Post by pass SB731 on Aug 7, 2020 20:30:32 GMT -8
from indivisibleventura.org/2020/06/02/blm-protests-and-other-antiracist-things-to-do/
action.aclu.org/ca-decertify-police
Keep abusive cops out of our communities
Pass SB 731
Over the last few weeks, hundreds of thousands of Californians have taken to the streets to demand an end to police brutality. Addressing police violence requires re-examining the role of police in our society, and re-imagining how to advance public safety by investing in resources for mental health, jobs, and crisis response that do not involve law enforcement. But we still need to hold police officers accountable for abuse.
California is one of only five states that has no process to decertify abusive cops. Decertification ensures those cops cannot be hired as police officers somewhere else. Over 200 other professions in California have licenses that can be revoked if they violate their licensing rules. California gives police officers a license to kill without the ability to revoke it if they abuse their authority.
Community organizations like the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color, Anti Police-Terror Project, Black Lives Matter California, California Families United 4 Justice, Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice, PolicyLink, STOP Coalition, and Youth Justice Coalition are mobilizing to stop these abusive cops by cosponsoring SB 731, the Kenneth Ross Jr. Police Decertification Act. CA must create a process to remove abusive police from the streets to protect those who are targeted by police violence: Black people, indigenous people, people of color, LGBTQIA individuals, and those with disabilities.
SB 731 will improve community safety by keeping officers who commit misconduct off the streets by:
Establishing a statewide process to automatically decertify officers who are fired for specified misconduct such as excessive force, sexual misconduct and dishonesty.
Giving the California Department of Justice the power to independently investigate allegations of misconduct and decertify those officers who resign before they are fired.
Requiring local law enforcement to report fired officers to the state and ensure that during the hiring process California law enforcement agencies contact the state to find out why an officer left their previous positions.
Adding officers who are decertified to the National Decertification Index (NDI), a national database that tracks decertified officers across state lines.
SB 731 also strengthens California’s civil rights law, the Bane Act, by removing the requirement that victims of police violence prove that officers had specific intent to violate their civil rights – an impossible bar for most cases. SB 731 would restore the burden of proof to general intent, lowering the barrier for families to seek justice. This bill will also clarify that a wrongful death at the hands of police may violate the Bane Act, allowing families to avoid federal courts and qualified immunity.
Now is the time for California to act to join the 44 other states with the power to remove abusive cops from their communities and give families the opportunity to hold police officers accountable when they violate their civil rights.
Tell your legislator to support SB 731 today!
Message Recipients:
California State Assembly
California State Senate
Your Message
Subject Vote YES to support decertifying abusive cops
Like so many of my community members, I am alarmed by California’s inability to decertify officers who have been accused of excessive force, sexual misconduct and dishonesty. We give police officers more power than any other occupation, including the power to use deadly force yet we don’t hold these officers to the same level of accountability. California lawmakers must ensure that cops are held accountable and lose their license when they commit serious misconduct.
For too long, our communities have been hurt by police officers who move from one department to the next, dodging disciplinary action for their brutality and abuse of power. At least 630 officers in California were convicted of a crime over the last decade, and reports have found at least one in five are still working as cops in our communities.
Enough is enough. California must join the 45 other states that have passed decertification laws to ensure police officers are held accountable for their actions.
Message Body I support SB 731, the Kenneth Ross Jr. Decertification Act, which will establish a decertification process for California’s abusive police officers. This bill will ensure those we employ to uphold our laws are held to basic standards. Officers who have been fired for excessive force, sexual misconduct and dishonesty should not be able to patrol my community. SB 731 will also strengthen CA’s civil rights law to allow individuals or impacted family member that have lost a loved one to seek accountability through civil actions. For too long, we have allowed these officers to continue to abuse their authority from one community to the next. People across this nation have taken to the streets for two months demanding systemic change in policing. Real accountability for abusive cops is a simple first step.
