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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-05-20 Public Comment - M. Carey - PoliceFrom:Chris Mehl To:Agenda Subject:FW: police Date:Friday, June 5, 2020 8:16:18 AM Chris MehlMayor, City of Bozemancmehl@bozeman.net406.581.4992 From: Chris Mehl [mehlchris@hotmail.com]Sent: Friday, June 05, 2020 7:56 AMTo: Michele CareyCc: Chris MehlSubject: Re: police Dear Michele, Thanks for contacting me, and I had seen the listserve posting. I appreciate your concerns about police brutality that we’re seeing across the country. I share them and am committed to the goal that our community’s police force fully embraces best practices for training, de-escalation protocols, neighborhood policing, hiring practices, and many other important points. Chief Crawford, who came on board five years ago, shares these goals along with the city commission. Overall, I believe the Police Department does a good job serving our community. The eight steps you provided look like a solid list of practices. I believe the police department already follows the steps you suggest in order to decrease the possibility of abuse or violence. I’m following up with the Chief, and he’ll be reporting back to all commissioners and city manager about current policies, compliance with them, and accountability. I fully support these and other efforts to reduce the chance of violence in our community. In case you missed it, the Bozeman Police Department and others in Gallatin County put out this open letter to the community: http://www.gallatinmedia.org/?p=7075 I’d also like to offer some brief thoughts some of the other issues facing our society. Intolerance reflects on all of us, and there is no place for bigotry or racism in Bozeman or Montana or anywhere. As we have witnessed the racial injustice against George Floyd and others, we must reaffirm our commitment to Bozeman being a welcoming community. Continuing that progress demands transparency, ongoing work, and a never-ending dedication to being an inclusive community. We strongly support and welcome the rights of citizens to express their views and protest. Each of us can and must be advocates for justice and equity--committing to acting in solidarity against racism and acts of discrimination, injustice, and violence. As a city, Bozeman will review its practices to make sure they uphold these important goals; such as training for police and city employees, the importance of de-escalation policies, strict limits on the use of force, hiring practices, and accountability. Bozeman for years proudly has been a city striving to show that “all are welcome.” Let us embrace this opportunity for our community to listen to one another, to renew our commitment to inclusivity, and to act and participate in our community so that Bozeman remains a place worthy of all people. --Chris From: Michele Carey <michcarey2@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, June 5, 2020 7:49 AM To: mehlchris@hotmail.com <mehlchris@hotmail.com> Subject: police Hi Chris This list was on Bozone so I'm sure you've seen it. Although I've not heard much about excessive and inappropriate police use of force in Bozeman, I have no reason to doubt it. I have heard from clients that Park County sherrifs could desperately use more skills in de-escalation and in other officers intervening in inappropriatebehaviors and I imagine that Gallatin County is no different as the problems appear to be universal in police forces. One would think the police should be there to protect us all not threaten or escalate vulnerable peoples. ThanksMichele Carey, LCPC 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 useforce or threaten to use force against civilians.