#BlackLivesMatter: Activists come up with a plan to end police killings. Here it is.

[Starry Messenger]

African-American group. Thank you.

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-police-campaign-zero-20150821-story.html

On Friday, prominent black activists offered an answer that has been in the works for months, introducing a comprehensive policy platform to end killings by the police in the U.S. and said they will track and hold 2016 candidates accountable for their stances.

"Campaign Zero," marks the most sweeping and detailed policy platform to emerge along with the Black Lives Matter movement. On a slickly produced website, it proposes 10 reform tenets, many backed with specific policy proposals to end the hundreds of police killings that happen annually in the U.S.

The campaign's pillars include limiting police use of force, beefing up oversight of police departments with civilian review boards and equipping officers with body cameras. The activists call for an end to aggressive police tactics and heavy fines when it comes to minor infractions that tend to fall disproportionately on black Americans.

The group also adopted model police programs and proposals from around the country. A call to end police ticket quotas points to Illinois law as a reference. A proposal to restrict the use of SWAT teams except for crisis situations cites Cincinnati police policy. One proposal to strengthen oversight suggests supporting an existing congressional bill that would incentivize independent investigations of police misconduct.

Campaign Zero was created by DeRay Mckesson, Johnetta Elzie, Brittany Packnett -- three of the most prominent activists to emerge during last year's unrest in Ferguson, Mo. -- and Samuel Sinyangwe, a San Francisco-based policy expert.

<snip>

[libdem4life]

1. This will probably end in some interesting self-selection of police. They've

been so accustomed to being the Top Dawgs that to "kowtow" to the same folks they disdain would be too much to take.

Good, I say, go do something else with your 'roids and attitude.

[senz]

10. Exactly. They don't understand the meaning of "public SERVANT."

The ones with the attitude should join the military instead. Which might straighten them out...

[libdem4life]

15. Some of this escalated with the military guys coming back and being

automatically hired by stateside municipal governments. Saved them a fortune in training expenses. Wartime behavior is what is wrong, IMO. Of course, I'm anti-war so i carry that to foreign killings as well. And all of those nifty war machines we don't have any use for, is free to the same places. It's a recipe for disaster.

When you are a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

[BlueJazz]

35. What libdem4life said !

[libdem4life]

100. Thank you. I don't think American lives are worth more than others,

it's just closer to home.

[nikto]

54. Military vets with massive PTSD coming back home to serve in the police ...

Is an untold story, so far.

IMO, gotta' be a factor in at least some of these police shootings.

And I believe, as you clearly do, that it is a big story,
that is likely to explode one of these days.

[libdem4life]

97. Ferguson was the first televised operation. There have been others.

[yeoman6987]

108. It would have to depend on how many shootings were from

Prior military and so far not many so I don't think that will be any story.

[nikto]

120. Are there even any stats available on that?

Love to see those stats, if they even exist.

Could be a big news story waiting to happen.

[senz]

81. True. All that military equipment tells them they're at war

and/or they're occupiers. So that's how they start behaving. They need to get back to the old paradigm: peace officers serving in their own community -- which means everyone.

[libdem4life]

98. I mean with all those war toys, what could possible go wrong?

[northoftheborder]

96. I've thought this exact thing in my own mind - needs to be said out loud more.

[libdem4life]

99. Many think it's the beginning of the police occupation of the US.

It's got to be in the conversation as we elect a new president. Need I point out which candidate is likely to give it more than just a passing thought?

[northoftheborder]

119. I don't find myself in that line of thought.

"the beginning of the police occupation of the US"

[libdem4life]

121. Perhaps you did not see Ferguson and the hundreds of stories of police killing unarmed citizens.

Oh yes, and demanding "your papers, please" when being pulled over for a maybe or maybe not traffic violation. And then there's that little think called the 1%...that runs the country...and Citizen's United who buy elections.

Naw, just normal democracy.

