Where are the bills to end the militarization of police and murder of black men?

[marym625]

Cross post from GD.

This is obviously not going to stop. We have to force our representatives to pass bills to end the insanity

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026425866

[qwlauren35]

2. Mary

I hope your thread gets more attention. It's a very complicated question.

[marym625]

3. Thank you

I replied to your reply on the GD post

I appreciate your kick

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. The senate in particular and Rand Paul in particular

with a few dems like CLAIRE MCCASKILL, have actually tried to do more than just talk pretty.

http://thehill.com/regulation/217136-senators-blast-dod-program-to-militarize-police

Also the President ordered a full review of the 1030 program, which is a good thing, but as long as the John Byrne Grants don't stop the war on drugs will continue. The Byrne grants are essential, far more than the 1030 DoD program.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-seeks-more-federal-oversight-of-military-equipment-for-police/

What every politician is not willing to fight are the powerful police unions, and DAs across the country.

They should go after them, but that will NOT happen in an election year, and we are almost there.

We cover this shit... and will give you a link to one of our stories, mostly for the database...

http://reportingsandiego.com/2014/08/27/how-militarized-are-san-diego-police-forces/

We could not account for the MRAP, which was accounted for by KPBS after this ran, and San Diego Unified was forced to give it back You need far more media shining the light as well. If none of us had done that, I am betting San Diego unified would have a new MRAP...

That said, policing in the 21st century is a structural change that gives me a tad of hope.

http://reportingsandiego.com/2015/03/05/policing-in-the-21st-century/

[marym625]

5. Thank you so much, Nadine

I know that you have had trouble here, though I don't know any particulars, I am so glad you are semi around. You are a fountain of great information.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. No use in going over the particulars

but I had a wake up moment. Covering the protests for Mike Brown in San Diego, I cannot swing a dead, or live, cat, and not find some sort of both good and extremely bad behavior by my local PD. Yes, it closely tracks by neighborhoods.

I had a conversation with another editor last night, over another one of our local police departments. This editor was swearing up and down that those guys were not like the rest... that is until somebody walked to the publication with a hot story, after another outlet found a few ahem... sexual harassment claims and quotas inside the department. GASP, we were so shocked! Really!

I told that editor that it is time to talk to the minorities in the neighborhoods and demand the stop data from the PD. I am willing to bet there is a racial component to that stop data, if they are even bothering to enter it into the system. Call it a sneaky... or we have been covering (and reading) too many federal reports, for breakfast.

The reason I mention this is... white privilege expands to what is covered. We are all so surprised GASP, when we have patterns that reveal the structural racism right under the surface. Most editors never want to go there... due to access. They are all afraid of losing this, and quite frankly I need that access to cover a wild land fire. For some reason the FD does not like to have pesky civilians photographing what they do, right by them, at large wild fires. It can be really not that healthy... that is one of the uses of those media cards. I have surrendered my right to sue the county if I am dumb enough to get killed. And we all know this.

Right now the feed from the County meeting is running (Awards and proclamations), I slept in/ So do it remotely. But they want to expand the PERT (Psychological Emergency Response Team), so as soon as regular order starts, turning off the Rand Paul circus. The good news, I get a nice clean recording

Sheriffs killed a man during a psychological emergency. It was likely a good shoot, he was armed (white and middle class), but...

[marym625]

8. Well, don't be dumb enough to get killed!

You are a special person Nadine. Glad to have you here.

[Glassunion]

7. Never going to happen.

As long as the current system is in place.

The current system is not going anywhere anytime soon.

[marym625]

9. yes, I am afraid you are correct

But we can't give up