To: The United States House of Representatives and The United States Senate
White House, Congress: STOP Militant Policing in the U.S.
Since the shooting by Ferguson police of an unarmed young man, peaceful protestors have taken to the streets, Ferguson, MO has become a no-fly zone and public media has been shut out in order to conceal the violent, militarized response of the Ferguson and St. Louis police departments.
Now, police have gathered like a military force with tanks and SWAT gear, and have fired into peaceful protestors.
This madness must stop. Stop the military-style response in Ferguson, and take clear steps to ensure that such tactics - which only perpetuate violence - cannot continue across the United States.
Now, police have gathered like a military force with tanks and SWAT gear, and have fired into peaceful protestors.
This madness must stop. Stop the military-style response in Ferguson, and take clear steps to ensure that such tactics - which only perpetuate violence - cannot continue across the United States.
Why is this important?
The situation in Ferguson, MO affects all United States citizens. We cannot allow our police to become unchecked forces against our own people.
We must stop the trend of militant policing, before the tears gas canisters and SWAT teams are in our own backyards, and we must demand justice for the civil rights violations that have already happened in Ferguson.
I suggest creating legistlation for solutions like:
- Mandatory ethics and multicultural training for police officers around the country;
- Increased diversification of police forces - a police force should be representative of, and made up of, the same people it's protecting and serving; this includes cultural backgrounds, educational levels, skin color, sexual orientations, religions, etc.;
- Changes need to be made to DoD 1033: The Department of Defense’s Excess Property Program
This program is too far-reaching; it provides officers with equipment they don’t need, without providing them with important training.
While items such as helmets, armor, recording devices, boots, canteens, and binoculars are useful and should be donated to police forces, items such as LRAD units, large armored tanks, heavy, military grade weaponry, and the like, ought to be given to our National Guard – where units are already trained in their use, and where they can be deployed around the nation when necessary (and when an appropriate process has been applied to their deployment).
I encourage anyone who agrees, or who has other viable solutions, to add them to your signature!
We must stop the trend of militant policing, before the tears gas canisters and SWAT teams are in our own backyards, and we must demand justice for the civil rights violations that have already happened in Ferguson.
I suggest creating legistlation for solutions like:
- Mandatory ethics and multicultural training for police officers around the country;
- Increased diversification of police forces - a police force should be representative of, and made up of, the same people it's protecting and serving; this includes cultural backgrounds, educational levels, skin color, sexual orientations, religions, etc.;
- Changes need to be made to DoD 1033: The Department of Defense’s Excess Property Program
This program is too far-reaching; it provides officers with equipment they don’t need, without providing them with important training.
While items such as helmets, armor, recording devices, boots, canteens, and binoculars are useful and should be donated to police forces, items such as LRAD units, large armored tanks, heavy, military grade weaponry, and the like, ought to be given to our National Guard – where units are already trained in their use, and where they can be deployed around the nation when necessary (and when an appropriate process has been applied to their deployment).
I encourage anyone who agrees, or who has other viable solutions, to add them to your signature!