Our hearts are broken as we mourn the loss of one of our neighbors, Michael Conlon. And we are furious that the police -- who are supposedly responsible for our safety -- are culpable. When shooting beanbag rounds from shotguns and using taser guns are considered “de-escalation,” when someone who has retreated to their home is considered an imminent threat, and when the death of our neighbor is overshadowed by concern for the emotional damage to the officers who killed him, we know that Newton--like the rest of the country--needs radical change. 

We believe it is important to emphasize that many Newtonians are likely to feel less safe because of the actions of the Newton police -- not more safe. We are less likely to call 911 for help should we or our loved ones experience a mental health emergency since they may be killed by police.

Our neighbor’s death is an example of how an over-reliance on policing exacerbates harm. With full funding for mental health care, we could have lessened the likelihood of this mental health crisis happening in the first place. With greater access to trained professionals (as opposed to relying on armed police as first responders), we could have increased the likelihood of a nonviolent de-escalation.

For these reasons, we demand the following from our city leaders:

1. The City of Newton must not rely solely on a District Attorney-led and police-led investigation of what happened on January 5th, but conduct their own independent investigation. We demand the release of all evidence to the public. We demand the investigation to be swift and transparent and go beyond individual accountability to consider shortcomings in the system overall. We demand that police contracts be renegotiated to enable accountability.
2. The City of Newton must immediately withdraw police officers as the first responders to mental health crises as well as other situations (e.g., domestic violence, drug addiction, homelessness) that are not their job. Instead, we must establish a broader network of first responders with expertise in the wide range of issues that are called into 911.
3. The City of Newton must ensure full funding for mental health services (preventative, crisis response, and follow up support) within the Department of Health and Human Services and relevant community organizations. Mental health services should not be based in the police department.
4. The City of Newton must reallocate resources from the police department to help realize Newtonians’ human rights to housing, good jobs, healthcare, and food among other rights. Realizing rights is the best way to prevent social problems like mental illness that often lead to the involvement of police.

Use our Action Guide to Contact Mayor Fuller and the Newton City Council directly: tinyurl.com/NewtonEndMentalHealthPolicing​

Read our full statement and demands: “Outrage at the Killing of Our Newton Neighbor at the Hands of Police”

Read and listen to the Jan 6th update from the Middlesex District Attorney's Office: “Man Identified in Fatal Shooting [By Officers] in Newton: 911 Call, Radio Transmission Released” [Trigger Warning- the 911 call contains a recording of Michael Conlon in the middle of a mental health crisis]