[lovemydog]

2. Here's the ten-point plan

in summary:

1. End broken windows policing.
2. Community oversight.
3. Limit use of force.
4. Independently investigate and prosecute.
5. Community representation.
6. Body cams / film the police.
7. Training.
8. End for-profit policing.
9. Demilitarization.
10. Fair police union contracts.

Details on this excellent site:

http://www.joincampaignzero.org/solutions/#solutionsoverview

[Starry Messenger]

3. Looks great.

Thanks for the link! Edit to add, clicked around a bit and found the action item. Pledge to join the campaign, which looks like contacting lawmakers, details to follow when you make the pledge: https://www.causes.com/actions/1780515-pledge-to-support-a-comprehensive-package-of-policy-solutions-to-end-police-violence-in-america

[lovemydog]

4. Excellent. Made the pledge.

Thanks. Hope you're enjoying a great weekend!

[Starry Messenger]

5. Same to you!

So far so good! I made the pledge too.

[Live and Learn]

13. Pledged. Thanks for the link. nt

[brush]

58. I made the pledge but was trying to find out if one of the provisions was for . . .

Last edited Sun Aug 23, 2015, 12:32 AM - Edit history (1)

individual officers and the police union be the ones who pay when victim families sue for damages.

As it is now in most jurisdictions the city is the one that has to pay up.

If cops know they and their union are the ones that will have to cough up millions I'm betting they won't be so trigger happy.

Do you know if that is included?

[Starry Messenger]

59. I don't know, sorry.

[brush]

64. I think I'll try to contact this group of organizers and make this suggestion if . . .

it's not one of the provisions of their pact.

[NJCher]

71. please do

and when you hear from them, let us know.

I agree that this point is very important.


Cher

[brush]

79. Will do. nt

[classykaren]

90. I had the same idea only with mandatory liability insurance on each officer like nurses have.

A requirement to having a police license. You would be surprised how well the insurance industry will keep the psychos out.

[brush]

93. Good point

I emailed the BLM email listed in the article with my original question. When they get back to me I will add your suggestion and report to DU what they say to our suggestions.

They may have already included them in their plan — hopefully.

[ismnotwasm]

122. Pledged and sent to 50 friends

I'm going to put at this on a couple of private groups as well

[Starry Messenger]

123. That's fantastic!

Woohoo!

[senz]

9. Thanks. The LATimes didn't list the points.

Glad to see they include training in there.

[passiveporcupine]

74. And they need training for how to handle the mentally ill too

[senz]

82. They do. There are techniques, dos and don'ts, not all of which are intuitive.

One thing for sure: brute force does not help.

[Live and Learn]

16. Bernie has already mentioned most of those. All of this and more needs to be done! nt

[lovemydog]

20. Good. Martin O'Malley has already mentioned them too,

in writing in a detailed plan for criminal justice reform. You can find that in the Martin O'Malley group here at DU. My bet would be that Hillary will specifically endorse this plan as well. Though I'm not really trying to lobby for any particular presidential candidate.

I agree that all this and more needs to be done.

If you see the pledge given here by another poster, check out that link. When you make the pledge you are saying you will contact local officials too.

I think you'll agree with me that we can help affect these positive changes by contacting both presidential candidates and local, community and state representatives too.

Thanks for your support. Hope you enjoy a great weekend.

[Live and Learn]

87. I already did the pledgeg. This is an issue close to my heart and I have been fighting

to ensure something is done about it.

Good on O'Malley and I hope Hillary does sign on too. Issues like these are the reason debates are so badly needed.

Very glad to see Black Lives Matter put the list in writing and I hope they add the suggestions other posters made as well, especially ending civil forfeiture and private prisons. In addition, I'd like to see a reduction in fines that are allowed and a sane way to let people that can't afford fines pay them off and limiting record checks to allow those convicted to get jobs.

[Gormy Cuss]

22. Good list, although it's not in order of importance.

Training is first with an eye to reducing use of force and shifting away from "broken windows" thinking and the militarization.

[sheshe2]

23. Thanks for the link to campain zero,

lovemydog. Good details there.

