Welcome to the Campaign to End Qualified Immunity’s (CTEQI’s) weekly wrap-up for 12/13–12/17! Here, we highlight the week’s legislative updates and notable news as we continue our state-based work to abolish the unjust rule.
This week, Anquan Boldin fights for public safety; Vermont legislators plan policy to end qualified immunity; the New York City Council authorizes investigations into police misconduct; and more!
FEATURED STORY
USA Today: Roadside Assistance Caught the Cop Who Killed My Cousin. Justice Shouldn’t Be So Rare.
Retired NFL star and Players Coalition co-founder Anquan Boldin: “I played in the NFL for 14 years. And the thing we did not want on our team was someone we could not rely on. If I can’t trust you, I’m not playing with you. That same mindset should apply within law enforcement: If I can’t trust you, I don’t want you on my street.”
Read more here.
VERMONT
Backed by a politically diverse coalition and strong public support, Vermont policymakers are proposing new legislation that would end qualified immunity in the Green Mountain State. “If you want to recruit excellent law enforcement officers, support good cops, and build trust in public safety, then you have to hold rogue cops accountable,” says CTEQI Co-Chair (and Vermont resident) Ben Cohen.
Read more here.
By co-sponsoring Vermont’s bill to end qualified immunity, Bennington Senator Richard Sears takes a stand for critical public safety measures that will benefit citizens and good cops alike. “I support police officers. They do important hard work in our communities,” says Sears. “My focus here is not tearing down police officers, but ensuring that people harmed by rare but unacceptable bad faith policing have access to justice.”
Read more here.
NEW YORK
The ACLU of New York has released a sobering NYPD disciplinary data report, based on info compiled by the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board since 2000. Among its findings: “The vast majority of police misconduct complaints never result in accountability.”
Read more here.
Ed Mullins, the disgraced former head of New York’s Sergeants Benevolent Association, was recently raided by the FBI. Still, the city’s years-long refusal to hold Mullins accountable, despite mounting evidence of his corruption, “underscore[s] the influence the unions have amassed and the power they have to obstruct reform.”
Read more here.
The New York City Council has authorized the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) to launch investigations into police abuse. Calling it long-overdue, Queens Council Member Adrienne Adams says this initiative “will lead to greater accountability when it comes to public safety.”
Read more here.
OREGON
Analysis from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission reveals that state troopers “disproportionately issued citations to motorists of color compared with white drivers over a one-year period.” This “statistically significant racial disparity” illustrates the need to keep vulnerable populations safe from rogue cops.
Read more here.
The ACLU of Oregon has filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Abel Tovar Hernandez, a 32-year-old U.S. citizen unlawfully detained by rogue ICE agents. The wrongful actions of these bad actors reveal “the compounding harms that the racism of our criminal justice and immigration systems unleash on our Latino neighbors,” says Kelly Simon, the ACLU of Oregon’s legal director.
Read more here.
MARYLAND
The Montgomery County Council is set to introduce a measure to create a five-member police accountability board. “The council stands ready to support efforts to ensure the public safety of all of our residents because we know there is nothing more important,” says Council President Gabe Albornoz. However, the ACLU of Maryland has voiced concern over this effort, due to a lack of public input.
Read more here.
ILLINOIS
Rogue cops in Illinois overwhelm the public, not just emotionally but financially. For example, Chicago has paid out hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars in police abuse settlements. Commonsense police reform, like ending qualified immunity, can stop this.
Read more here.
ADDITIONAL NEWS
CNN: Derek Chauvin Expected to Change Plea Today in Federal Civil Rights Case in the Death of George Floyd
“Months after he was convicted of murder, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to civil rights charges related to the death of George Floyd.”
Read more here.
USA Today: ‘I Had Seen that Smirk Before’: Vestiges of Slavery Still Haunt Our Legal System
“To fully grasp the perniciousness of qualified immunity, you need to understand the…federal statute Congress enacted as a remedy for victims of state violence – and the Supreme Court’s role in destroying it.”
Read more here.
The Washington Post: FBI May Shut Down Police Use-of-Force Database Due to Lack of Police Participation
“Transparency and police data are what lead to accountability. . . .When you don’t know what use-of-force cases are happening, it’s difficult to know if you’re making improvements.”
Read more here.
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