Earlier in March, three more police officers who killed unarmed, non-threatening black men will get away with it. Stephon Clark and Terence Crutcher’s killers will not face any criminal charges.
Police are not above the law. We must not allow police who kill unarmed civilians–disproportionately black and indigenous people–to continue to escape accountability for extrajudicial violence against black and brown communities.
Despite high profile cases of police violence that make the news, law enforcement officers often withhold or cover up information about their crimes against civilians. However, the Death in Custody Recording Act (DICRA), requires police to report on civilians deaths in custody, no matter the cause. Police departments routinely fail to comply with DICRA, and the DOJ refuses to make DICRA data available to the public.
Police will continue to abuse their authority to enact racist violence on unarmed black, indigenous, and other communities of color as long as they are allowed to do so with no accountability.
It is outrageous how many officer involved shootings that result in death are ruled justifiable homicide. It is infuriating that the Justice Department, the highest law enforcement agency in the country, refuses to hold them to the bare minimum standard of reporting on the civilians who die in their custody. It is immoral that the DOJ hides what little data is available.
It’s beyond time for state and local police departments to be held accountable for their crimes against civilians. Transparency is a MUST.
Participating Organizations:Courage CampaignDaily KosEvery Case Matters (ECM)Million Hoodies Movement for JusticeOther 98%People Demanding ActionPFAW (People For the American Way)Progress America
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