[lovemydog]

25. You're welcome sheshe2.

I hope you're having a good weekend.

I'm having a friend over for dinner. I'm making some serious spaghetti with italian sausage, artichoke, mushroom, tomato and four cheese alfredo sauce. Mama mia thatsa serious spaghetti!

[sheshe2]

28. Yuuuum! Serious spaghetti indeed!

Dinner sounds wonderful.

My weekend is okay, if you like to work.

Have fun tonight~

[Number23]

29. That's awesome. Thanks for pulling that bit out!

[lovemydog]

52. You're welcome mi amiga.

Let's share this message far and wide.

[Cha]

43. Mahalo lovemydog for the link to joincampaignzero~ SOLUTIONS! It's a brilliant plan and

brilliantly presented.

For instance..

The following activities do not threaten public safety and are often used to police black bodies. Decriminalize these activities or de-prioritize their enforcement:

•Consumption of Alcohol on Streets
•Marijuana Possession
•Disorderly Conduct
•Trespassing
•Loitering
•Disturbing the Peace (including Loud Music)
•Spitting

It's so comprehensive..

"WORDS TO ACTION"! #BlackLivesMatter

[lovemydog]

53. Absolutely Cha.

Solutions.

[ncjustice80]

70. Lol I like this one a lot.

If this came true, first thing I'd do is roll down to the local police station, down a beer, and smash the bottle on the ground in front of them while flipping the bird XD

[passiveporcupine]

75. YES!

[DinahMoeHum]

50. In poster form. . .

[lovemydog]

55. Thank you DinahMoeHum!

[MrMickeysMom]

60. Very good...

That number 10 is such a tall order. If an elected official interferes with the collective bargaining process, that's going to be a hard one, I think.

Every singe other thing starts from the TOP… The chief, which, if you don't take care with #10, has a poor probability of progress.

[lovemydog]

62. Really good point MMM.

Yes, it's a tall order. We will keep trying.

We have to keep these issues in the public consciousness. Public sentiment can elect a mayor who makes the ten points the highest priority. Not sure about other cities but in mine the mayor appoints the chief of police. An informed electorate in every municipality may keep BLM demands front and center with every elected official. Massive public demonstrations keep these issues at the forefront. Media must cover them too.

I wonder what other methods can help achieve this result.

[MrMickeysMom]

65. I'll make a suggestion...

Since I was one of those local officials for five years who wasn't afraid to ask questions and blow the whistle, which is why I'm not in office anymore…

Have the county government in every state eliminate electronic voting. The elections have turned the corner on honesty, not only in the money controlling it, but in letting election fraud occur. None of this is provable without a paper trail,which conveniently no longer exists.

Honest elections will get you your honest local government… then proceed on to the original list with community policing as a priority.

[lovemydog]

66. Great suggestion.

Eliminate electronic voting.

Thanks for your honest service.

[glinda]

63. I would like that they quit shooting pets also.

[passiveporcupine]

77. I'm with you here

If some of the police action wasn't so aggressive, and they were trained to deescalate better, it might not trigger so many dogs being shot while trying to protect their families.

[ncjustice80]

69. Some great ideas.

Would be easier to simply disarm cops a'la Great Britain/Japan than to try to limit force. Same with the unions- the police are the only profession that have no business having a union, since they are not part of the working class.

[passiveporcupine]

73. Maybe it should include "end for-profit prisons"

But it's a good start!

[mopinko]

104. they should add drug testing for all us of force incidents.

if not random testing for all cops.
i think roid rage has a lot more to do with all this than we think.

[cui bono]

117. I'd like to add #11...

The officers (all involved in any way, even as a complicit 'observer' who does nothing to stop the infraction) need to pay out all lawsuit expenses rather than the city (taxpayers).

[Warpy]

6. It's a great plan and will help a lot

I might add a few others like

End civil asset forfeiture (done in NM)

End "no knock" warrants

Test cops involved in violent altercations for steroid abuse.

I'm sure BLM will get to those eventually.

