Mocha Moms, Inc.: Statement on Police Brutality.
July 11, 2016 by Staff
Filed under News, Politics, Weekly Columns
(Akiit.com) Mocha Moms across the country are beyond heartbroken over last week’s events. It has taken us some time to try and process, not only the deaths of two more black lives at the hands of police officers, but also the deaths of five law enforcement officers who were defending peaceful protesters in Dallas, Texas. The processing isn’t over. What is over is our willingness to let it go any more.
We mothers of color are daughters of law enforcement officers, wives of law enforcement officers, sisters of law enforcement officers, and mothers of law enforcement officers. We mothers of color are daughters of people who have been victimized by law enforcement, wives of people who have been victimized by law enforcement, sisters of people who have been victimized by law enforcement, and, horrifyingly, mothers of people who have been victimized by law enforcement. We are law enforcement officers ourselves as well as victims.
We won’t choose between supporting police and stating that our families’ lives matter. It’s a false choice. We live comfortably with both ideas. We respect police. We teach our children to respect police. What we want is respect in return. Not fear. Not 
condescension. Not a redirection of the issue from pundits. We are mothers. We are well aware of what the problems are. We expect a change. We demand change now.
We are mobilizing our moms across the country for the Police Reform our community deserves. Our Mochas Act advocacy plan is based on the following demands we believe are instrumental for effective Police Reform:
1. Federal data collection for every police involved shooting.
2. Independent Prosecutor for every police involved shooting.
3. Safeguards and protections for whistleblowers: police officers who want to report excessive force by colleagues, and citizens who witness, record, or fall victim to excessive force.
4. Creating uniform process by which citizen recorded evidence can be admissible in court.
5. Allowing citizen recordings to be sent to independent investigators instead of police department involved in incidents
6. Uniform psychological test for every jurisdiction
7. Every jurisdiction should have a community advisory board including community leaders and former law enforcement officers.
8. Every police officer who has received multiple complaints for excessive force should be investigated and be placed on desk duty for 30 days receiving more training on de-escalation and apprehension techniques.
9. If a city is sued and settles cases of excessive force the officers involved should serve 30 days of desk duty.
10. Police Chiefs/Sheriffs and supervisors evaluations should be tied to the number of excessive forces case filed against their officers.
We will meet with law enforcement leaders, federal and local legislators and partner with other community organizations. Our mothers will be armed with the tools and resources they need push for change locally and nationally.
We mothers of color should not have to live in fear of what might happen to our children at the hands of an officer of the law who is charged to protect and serve. We need and want to depend on law enforcement to protect us where ever we are, not police us. Two years ago, we asked for law enforcement to meet with us through an open letter to the Fraternal Order of Police whose mission, per its website, is:
“… to cultivate a spirit of fraternalism and mutual helpfulness among our members and the people we serve; to increase the efficiency of the law enforcement profession and thus more firmly establish the confidence of the public in the service dedicated to the protection of life and property.”
They refused a meeting. Now we are reissuing that call, not just to the FOP, but to all law enforcement agencies that recognize there is a very real problem and want to work to build trust and a new relationship.
We recognize it’s hard being a law enforcement officer. Especially right now. Can law enforcement also recognize it’s hard being black, regardless of class and status? Especially right now.
Columnist; Danae Jones Aicher
Official website; http://www.mochamoms.org