[Discuss] [Peace-discuss] Re: Schwieghart's quote to WDWS

[Ricky Baldwin]

It's an *excellent* point.
 
Actually, the review board in Urbana is *supposed* to review police policies & procedures, too.  But the only mechanism, I think, in Champaign - and effectively in Urbana - is what we are doing right now.
 
Thanks to Barbara and Danielle and everyone who followed up on this UN AC CEP TAB LE policy.  It's not just science fiction any more.  Now we have to fight.

Ricky

"Speak your mind even if your voice shakes." - Maggie Kuhn

--- On Thu, 10/22/09, Stuart Levy <slevy at ncsa.uiuc.edu> wrote:


From: Stuart Levy <slevy at ncsa.uiuc.edu>
Subject: Re: [Discuss] [Peace-discuss] Re: Schwieghart's quote to WDWS
To: "Melodye Rosales" <melodye at nitrogendesign.com>
Cc: "Peace-discuss" <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>, "Courtwatch Discuss" <discuss at communitycourtwatch.org>
Date: Thursday, October 22, 2009, 10:12 AM


On Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 08:44:08PM -0500, Melodye Rosales wrote:
> Not trying to debate your quote from MLK 1954, but...
> 
> --in 1967 MLKs growing radicalism was made obvious in a speech he made in
> Selma: "...For the last twelve years we have been in the reform movement
> (but now) we have moved into a new era, which must be an era of
> revolution..."
> 
> Moving on---I agree with John W,  but once we get that community police
> review board----who are they going to advise, provide input to?  Or, would
> they simply be there to keep an accurate death toll from the CPD's
> aftermath?

Yes, this is a good point.  I too think that getting an
*effective* CPRB is crucial.

Whenever some police abuse of power is egregious enough
to be investigated, we hear that the police in question are
absolved, since they had followed procedures.  No further questions
seem to be asked.

What's the mechanism for reviewing police procedures, and saying,
if the procedures said such-and-such was acceptable,
then the procedures need to be changed?

As Barbara and Danielle said at the meeting,
it's hard for non-police to even find out what the
written procedures are.

It appears to take the death of a child, and a lot of legwork
by community activists, before we can even raise the
possibility of reviewing the rules that police operate under.

*That* is something that a CPRB must be able to do, in some form,
and I think this is a time to make that case.

It should be able to ask why, as came out at Brian Chesley's
trial and was mentioned Tuesday, the police are routinely
stopping North Side kids just to run their IDs, without any
legitimate suspicion of any crime.   I don't know whether that 
kind of policy would be written down -- if it weren't, no FOIA
request would reveal it -- but a CPRB must have the power to
ask at least the police chief about such policies.  

But as you say, if the CPRB makes some finding, what happens then?
They could advise the Mayor and Council, though they've felt free
to ignore plenty of recommendations in the past.  If they can also
publish their findings, then there'd be hope of public
pressure as patterns of impropriety emerge.   Is that enough?
It would certainly be better than the whitewashing we have now.  


> I support a citizen's review board and promoting Troy Daniels to the job he
> should have had in the beginning---Chief---whether he is perfect or
> imperfect----he knows the community and the community trusts him.
> 
> Not trying to influence or change opinions----just making points to reflect
> on---as we all continue to process the matter...


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