[Live and Learn]

14. Yes. +1 nt

[Chemisse]

32. Good ideas.

[Left coast liberal]

7. I am a middle aged white feminist liberal cat lover...and I say "Damn Good Ideas! Let's do it!"

[senz]

8. K&R -- glad to see this.

This is a great idea. The LATimes article didn't list all 10 reform tenets, but I hope they included training. I used to work with an organization that set training goals for peace officers and learned that cops aren't the deepest thinkers around, but they do try to do as they're told and to fit in with the group. So it looks like it needs to be drilled into them that they are here to serve the people -- all the people, not just white people -- and good performance as a peace officer means treating all people equally. If a cop is suspected of stopping black drivers or harassing black youth on the street, that cop will be given a warning and if the behavior continues, he/she can be put on suspension. Cops need to be told up front that they will be judged, and judged severely, on how they treat minorities. In addition, they should get sensitivity training so that they will understand what they're doing wrong and why.

[Hoppy]

19. How can that policy be written to work in a community with largely black population?

[kwassa]

44. Community policing.

The cops can be of any ethnicity, but they have to get to know the people they protect, and form a positive relationship with them.

[senz]

86. Absolutely right, kwassa. The only way policing should work in any community.

[Starry Messenger]

67. What kwassa said.

Richmond CA is a model for this.

Police Violence Is Not Inevitable: Four Ways a California Police Chief Connected Cops With Communities

http://www.yesmagazine.org/peace-justice/police-violence-is-not-inevitable-four-ways-a-california-police-chief-connected-cops-with-communities

[div class="excerpt"}

In the wake of a Missouri grand jury’s decision not to indict Darren Wilson, the police officer who shot and killed Michael Brown, it can be difficult to imagine a place where law enforcement and a racially diverse population work together productively in the United States.

But it’s happening in Richmond, California, a gritty town in the San Francisco Bay Area best known for its massive Chevron refinery and, in previous years, for its high crime rate. While the situation in Richmond isn’t perfect, it is an example other cities can learn from.

<snip>



If you go to the link there, there is more detail on specific practices.

[lovemydog]

57. You're right senz, they include training:

Here's the 10 points in summary:

1. End broken windows policing.
2. Community oversight.
3. Limit use of force.
4. Independently investigate and prosecute.
5. Community representation.
6. Body cams / film the police.
7. Training.
8. End for-profit policing.
9. Demilitarization.
10. Fair police union contracts.

There's many more details on this site:

http://www.joincampaignzero.org/solutions/#solutionsoverview

Also a great way to sign a pledge, where they suggest you share it with others and will be informed on more we can do.

https://www.causes.com/actions/1780515-pledge-to-support-a-comprehensive-package-of-policy-solutions-to-end-police-violence-in-america

Also they are tracking the presidential candidates from both parties to see what they've addressed and promised. So far O'Malley and Sanders are in the lead.

[senz]

83. Thanks, lovemydog. This is all good.

I really love it when we work from a place of hope and competence.

[lovemydog]

84. Same here senz.

Much appreciated.

[fbc]

11. It seems like an excellent plan, and mostly achievable.

I'm not too optimistic about #10 though.

[jtuck004]

12. Hire some Quakers. n/t

[Scruffy1]

18. The Wobs are right.

[Scruffy1]

17. After about 45 years of thought on the sunject.

They have completely ignored the economic component. We'll never eliminate injustice until we eliminate economic injustice. Poor communities make poor environments. This is both a race and class issue. Dr. King saw it. Johnson saw it. There is nothing wrong with their suggestions per se, but it is much larger than race. even in Minnesota where I live the unemployment rate for African Americans is double that of the general population. To me me poverty, race and class are all parts of the equation.

[Starry Messenger]

21. Sandra Bland had a job. It didn't help her.

The police are helping keep Black people poor by confiscation and using cities like Ferguson as a fundraiser by overpolicing.

Sure, poverty elimination programs are great, but when the cops are raiding your shit and taking all of the extra-money and then indiscriminately shooting Black people on top of it, what does unemployment have to do with anything?

