Welcome to the weekly update from the Campaign to End Qualified Immunity! Here, we give you a wrap-up of the latest developments and notable news as we continue our state-focused fight to abolish the unjust rule.
This week, criminal justice experts explain the bipartisan nature of police accountability; Edward Bronstein’s family wins a historic settlement; Austin voters embrace police reform; and more!
FEATURED STORY
The Hill: Police Accountability Is a Bipartisan Issue. Don’t Let It Become a Prop in Our Political Theater
“Police accountability and public safety are bipartisan issues that are too serious to be used either for political theater or the narrow goals of powerful special interest groups. Legislatures across the nation should continue to make this clear by…rejecting efforts to put the brakes on common sense police accountability policies that will make our communities safer and more prosperous by building trust.”
Read more here.
NEW YORK
Lawyer and activist Olayemi Olurin challenges the right-wing narrative on the state of public safety in New York City and examines how aggressive policing impacts the Black community. “NYC is frequently cited as an example of the major crime problem brought about by liberals not investing in police and prisons. This couldn’t be further from the truth,” she notes.
Read more here.
The Police Reform Organizing Project has released a report detailing the NYPD’s “notorious” history of misconduct, from its founding in 1845 to the present day. With this report, the authors “hope to debunk the sanctified place the NYPD has in New York City politics.”
Read more here.
ILLINOIS
After an anonymous activist unmasked Illinois cop Aaron Paul Nichols as a white supremacist, Chief Ken Scarlette, Nichols’ superior at the Springfield Police Department, stripped him of his policing powers. “Can you give us any insight into how the police department failed for so long to see this?” a local Jewish leader asked Scarlette at a community forum.
Read more here.
ADDITIONAL NEWS
USA Today: California to Pay $24M Settlement to Family of Man Who Died in Custody
“When announcing the criminal charges in March, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said the officers failed [Edward] Bronstein, ‘and their failure was criminally negligent, causing his death.’ The $24 million settlement has been called the largest civil rights settlement of its kind by the state of California…”
Read more here.
CBS Austin: Impact Prop A Passing Will Have on Black and Brown Austin Communities
“Equity Action, the organization behind Prop A, says the proposition passing brings them one step closer to rebuilding trust between the community and the police department. ‘A civilian oversight system that has access to information and can make recommendations based on that can be a better communicator with the public….It can assure that investigations are being done well, and that is the beginning of rebuilding trust.’”
Read more here.
WHAS Louisville: Shawnee Community Pitches Louisville Police Reform Ideas to DOJ
“Monica Thomas has lived in Louisville her whole life. She was at Monday night’s discussion, but felt pulled to make another appearance. ‘There were three things I suggested they do: One, get rid of qualified immunity,’ Thomas said. ‘Two, [establish] a national database that houses the bad actors. Lastly, diversity training.’”
Read more here.
New Jersey Monitor: Study Finds Promise in Program Pairing Cops with Mental Health Experts
“The vast majority of encounters did not result in arrest or use of force, according to the study. The low rate can be attributed to the team’s work to deescalate situations and provide mental health expertise, the study says. Rashawn Ray, a senior Brookings fellow who wrote the study, highlighted the Arrive Together program as one that can be an example for other states to follow and said it’s crucial to report more uniform data on officers responding and the callers.”
Read more here.
Berkeley Law: Experts Confront Excessive Police Use of Force at Berkeley Law Symposium
“‘The law itself is a barrier to justice, and legal reform is needed to ensure that victims of police violence are heard in court and that officers are held accountable,’ said Professor Osagie K. Obasogie, the event’s lead organizer. ‘Police violence is ultimately about the physical and psychological harm this can have on people and communities.’”
Read more here.
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