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Guest Opinion | Allen Edson, NAACP and Pablo Alvarado, NDLON: A Message to the Political Class: The Time is Now for Meaningful Police Reform

Published on Monday, August 3, 2020 | 3:00 am
 
Allen Edson, NAACP and Pablo Alvarado, NDLON

After decades of discussions, deliberations, and debates about how to achieve meaningful police reform across the country, our communities cannot wait any longer. We say “enough!” We must put an end to police brutality.

We will no longer accept symbolic reforms, that are little more than public relations maneuvers aimed at distracting us from our goals, all while biased policing harms our neighborhoods.

In the quest for meaningful police reform over the years, what’s clear, for Black Americans and communities of color in our city, is the following:

1. Systemic racism has polluted law enforcement, and it has resulted in a culture of abuse, violence and impunity.

2. The political class in our city has historically resisted real reform. The murder of Mr. George Floyd, however, has made the disregard for Black lives and structural racism visible for all to see. Mr. Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis reminds us of the victims of the Pasadena Police Department, including Leroy Barnes, Kendrec McDade, J.R. Thomas, Paris Holloway, Rashad McCoy, and Chris Ballew. Genuine reform in our city is a moral imperative and it is long overdue.

3. The Pasadena political class is obliged to deliver real police reform. The community should be protected from police abuse as it is fundamental to achieving justice, preserving harmony, and enabling peaceful coexistence among all segments of our diverse community. We expect that the electoral goals of each and every politician in our city will cease to be an obstacle to reform; as Pasadenans will not accept anything less than real reform. Anyone who thinks otherwise is in for a rude awakening on Election Day.

The NAACP and NDLON call on all Pasadenans to deliver a message, loud and clear, to the political class:

We believe it is necessary, to first, establish a police oversight commission, second, ensure the hiring of an independent police auditor, and third, to grant both with unfettered subpoena powers. But it appears that some in the political class think differently. And, if they are unwilling to make substantial progress toward genuine reform, we demand they at least take this matter to the electorate in November.

There is no ambiguity in our demand for an Oversight Police Commission and an Independent Police Auditor with full authority as delineated in the (Community Bill of Rights and Declaration of Interdependence). Our elected officials must decide whether they will deliver real reform or not. We continue to ask all Pasadenans for whom Black Lives Matter to hold them accountable.

Let us honor the legacy of Congressman and legendary freedom fighter, John Lewis, and let us follow his final words of advice: “ordinary people with extraordinary vision can redeem the soul of America.” Let the voters redeem the soul of the City of Roses.

Allen Edson is the president of the Pasadena NAACP and Pablo Alvarado is the co-executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network

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