Cops wrongly stop lots of Black people who are wealthy too. Ask Charles Belk if he needed a job. http://ktla.com/2014/08/26/producer-in-beverly-hills-for-emmy-pre-party-mistaken-for-bank-robber-held-6-hours/

[gollygee]

24. They are addressing one specific problem

Both economic and racial justice are important, but economic justice alone won't solve racism in this country, and not all people of color getting killed are poor. Racism is a problem only people of color face, and those people of color who are poor face racial injustice in addition to the economic injustice white people also face. It is the specific problem of racial injustice that is being addressing here. It is OK for people of color to work on this specific problem they face without also working on other problems at the same time, even if those other problems are also important.

[jeff47]

42. They're addressing one problem. It is up to others to address other problems,

no matter how inter-related.

We need "specialists" on this issue. We also need "specialists" on economics. We also need "specialists" on foreign policy. And "specialists" on military affairs. And on healthcare. And so on and so on.

Then we need politicians (and the people) to help bring all of these plans into effect. We're going to need to work on all of them because they are all connected. And leaving any of these problems behind will be exploited to thwart fixing all of them.

[Chitown Kev]

61. Sheeesh, we've never heard that before

It's not that economic inequality is unimportant but working on and changing police procedures and the mass incarceration of African Americans will help on issues of economic inequality.

Just imagine, for example, if the City of Ferguson hadn't been using the justice system to fleece African Americans. Or imagine if fewer African Americans had police records...

[JustAnotherGen]

88. Let Fed Gov come up with an Economic solution

Putting the onus of Income Inequality on the three founders fighting for their lives (See Sandra Bland case) is not fair.

All of those big smart people in DC supposedly have the credentials to solve that issue. It's their job and they need to do it.

What BLM has come up with can be implemented in every borough, town, city, and municipality in America without waiting for a super hero in DC to swoop in and save us.

We (black Americans) need to put the oxygen masks on ourselves first.

[sheshe2]

26. Campaign Zero's

website had great details, it was an informative read. I truly hope we see action on the 10 points addressed and more.

Thank you for your Op on BLM, Starry Messenger.

[Starry Messenger]

31. I hope we see action too.

A lot of care and attention went into hammering out a great reform proposal by Campaign Zero.

[sheshe2]

38. They did good, Starry Messenger.

Quite frankly, the message is going out and it is far to late to try to put the stopper back in the bottle.

[tularetom]

27. Get their fat asses outa them cruisers & force them to mingle with those they're suppose to protect

[catnhatnh]

30. The is the best and most productive agenda I've seen for policing.

All of BLM and especially the authors deserve thanks. Outcomes like this will hopefully ease and assuage all our peoples of the stress and discord this necessary fight has brought. This old white guy is humbled by their performance.

[murielm99]

33. They offered this on Friday.

It is great!

I hope they have plans to get wide publicity for this. I hope they present it formally to all the candidates, and to news outlets and governments.

So far, I have seen nothing but this post. Is this going to be buried by the MSM, or disseminated widely? How can this be publicized well?

[Starry Messenger]

34. I am posting about the pledge action on FB and Twitter.

I hope there is more news coverage too. Chris Hayes was doing some good coverage on the movement, but the fate of liberal programming at MSNBC seems kind of rocky at the moment. I'll keep an eye out for coverage.

[lovemydog]

56. Great that you're sharing it Starry Messenger!

We all need to share this far and wide.

[tblue]

36. Works for me!

Good move!

