| Author
|
Post |
 
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Why wait for chaos?
Posted by: Phreddy Posted date: December 03, 2014 In: Featured News,
By Attorney Terry Bankert and Sam Riddle, J.D.
Special to the Michigan Citizen
What should responsible citizens do in the future to voice their objections to what may be a wrongful use of police deadly force? Beyond the “protest” on the street, immediately take your demand for police accountability to the president, the Congress and appropriate local units of government.
Enough is enough. Multiple instances of excessive police use of deadly force has created a firestorm of protest, debate and violence with no clearly delineated policy on employment of deadly force by police.
Now is the time to act. The police receive federal funds and even militarization gear from our federal government and should be compelled to submit to new law enforcement accountability per federal legislation or executive order. When the police kill, we need federal intervention/legislation to do the following:
•Local prosecutors will not make the decision to charge a police officer who kills any citizen — a U.S. attorney does;
•State courts will no longer hear these cases — a federal panel will;
•A Department of Justice investigation is required with a short deadline in all instances when police use deadly force;
•A national ombudsman is appointed to review and comment on federal compliance with these requirements. Later, to create local change, take the issue to the City Council chambers (or its equivalent such as a county commission for a sheriff, depending on the police force.)
•Demand that there be a written policy statement on the use of deadly force for each local police department. A well-written policy on use of deadly force that enables citizens to measure police actions when deadly force is employed.
•Demand to know what the current guidelines for use of deadly force is and examine written guidelines if any exist.
•Demand criterion for use of deadly force with a factually specific report to the legislative body overseeing the department whenever police kill a citizen.
•Demand an annual public hearing on that policy wherein the Police Department demonstrates to citizens it has an effective policy and training on proper use of deadly force that it enforces throughout its ranks.
Understand that we need our police that do place their lives on the line 24/7. You must work with your police department in a respectful manner to successfully implement these life saving measures and respect is a two-way street.
Attorney Terry Bankert is a former Flint, Mich., municipal ombudsman who investigated police brutality claims. Sam Riddle, J.D. is political director of National Action Network Michigan Chapter, and may be contacted at facebook.com/sam.riddle or twitter.com/samriddle. |
|
|
Sat Dec 06, 2014 9:24 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
Terry has formed new group on Facebook for discussion.
Terry Bankert
2 hrs · Flint, MI
.
I have formed this group to review public policy questions regarding police use of deadly force. Today this is a national issue with controversy in a few large cities. Why not look at your cities police use of deadly force policies before there is chaos on your streets . I hand delivered the following document to 26 appropriate leaders in Flint Mi. I suggest you do the same in yours and plan to speak at their next meeting as I do. Thank you. AN OMBUDSMAN'S AND ACTIVISTS RECOMMENDED ACTIONS FOR COMMUNITIES NOT INVOLVED IN THE CHAOS SURROUNDING PERCEIVED POLICE BRUTALITY. WHY WAIT FOR THE CHAOS |
|
|
|
Sat Dec 06, 2014 9:31 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
|
|
Sat Dec 06, 2014 10:04 am |
|
|
untanglingwebs
El Supremo
|
‘I honestly don’t know what to say’; Jon Stewart gets serious on Eric Garner
Abby Ohlheiser December 4
Comedy Central
"I honestly don't know what to say. If comedy is tragedy plus time, I need more (expletive) time."
That was Jon Stewart's response to a Staten Island grand jury decision not to indict the NYPD officer who placed Eric Garner in an apparent chokehold in the summer. The unarmed black man later died.
Stewart added at the opening of Wednesday's "Daily Show": "...but I would really settle for less (expletive) tragedy, to be honest with you."
"The Daily Show" host played it serious during the opening segment, comparing the Garner case to last week's Ferguson grand jury decision, which also resulted in no indictment for a white cop who killed an unarmed black man.
"None of the ambiguities that existed in the Ferguson case exist in the Staten Island case," Stewart said, "and yet the outcome is exactly the same."
The July confrontation between Garner and Officer Daniel Pantaleo was videotaped; the widely-circulated footage of Pantaleo holding Garner's neck in an apparent chokehold as the man repeatedly says, "I can't breathe," prompted outrage in New York and beyond. Garner died just weeks before officer Darren Wilson shot and killed Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.
The Ferguson case, however, was not filmed. Prosecutors there presented conflicting witness accounts of the confrontation to the grand jury.
But Stewart said that in contrast to the Ferguson case, the Staten Island case appeared to be clear. "Here, there is is none of that [ambiguity]. The coroner called it homicide, the guy's not acting threatening, and we know that because we are (expletive) watching it. Someone taped it."
White House press secretary Josh Earnest, speaking at the daily briefing on Thursday, defended the notion that law enforcement body cameras might improve relations between police and the communities they serve. (AP)
"To look at the bright side, we're about to save ourselves a (expletive) of money on cop-camera vests," Stewart added of one of the Obama administration's proposed solutions to incidents like those in Ferguson and Staten Island. "I assume that the solution that they're proposing, if implemented, would look something like the Eric Garner case."
"We are definitely not living in a post-racial society." Stewart added, "and I can imagine there are a lot of people out there wondering how much of a society we're living in at all."
"So that's our show!" the host joked, asking for a video segue back to comedy. The segment ends with some kittens being unspeakably adorable.
Abby Ohlheiser is a general assignment reporter for The Washington Post. |
|
|
|
Sat Dec 06, 2014 10:12 am |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Register
Profile
FlintTalk.com Forum Index
> Political Talk
