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It is heartbreaking that my city, Minneapolis, is trending, again for a police murder. I've spent the last 3 years working on a project on police reform in Minneapolis that is all too relevant right now. So I wanted to share some threads & resources for people. (thread 1/wtfk)
First, some details on the research project ( https://www.michellesphelps.com/research/police-reform) Together with a team of AWESOME students of color, we interviewed residents in North Mpls (center of Black community in Mpls) in '17-'19 + activists/organizers/reformers.
Residents overwhelmingly saw racialized police violence as a dire social problem. Many also supported reform efforts, tho were unsure of exactly what MPD had done + critical if these would really "fix" policing and end racism in police violence. https://scatter.wordpress.com/2019/11/04/legal-estrangement-and-police-reform-in-minneapolis/
Part of the ambivalence was about the dual role of police in marginalized communities. Police are often the only visible state presence responding to social problems/inequities produced by structural racism. Residents wanted safety from n'hood disorder AND police violence.
At the time of the study, MPD was initiating a round of reforms, including body cameras, procedural justice training, implicit bias training, and community listening sessions (for more: https://twitter.com/MichelleSPhelps/status/1217115564608499712 and a staffer's reflections: https://twitter.com/ElSKuhn/status/1265967700309729280)
MPD was working to do better, and yet. https://twitter.com/WesleyLowery/status/1265875555137785858 For me, it's clear that the standard slate of police reforms is not enough. We need police to do better AND to radically re-invest in alternative means of safety--including building up marginalized groups & places.
What's happening in MPLS right now could/can happen in any city, esp with all of the strain and hardship of the pandemic. It only takes one officer's actions. And people will no longer sit by -- elected officials will be called out. https://twitter.com/devarashida/status/1266009248112300032
We need to rethink accountability -- beyond individual officers and criminal trials ( https://twitter.com/PoliceLawProf/status/1265664160592953344). How do we evaluate, document, & learn from the failures here? How will depts do better (and spend less -- freeing budgets for other services)?
One critical lesson from this is the importance of peer intervention. Officers need to be able to call out other officers in the moment for racism & brutality. I am heartened that chiefs & line officers have been calling this murder. https://twitter.com/DrPhilGoff/status/1266218157770977280
We also need to address the COVID-19 crisis that was already brewing in MN and will be compounded by the latest police murder, which impacts Black residents' trust in medical professionals. https://twitter.com/RRHDr/status/1266424929345581056
Wanting to do more? Ppl have been circulating a good reading list for white folks ( https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1BRlF2_zhNe86SGgHa6-VlBO-QgirITwCTugSfKie5Fs/edit). White ppl: talk to your networks. Groups that could also use your $ (and follows): https://twitter.com/MNFreedomFund/status/1265735264242225152 + @NAACPmpls. Support local journalism. Cop watch.