[canoeist52]

37. Good article by a former NYC cop, Frank Serpico.

With good solutions;

1. Strengthen the selection process and psychological screening process for police recruits. Police departments are simply a microcosm of the greater society. If your screening standards encourage corrupt and forceful tendencies, you will end up with a larger concentration of these types of individuals;

2. Provide ongoing, examples-based training and simulations. Not only telling but showing police officers how they are expected to behave and react is critical;

3. Require community involvement from police officers so they know the districts and the individuals they are policing. This will encourage empathy and understanding;

4. Enforce the laws against everyone, including police officers. When police officers do wrong, use those individuals as examples of what not to do – so that others know that this behavior will not be tolerated. And tell the police unions and detective endowment associations they need to keep their noses out of the justice system;

(2 more on last page of a well thought-out presentation)

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/10/the-police-are-still-out-of-control-112160.html

[Cha]

39. Mahalo Starry Messenger! "Campaign Zero" a plan to end Police Killings.. from your link..

Elzie added, "The four of us can't speak for every black person in America." However, she added, “As cliché as the phrase is, knowledge really is power in this case. I want people to make the best-informed decisions for themselves and their community, and I think Campaign Zero definitely helps.”

For instance, Elzie said, she scrolled over the Campaign Zero table showing presidential candidates and whether they'd taken a specific stand on the activists' 10 core issues. The Democratic candidates had many boxes filled in with positions, but the Republicans' were empty.

“It maps out plain as day who has spoken on what," Elzie said. “Just looking at this chart, the Republicans have said nothing about anything that remotely affects what’s happening in America right now.”

It's a tool, Packnett added, to “ultimately hold the 2016 candidates accountable."

Good, that's what we need.. since the Police Depts obviously weren't doing anything on their own.

Add this..

1. End broken windows policing.
2. Community oversight.
3. Limit use of force.
4. Independently investigate and prosecute.
5. Community representation.
6. Body cams / film the police.
7. Training.
8. End for-profit policing.
9. Demilitarization.
10. Fair police union contracts.

http://www.joincampaignzero.org/solutions/#solutionsoverview

lovemydog http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1187&pid=23598

[Starry Messenger]

40. Thanks for highlighting this, Cha.

BlackLivesMatter has been one of the most powerful campaigns linking grassroots protest to reform, and link to work in the electoral arena that I have seen in my lifetime. They have shaped the political campaigns for 2016 and are leading on the message. <3

[Cha]

45. I know, they are simply Amazing! We are going to get this done, Starry.

#BlackLivesMatter leaders have the best incentive possible and they have met the challenge brilliantly.. and are not taking "no" or indifference for an answer.

We will have Police Reform and they will stop killing African Americans.

[sheshe2]

41. No doubt, the Republicans' were empty.

The Democratic candidates had many boxes filled in with positions, but the Republicans' were empty.

They are devoid of humanity. They are the ones that are empty.

Thanks Cha~

[Cha]

46. Again we have an election, she.. that is LOVE VS pure Evil

Such a massive dichotomy in our country.

But, once again we will persevere.

#BlackLivesMatter

[sheshe2]

48. We are going to win this.

We have to. It is so past due, Cha.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

47. Here's a handy graphic....

[Cha]

68. Thank you, Spitfire!

http://www.joincampaignzero.org/solutions/#solutionsoverview

[Spitfire of ATJ]

72. I remember YEARS ago when I first looked up the Black Panther's 10 Point Program....

My first thought was, "That makes perfect sense. Why not?"

We all know why not.

[PoliticAverse]

49. End the war on (some) drugs. n/t

[HassleCat]

51. Sounds pretty good

I particularly like the ideas about demilitarizing the police by restricting SWAT team use. We need to make the police see they are there to protect us against criminals, not to treat us all as criminals.

[Number23]

76. This is such an awesome story. Kicking again!!!

On Monday, Mckesson tweeted at U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders' official account to ask, "The first draft of your racial justice platform has promise. When will you be available to discuss enhancements w/ folks?"

Sanders' account responded, "Let's do it. We will [private message] you this week to arrange."

"We’ve spoken to staffers on [former Maryland Gov. Martin] O’Malley’s campaign, on Hillary’s campaign, and Sanders', maybe all within the last two weeks or so," said Elzie, who has 71,000 Twitter followers. “The lines of communication are open for sure.”

That is nothing but a great big old Middle Finger to all the hand wringers crying about how they're not actually doing annnnnnything and they're huuurrrting their cauuuuuussee!!!!

