HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-04-20 Public Comment - G. Pannell - Police1
Mike Maas
From:Web Admin
Sent:Thursday, June 4, 2020 5:05 PM
To:Chris Mehl
Subject:Email contact from City Of Bozeman
Message submitted from the <City Of Bozeman> website.
Site Visitor Name: Grace Pannell
Site Visitor Email: graceapannell@gmail.com
Dear Mayor Chris Mehl,
My name is Grace Pannell and I am writing as a concerned citizen of Bozeman. I never want to see the kind of
police brutality in our town that we have seen happening across the country. I know the Bozeman PD does NOT
have a flawless record on these matters. As the Mayor of Bozeman there are specific powers that you have to
place checks on the police and ensure a safer community TODAY!
Please implement the following IMMEDIATELY:
1) BAN the use of chokeholds and strangleholds. Allowing officers to choke or strangle civilians, in many cases
where less lethal force could be used instead, results in the unnecessary death or serious injury of civilians.
2) REQUIRE de-escalation. Require officers to de-escalate situations, where possible, by communicating with
subjects, maintaining distance, and otherwise eliminating the need to use force.
3) REQUIRE warning before shooting. Require officers to give a verbal warning, when possible, before
shooting at a civilian
4)EXHAUST all other means before shooting. Require officers to exhaust all other reasonable means before
resorting to deadly force.
5) DUTY to intervene. Require officers to intervene and stop excessive force used by other officers and report
these incidents immediately to a supervisor.
6) BAN shooting at moving vehicles. Restrict officers from shooting at moving vehicles, which is regarded as a
particularly dangerous and ineffective tactic.
7) REQUIRE use of Force Continuum. Develop a Force Continuum that limits the types of force and/or
weapons that can be used to respond to specific types of resistance.
8) REQUIRE comprehensive reporting. Require officers to report each time they use force or threaten to use
force against civilians.
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Again, you have the power to implement these measures immediately. It is your duty.
Regards,
Grace Pannell