[Cprb] More about tasers/stun guns in Champaign

[J. Wason]

>Date: Sun, 29 Feb 2004 11:03:42 -0600
>From: "Kranich, Kimberlie" <Kranich at WILL.uiuc.edu>
>To: peace at lists.groogroo.com
>Cc: "IMC (E-mail)" <imc at urbana.indymedia.org>
>Subject: [Imc] How to approach City Council re: Stun guns
>
>
>Hi, all.
>
>I just spoke with Champaign City Councilman, Girlado Rosales. Here's the
>context he gave me regarding the possible purchase of tasers by the
>Champaign police department.
>
>The Mayor added it to the city council agenda without any discussion with
>the Council.  Some of the city council members, including Giraldo and Kathy
>Ennen, objected to the addition without a discussion. So, the item was
>removed from the agenda and will come up during a study session.
>
>Here's how the process works according to Giraldo:
>
>Once an item gets on the agenda, it is pretty much a done deal. Any
>influence one wants to exert on the outcome of the decision should happen
>before the study session. That's when the council members discuss the issue
>(in public, anyway) and then commit to voting one way or the other by taking
>a straw poll.
>
>The next study session is March 9.  Tasers could be on the agenda as early
>as March 9.
>
>I will contact Tracy Parsons tomorrow about working together. His goal is to
>block the purchase of tasers.  So is mine.  We are allies. 
>
>Meanwhile, if you want to sign the petition started by Black folks against
>the potential purchase of tasers, the petition is at The Whip Hair Designs,
>904 N. 4th St. 
>
>One of the things I have learned about working as allies with Black people
>is to reach out and make connections.  Going to the North end to sign the
>petition is one way to do that. Our town is still very segregated. But
>segregation is a surmountable roadblock to our working together.
>
>Giraldo, by the way, will vote against the tasers.  And he said, Mike LaDue
>and JW Pirtle do not use their city email accounts, so if you are going to
>contact them, please call them.
>
>And, Giraldo said, the Mayor has purchased tons of riot gear and helmets
>that are still in their boxes. What are they preparing for and who will they
>use this equipment against?
>
>The News Gazette story by Mike Monson on tasers can be found at the
>following link:
>
>http://208.5.125.166/ngsearch/index.cfm?&page=displyStory.cfm&yearfolder=the
>04news&file=022704%5Fngstory%5F15534%2Etxt&search=tasers&theorder=asaphrase
>
>
>Kimberlie