taser endorsement letter
DESCRIPTION
As you may already be aware, the debate about whether to allow Berkeley Police to have Tasers has recently come into the open, and the City Council voted in 6-3 to have the City Manager conduct a study on whether to give BPD officers tasers. The City Manager will report back to the council on September 9th and from there, anything could happen. We expect that they will try to implement a “pilot program” with just a few officers and then gradually make it standard issue. This is a wrong turn for Berkeley.The Coalition for a Taser Free Berkeley is asking for your endorsement of a ban on police use of Tasers. We believe that Berkeley needs to use its resources and money to assist the people in our city who are suffering from homelessness, mental illness, poverty and lack of education. Berkeley recently authorized the police to buy a $750,000 boat that will be paid by the city and Homeland Security. They even tried to get an armored personnel carrier, but the public wouldn’t let them. This constant rush to war and weapons instead of seeking humane alternatives has to stop. We must come together to demand that the city and police find humane alternatives for dealing with mentally ill people and those who don’t immediately respond to police orders.TRANSCRIPT
COALITION FOR A TASER FREE BERKELEY Dear Berkeley resident,
As you may already be aware, the debate about whether to allow Berkeley Police to have Tasers has recently come into the open, and the City Council voted in 6-3 to have the City Manager conduct a study on whether to give BPD officers tasers. The City Manager will report back to the council on September 9th and from there, anything could happen. We expect that they will try to implement a “pilot program” with just a few officers and then gradually make it standard issue. This is a wrong turn for Berkeley.
The Coalition for a Taser Free Berkeley is asking for your endorsement of a
ban on police use of Tasers. We believe that Berkeley needs to use its resources and money to assist the people in our city who are suffering from homelessness, mental illness, poverty and lack of education. Berkeley recently authorized the police to buy a $750,000 boat that will be paid by the city and Homeland Security. They even tried to get an armored personnel carrier, but the public wouldn’t let them. This constant rush to war and weapons instead of seeking humane alternatives has to stop. We must come together to demand that the city and police find humane alternatives for dealing with mentally ill people and those who don’t immediately respond to police orders. Please join other organizations that are standing together to find a humane alternative. Berkeley Copwatch East Bay Media Center Coalition for Safe Berkeley Berkeley NAACP Aram James, former Public Defender Berkeley Gray Panthers The Coalition for Justice and Accountability Street Spirit East Bay Community Law Center De-Bug San Jose
Stop the Ban (on vehicle habitation) Veterans for Peace (East Bay Chapter 162) ACLU Berkeley/NorthEastBay chapter Ecumenical Peace Institute Peace and Freedom Party Oakland Privacy Working Group And more! Please add YOUR name!
Berkeley Mental Health Commission and the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission voted against
allowing police use of tasers. Please endorse our campaign.
Learn more at: http://coalitionforataserfreeberkeley.org Send us an email at: [email protected]
with “Taser Endorsement” in the heading and that will be great!
Like us on Facebook and stay up to date: Coalition for Taser Free Berkeley
If you write a letter, please send a copy to your City Council Member and the City Clerk. [email protected]
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR COUNCILPERSON Mayor Tom Bates (510) 981-7100 P [email protected] District 1 Linda Maio (510) 981-7110 P [email protected] District 2 Darryl Moore (510) 981-7120 P [email protected] District 3 Max Anderson (510) 981-7130 P [email protected] District 4 Jesse Arreguin (510) 981-7140 P [email protected] District 5 Laurie Capitelli (510) 981-7150 P [email protected] District 6 Susan Wengraf (510) 981-7160 P [email protected] District 7 Kriss Worthington( 510) 981-7170 P [email protected] District 8 Gordon Wozniak (510) 981-7180 P [email protected] Please feel free to join our campaign. We need your help to get endorsements, talk with neighbors and to make this an election issue. Berkeley has a proud history of humane treatment and progressive social services. Tell the Council NO TO TASERS!