[Starry Messenger]

78. Yep.

Thank you Number23. I agree. This thread got a lot of recs, but I wonder if some of the people reccing it realize that in order to get more media focus on this program, there are going to have to be more protests and demonstrations from Black Lives Matter.

The media is focused on Trump-mania, and BLM is going to have to break through both that shiny object and the fact that positive news doesn't get a lot of attention.

I don't have a crystal ball, but I'm guessing this isn't the end of the road for DU's spasms of respectability politics and other racially insensitive reactions to "untoward" political actions.

[Number23]

85. Oh good Lord no, it's not the end. As more than one person has noticed here

some of these folks really aren't ready for black liberation and equality.

There will be alot more angst, hand wringing and alot more racism tossed #BLM's way -- including from folks who love to pat themselves on the back the hardest with how "liberal" and "progressive" they are -- before it's all said and done.

[lovemydog]

113. Agree.

I've already noticed that some posters have 'recommendations' for BLM based on the list posted here on the thread. Yes, if they go and read the web site with the link provided, they will see that those recommendations are already on the web site, with the more detailed policy proposals. It's just kind of funny to me that anyone would presume they are coming up with some brilliant recommendation for BLM, as though BLM would go 'oh, duh, we hadn't thought of that.' Oh well. A lot of self-described 'liberals' seem to think they have all the answers. Many of them certainly gave President Obama a slew of unsolicited 'advice' as though he was too stupid to understand things a 'clearly' as them. ROFLMAO.

[Starry Messenger]

114. Yes, this process didn't just happen overnight with a few friends over beer.

There's lots of granular information on the website that goes into greater detail. There are also other organizations coming out of BLM that will take up different pieces of the racism in the "justice industrial complex."

That tumblr that Mr. Scorpio posted seems even more apt today: http://www.democraticunderground.com/118723579
with the addendum to the final piece being, "Black people: We came up with goals from our process of grassroots work." "White people: Ok. We thought of how you could do this better."

[sheshe2]

80. Kick!

[Tarheel_Dem]

89. BLM putting meat on the bones of this movement.

[Scuba]

91. Add steroids testing and, as others have suggested, insurance requirements or ...

... having the police union pay for violations instead of the taxpayers.

[thebighobgoblin]

92. Mostly agree

I still think broken windows policing is something that I agree with in theory, in the sense that people need to know that there's a police presence in the community and that infractions are going to get checked out. Sorry, I don't want loud music or drunk and disorderly conduct in my neighborhood and I expect the police to do something about it.

But we should definitely change how that's implemented, which goes back to police training. Police need to be there to resolve conflicts, not to escalate relatively minor situations (such as the above-mentioned) into violent confrontations. Putting someone in handcuffs needs to be a last resort not something that automatically happens anytime someone snaps at someone in uniform.

[Starry Messenger]

103. I think the community policing model gets at what you mention.

It's my understanding that the "broken windows" policing led to policies like stop and frisk, on the assumption that nearly anybody in a Black community could have a warrant or an ounce of weed or something.

The story I linked upthread about Richmond, CA tells how the new chief is turning the relationship around. I used to work in Richmond, it's a small city, but I hope some of their practices could work in other cities.

[thebighobgoblin]

105. I don't know the proper semantics

but I think we're basically in agreement. I'm definitely not an advocate of stop-and-frisk, which only poisons the well of trust between communities and law enforcement, not to mention it violates civil liberties. And despite Rudy Giuliani's insistence, it doesn't make communities safer.

But the problems with policing should really be a segue into broader problems with the criminal justice system, which is mostly a system of punitive measures and warehousing people we're angry at, rather than a place for constructive 'time-out' and individual rehabilitation. That corporations are involved and lobbying the federal government on these issues should be beyond disturbing to anyone.

