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From: Stephen Michael Tow <stephen.m.tow@gmail.com>
<br />Sent: Monday, May 2, 2022 10:57 PM
<br />To: _Council <CityCouncil@sanleandro.org>
<br />Cc: Robustelli, Fran <FRobustelli@sanleandro.org>; Pio Roda, Richard <rpioroda@meyersnave.com>; Clerk <clerk@sanleandro.org>; Pridgen, Abdul <APridgen@sanleandro.org>; Cameron, Janelle
<br /> <JCameron@sanleandro.org>; Torres, Luis <LTorres@sanleandro.org>; Khan, Liaquat <LKhan@sanleandro.org>; jimk@ebpublishing.com; Mike McGuire <mikebythesea@yahoo.com>
<br />Subject: Police Militarization: Public Comments
<br />
<br />Good Evening,
<br />
<br />
<br />Due to ongoing limitations in the allocated period for public input, please find my comprehensive, written comments below regarding Item 11.B.
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<br />
<br />Cops are not meant to be soldiers. Our streets are not a battlefield. The police should not be an occupying force.
<br />
<br />There is a big difference between what police officers see as normal military equipment for law enforcement use and what the public actually needs for its safety, particularly with respect
<br /> to the culture cops exhibit in their role that is less of an occupying force and more like community partners. With all due respect to Chief Pridgen, this isn't about pepper spray or
<br /> tasers, this is about armored personnel carriers like the Bearcat tank, chemical agents combined with grenade launchers like tear gas, and heavily modified personal assault rifles.
<br />
<br />In fact, contrary to Chief Pridgen's statements at tonight's meeting, there is significant evidence that SLPD officers have been irresponsible with their armaments. Beyond just the murders
<br /> of Steven Taylor and Anthony Gomez, we have seen a wide range of community members killed, assaulted, wounded, and/or harmed by our officers, as has been brought to the council's attention
<br /> numerous times in prior meetings: Vasquinho Bettencourt, Jose Maravilla Perez Jr., Gwendolyn Killings, Deandre Calhoun, Ron Franklin, Emerald Black, James Dias, Andre Petre, Mitchell
<br /> and Christian Marquez, Simon and Henry Aguirre, Alfred Flanigan, Barbara Silva, Nathaniel Willingham, Belinda K. and J.H., Tom Kunich, Robert Lawrence Williams, Michael Woody, Steven
<br /> Mengel, Alice Bias, John Berry, as well as Douglas Babbitt.
<br />
<br />That said, AB 481 states clearly that "decisions regarding whether and how military equipment is funded, acquired, or used should give strong consideration to the public’s welfare, safety,
<br /> civil rights, and civil liberties, and should be based on meaningful public input. Legally enforceable safeguards, including transparency, oversight, and accountability measures, must
<br /> be in place to protect the public’s welfare, safety, civil rights, and civil liberties before military equipment is funded, acquired, or used." Conclusory assumptions that public safety
<br /> will be negatively impacted are insufficient. Assertions that just because something is typically done by other agencies, that means it's okay for us are insufficient.
<br />
<br />We need data-driven decision-making to support evidence-based practices. We do not see that in the presentation materials provided to the public. Indeed, there are a number of questions
<br /> and alternatives not discussed in the presentation that should be considered before voting to move this forward.
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