Black Lives Matter has unquestionably locked the Nation's attention on routine violations of Black Men's rights, too often to the point of death at the hand of the police. There is no longer any doubt that what should have outraged us all a long time ago is urgent and demands extraordinary and ongoing action right now.
Vigils, demonstrations, signs, slogans, leaders and politicians speaking out are not enough. Extraordinary and ongoing action has to be taken to right this wrong, a wrong by all accounts, deeply rooted in our institutions. It's a matter of life and death and we can't wait for National leaders to act.
Local governments can act faster. Every Board of Supervisors, City or Town Council should immediately and officially set the community standard that unequivocally mandates equal protection under the law for Black Men and all within its jurisdiction.
To meet that standard these steps should be taken:
Establish standing justice commissions to independently measure how well civil rights are being protected and to root out violations. My city of Alameda, certainly not Minneapolis though having our own incident involving APD officers encounter with a Black Man that is under investigation, has to adopt a justice commission to ensure civil rights are protected.
De-militarize police departments. Ditch the military trappings (army-like camouflaged uniforms, military weaponry, and military looking armored vehicles). These send the wrong message and further a culture that says that the people are the enemy.
Cities like Alameda can and must lead the way by defining the duty of its peace officers. That duty has to be in clear terms of what it means to serve and protect all, equally. Indoctrination on what it means to be a peace officer - again, the people are not the enemy - has to be ongoing, both for the public awareness and for APD to meet community civil rights standards.
Alameda is fortunate to have a Police Chief with great affinity for our community, but chiefs come and go. Past and future reforms have got to be permanently embedded in this public safety institution regardless who leads APD.
Actions taken to address the call of Black Live Matter (and other matters rising out of civil rights violations) must rise to the level of being publicly and internally recognized as part of the government institution because George Floyd's death under the knee of a sworn police officer points to institutionalized behavior.
Institutional change is hard, but there is no longer any choice. It's a matter of life and death. Black Men can't wait. None of us can wait. Extraordinary and ongoing change has to happen now.
