group will meet again at the Imani Temple July 9 at 7 p.m.