The United States has the rather dubious and irreconcilable distinction of claiming its position as a paragon of liberty and democracy while having the world's highest incarceration rate. Not the highest number of prisoners, but the highest *rate* of imprisonment. People are convicted for non-violent offenses and locked up for years, and yet in some cities we have 50 percent of homicides that remain unsolved.

What are the priorities here? What should law enforcement be doing? What kinds of crimes should we be really prosecuting? How should we be dealing with convicts? The American voter keeps voting for more and more laws that erode individual freedom and criminalize protest. This is what we're left with.

[azureblue]

106. s&F

is a tool to go after gangbangers- the groups that create a lot of crime. But cops expanded s&f to harass any person of color. So the problem becomes - how to cops keep the pressure on gangs without harassing minorities.

[MichMan]

109. Sorry, most make sense, but Number 1 as written is ridiculous

Maybe I am against the will of the rest of the posters, but honestly, who would want to put up with this in front of their house. (excepting the marijuana and spitting)

I don't want a bunch of people hanging out on my sidewalk or front yard at all hours blasting loud music, drunk and disorderly and trespassing on my property, would you? Yet this is the first reform that was issued. Seems that this one was written by a 22 year old; I suppose when I was in that age group, this stuff would have been normal fun behavior. Now that I am in my 50's, I sure as hell wouldn't want to put up with it.

No rational person would agree that these activities should be used as an excuse to harass/arrest POC, but to condone these as acceptable behavior is ridiculous IMO.

(edit) I understand somewhat what the intent was; while arresting someone walking down the street drinking a beer or loitering in minority communities is heavy handed and not warranted, that doesn't mean that there should be zero enforcement of egregious examples of this behavior as the proposed policies would indicate.


"The following activities do not threaten public safety and are often used to police black bodies. Decriminalize these activities or de-prioritize their enforcement:

Consumption of Alcohol on Streets
Marijuana Possession
Disorderly Conduct
Trespassing
Loitering
Disturbing the Peace (including Loud Music)
Spitting"

[Starry Messenger]

112. I guess I didn't picture the violent arrests for this sort of activity as happening in front of

people's houses? When I think "on streets", to me that speaks to the large, public, urban environments--such as where Eric Garner got killed for the minor infraction of selling single cigarettes, with an over aggressive take-down.

I have a hard time imagining that #BlackLivesMatter intended that young people of color would be running up and down the streets of suburban Everywhere, USA with abandon, as a result of reform.

[blackspade]

94. Fantastic!

All common sense, doable reforms.

@BLM

[TBF]

95. Every candidate should support this -

and kudos to Hillary for focus and encouragement in this area.

[Jester Messiah]

101. There's only one thing wrong with the 10 tenets:

That they aren't already established law. This is commonsense, reasonable stuff. I'm sure the police bootlickers will respond with "b...b...but drugs" though. Or some scare story about evil Mexicans swarming over the border to rape our wimminfolk. *sigh*

[Android3.14]

102. What do you know.

When both sides listen, so much more happens.

[Babel_17]

110. Good stuff

Also, and somewhat counter-intuitively, we need to see more hires for the police force. We need more local residents of the community being recruited. More money should be spent on training (point number 7) and police who are at risk should only patrol in pairs.

Ending the for profit policing and the militarization of the police are extremely long overdue. I can remember back in the '90s the AAA saying they would provide maps steering their customers away from municipalities that abused their police powers to ticket, search, and seize.

And for decades now we've been inflicted with instances of masked, heavy weapons at the ready, SWAT teams using no knock procedures to smash in doors only to find they are at the wrong address.

http://www.joincampaignzero.org/#vision

[ismnotwasm]

111. This is great!

And for any who think "Disruption" doesn't accomplish anything--think again, now all three major Democratic front-runners are addressing #BLM.

That's how it should be.

K&R

[silverweb]

116. Excellent!

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]Joined, pledged, and shared.

[hughee99]

118. This is great.

They have a list of specific, seemingly achievable goals to rally behind. This should enable them to focus larger groups on specific objectives and plan for action more efficiently. IMHO, this was the piece that was missing from other actions like OWS.