Dear Sheriff [name]
First, thanks for all you (and all police) do to defend and protect the citizens of the United States. Many good and excellent police officers (and their families) have given their lives and health to serve the nation. I am grateful, and praying for their continued safety and protection.
At the same time, I’m deeply concerned about the George Floyd and Breonna Taylor incidents, and and other cases of excessive use of police force, especially when it results in death. I’m also concerned about racial profiling.
- I’m emailing to urge you to enact additional Use of Force policies for your jurisdiction. I live in [insert town] and I know our city would benefit from these policies.
I have looked at the #8CantWait (https://love-thy-neighbor.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/47723-policeuseofforcereport.pdf) policies, and they are based on research, suggesting simple, common-sense tactics that would make our community safer. You have probably already implemented some of them. Below are the policies that are part of the #8CantWait pledge. Please let me know if you would consider adding more of these right away to protect all our citizens, especially those in the black community:
- Ban Chokeholds and Strangleholds
- Require De-escalation
- Require Exhaust All Alternatives Before Shooting
- Ban Shooting at Moving Vehicles
- Implement Use of Force Continuum
- Require Comprehensive Reporting
- Duty to intervene
- Require warning before shooting.
2) I would also like to see you implement continuing education for police officers to help combat racial profiling and promote equal treatment.
3) Lastly, I would like to see greater care taken to remediate officers or terminate if they continue to violate codes of conduct or demonstrate overt racism.
Please let me know what additional steps you are taking to prevent injustice and unnecessary lost of life at the hands of police.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter,
[your name here]
Love Thy Neighbor 