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My name is Susan Cagle, I'm a systems Engineer and programmer. A majority of my day job is to identify problems, find solutions to problems and implement systems to solve those problems. 

Many of the systems (Health Care, Education, Justice) that we live and navigate in day to day are not just broken, but were created in a racist climate and so have  always been skewed to some capacity, and in some cases downright harmful for anyone who is non-white. 

Did you know that the New York Police Department budget is $6-billion dollars? For every dollar that goes to the NYPD and Corrections, other agencies get: 29c Homeless services, 25c department of Health, 1c workforce investment, etc. 

In the past few years injustices, abuses, racism, and black killings have come more to light with the advent of social media and smart phones. 

Oversight and accountability has been sorely lacking in these cases where some victims and victims' families been have waiting for justice that never comes. 

We know that we need either entirely new systems or reformation of the current ones. But where can we begin? We have a long road ahead of us. I propose the following as a first step towards healing this nation of its racism and to aid in putting a stop to the killing of black people by police.

We can save black lives by implementing a state-level government agency and task force that offers an emergency hotline, investigations department, and law enforcement accountability, training, oversight, and compliance verification.

Emergency Hotline: I am defining a "hotline" as a point to point communications link. It will utilize all methods (phone, text, messaging, button clicks, etc).

#1: Emergency hotline for black people to use when they feel like their life is being threatened. A specially trained officer would be dispatched to investigate, disarm police if needed, provide assistance and file reports. 

#2: Onlookers could utilize the emergency hotline when they witness a crime against a black person being carried out by the police, or having been carried out. They can submit video or any documentation they have. 

Investigations department:

A department of investigations dedicated to investigating crimes carried out against black people where you can file complaints, get your case heard, etc.

It would incorporate lawyers, etc. In the cases where there isn’t enough time to call the hotline officers would be dispatched to investigate. In the cases where officers said that the perpetrator was threatening them with a gun, the task force would investigate further.

Law Enforcement accountability and training:

Would train police departments and enforce compliance with laws and provide oversight. 

This governmental agency would have to be tied into and have access to the currently existing police databases and infrastructure. 

Use Case #1: Philando Castile, shot during a traffic stop by the police. 

Philando would connect with the emergency reporting hotline (via an app button, a phone call, a quick text message, etc.) and report that he has just been pulled over by police, he would give his location, or his location would automatically be shared via his cell phone or his car's gps to the department. The task force would connect with the local police department and radio the dispatcher to check in on the mental state and intentions of the officer and report back to the task force. Has the officer received proper bias training? What are the officer’s intentions? Is the officers bodycam recording? It’s up to the task force operator to make a decision on whether or not a someone needs to be dispatched to the scene.

Use Case #2: The Amy Cooper effect.

Christian Cooper would connect to the hotline and report that there is an in-progress attempt being made to falsely accuse him to the police. The task force would record the interaction and liaison with the local police department to make a report. This would avoid a situation happening where in the future christian may have been killed by fitting the description of the report that had been made of a black man harassing a white woman in the park and could potentially save his life. 

Use Case #3: Save George Floyd

Onlookers could live stream from their cell phones to the task force hotline and the video feed would be sent to a commanding officer. This would also hold commanding officers responsible for those under them and help to ensure that all police are following protocol. A task force officer would be dispatched who is trained in de-escalating police officers who are in the process of killing a black man or intending to. They would have the authority to utilize disarming techniques. And if the officer does not comply with the de-escalation, they have the authority make an arrest or use force. Each officer would have complaints against them documented and recorded and if complaints reach a certain number that officer would have to make an account. Chauvin had 18 prior complaints against him. In any kind of work setting - if an employee has multiple complaints leveled against him he would receive some oversight or inquiry into his actions and the nature of the complaints. We need this with the police.

Use Case #4: Trayvon Martin

In this case of trayvon martin - when being approached by a threatening person, he would have had something to do, whether it was to send a text, or even to dial a number on his cell phone. Even if a trained officer couldn’t get there on time, or the person doesn't have a cell phone, at least there would be a report made to the department after the fact, and perhaps justice would be served.

Use Case #5: Breonna Tayler

In the case of Breonna Tayler and her boyfriend Kenneth Walker there wouldn’t have been time to call the hotline, but he would have called the task force after the fact and they would assist in the case. 

 

This is a work in progress. Please help join the cause by giving me your feedback.

If you would like to help with this cause please reach out to me. I need someone who can help to add senators and representatives to this petition. I intend to add all of them.