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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-05-20 Public Comment - R. Cruz - Police Reform - Bozeman's Part to Play1 Mike Maas From:Web Admin Sent:Friday, June 5, 2020 12:38 PM To:Chris Mehl Subject:Police Reform - Bozeman's part to play Message submitted from the <City Of Bozeman> website. Site Visitor Name: Ryan Cruz Site Visitor Email: ryan.cruz.805@gmail.com Dear Mayor Chris Mehl, I imagine that your office is currently flooded with messages regarding of support for the Black Lives Matter movement and the general push to end police brutality in our nation. I recently received a form letter with the following eight enforceable ways that you can help ensure that acts of brutality to do not occur in our great community. I've pasted them below. Please read on, however, as I have some additional concerns and questions below. 1) BAN the use of chokeholds and strangleholds. 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 verbal warning before shooting. 4) EXHAUST all other means before shooting. 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. 7) REQUIRE use of Force Continuum. 8) REQUIRE comprehensive reporting each time officers use force or threaten to use force against civilians. I also support clear, severe consequences for officers that turn off their body cams. This is destruction of evidence. I know at least one EXCELLENT, police officer in this fine city, and I am confident that he would never turn off his camera. My intent is not to attack all officers, but rather to ensure that names like his are not sullied by the acts of bullies. It is unclear to me what exactly your authority is to initiate such changes. In theory, are these changes within your power? I would appreciate a response explaining how each of these suggestions could be enacted. I understand that such a response is not an endorsement of my requests or a promise of change, but rather public information that I am entitled to as a member of this community.