I urge you to support SB 731 to keep our communities safe from abusive police and ensure families are able to pursue justice in California’s courts.
Sincerely,
[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]
action.aclu.org/ca-decertify-police
Keep abusive cops out of our communities
Pass SB 731
Over the last few weeks, hundreds of thousands of Californians have taken to the streets to demand an end to police brutality. Addressing police violence requires re-examining the role of police in our society, and re-imagining how to advance public safety by investing in resources for mental health, jobs, and crisis response that do not involve law enforcement. But we still need to hold police officers accountable for abuse.
California is one of only five states that has no process to decertify abusive cops. Decertification ensures those cops cannot be hired as police officers somewhere else. Over 200 other professions in California have licenses that can be revoked if they violate their licensing rules. California gives police officers a license to kill without the ability to revoke it if they abuse their authority.
Community organizations like the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color, Anti Police-Terror Project, Black Lives Matter California, California Families United 4 Justice, Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice, PolicyLink, STOP Coalition, and Youth Justice Coalition are mobilizing to stop these abusive cops by cosponsoring SB 731, the Kenneth Ross Jr. Police Decertification Act. CA must create a process to remove abusive police from the streets to protect those who are targeted by police violence: Black people, indigenous people, people of color, LGBTQIA individuals, and those with disabilities.
SB 731 will improve community safety by keeping officers who commit misconduct off the streets by:
Establishing a statewide process to automatically decertify officers who are fired for specified misconduct such as excessive force, sexual misconduct and dishonesty.
Giving the California Department of Justice the power to independently investigate allegations of misconduct and decertify those officers who resign before they are fired.
Requiring local law enforcement to report fired officers to the state and ensure that during the hiring process California law enforcement agencies contact the state to find out why an officer left their previous positions.
Adding officers who are decertified to the National Decertification Index (NDI), a national database that tracks decertified officers across state lines.
SB 731 also strengthens California’s civil rights law, the Bane Act, by removing the requirement that victims of police violence prove that officers had specific intent to violate their civil rights – an impossible bar for most cases. SB 731 would restore the burden of proof to general intent, lowering the barrier for families to seek justice. This bill will also clarify that a wrongful death at the hands of police may violate the Bane Act, allowing families to avoid federal courts and qualified immunity.
Now is the time for California to act to join the 44 other states with the power to remove abusive cops from their communities and give families the opportunity to hold police officers accountable when they violate their civil rights.
Tell your legislator to support SB 731 today!
Message Recipients:
California State Assembly
California State Senate
Your Message
Subject Vote YES to support decertifying abusive cops
Like so many of my community members, I am alarmed by California’s inability to decertify officers who have been accused of excessive force, sexual misconduct and dishonesty. We give police officers more power than any other occupation, including the power to use deadly force yet we don’t hold these officers to the same level of accountability. California lawmakers must ensure that cops are held accountable and lose their license when they commit serious misconduct.
For too long, our communities have been hurt by police officers who move from one department to the next, dodging disciplinary action for their brutality and abuse of power. At least 630 officers in California were convicted of a crime over the last decade, and reports have found at least one in five are still working as cops in our communities.
Enough is enough. California must join the 45 other states that have passed decertification laws to ensure police officers are held accountable for their actions.
Message Body I support SB 731, the Kenneth Ross Jr. Decertification Act, which will establish a decertification process for California’s abusive police officers. This bill will ensure those we employ to uphold our laws are held to basic standards. Officers who have been fired for excessive force, sexual misconduct and dishonesty should not be able to patrol my community. SB 731 will also strengthen CA’s civil rights law to allow individuals or impacted family member that have lost a loved one to seek accountability through civil actions. For too long, we have allowed these officers to continue to abuse their authority from one community to the next. People across this nation have taken to the streets for two months demanding systemic change in policing. Real accountability for abusive cops is a simple first step.
I urge you to support SB 731 to keep our communities safe from abusive police and ensure families are able to pursue justice in California’s courts.
Sincerely,
[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]