Calling 911 can no longer be code to ‘KILL BLACK PEOPLE’

Dialing 911 should be to report a dangerous incident, crime or emergency, not used as a racially motivated weapon against men, women and children of color. Enough is enough!

Black and Brown people should be able to jog outdoors. Black and Brown people should be able to birdwatch in Central Park. Black and Brown people should be able to knock on doors and hand out campaign literature. Black and Brown people should be able to eat lunch. Black and Brown people should be able to enjoy the SAFETY OF THEIR HOMES IN PEACE. Black and Brown people should be able to BREATHE! These are basic human rights for many, but many have not lived long enough to enjoy them.  In 2018, both Janelle Bynum (Oregon legislator)  and myself were Campaigning While Black, just handing out literature and as public figures we were victims of bigoted police reports. These 911 calls amount to more than just a waste of police time and resources. These 911 calls are acts of discrimination and intimidation.

The outrageous bias we faced led the Oregon legislature to pass legislation. New York has failed to do the same. 

Living while black is not a crime, but making a false report – especially motivated by hate – should be. That is why I introduced legislation in 2018 to add false reporting statutes to the list of hate crimes in New York State law. Our laws must penalize false reports with hateful intent, especially since they can have deadly consequences. 

My 911 Anti-Discrimination Legislation would have further differentiated among false reports, adding penalties based on the intent. At that time, we urged New York elected officials to catch up to other states in preventing the misuse of 911, especially when it is abuse for the sake of racial discrimination. 

The New York State legislature supposedly under new Progressive leadership  failed to take action. I introduced the original bill in the State Senate and then Assembly Member Felix Ortiz introduced it in the Assembly, but it died in committee before reaching the full legislature. He has reintroduced it for the current legislative session as A3566.

Since I left the State Senate THE BILL HAS NOT PASSED in New York. It has only come because of Amy Cooper's abuse of police resources in Central Park. I say: Enough delays. Pass the #911AntiDiscrimination Bill NOW.
 
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Note: This petition was originally published August 2018 and edited in 2020. For the original text, please click here.