Workgroup Notes - May 12, 2011

These notes came out of a small group meeting that was part of the larger Community Safety Workgroup from which this project is a spinoff.  It reflects the initial enthusiasm and energy that people brought to the idea of working to create a world without coercive authority, as well as positive solutions to frustrations with police misconduct, excessive force, and intimidation.



POLICE WORKGROUP-

First Thoughts:

• potluck or get together to talk about cops as a problem.
• letting people know that there are other ways to handle problems in lieu of calling the cops.
• convincing neighbors that cops are problematic.
• within household, education about the harm that police bring.
• idea for testimonial zine of peoples' experiences with cops and jail.

             --->PROJECT! callout for stories about cops to later be disseminated.

• set of guidelines for cop interactions and reasons not to interact with cops.

             --->PROJECT! one or two publications: reasons why cops are harmful and how to deal with situations without cops.

• posting fucked up experiences with police up to a space over the internet.
• trying to understand how police violence is going over in our community/ gauging where people are at in their feelings about cops.
• worry posed that this small group's discussion is repeating work other groups are focused on; desire to hone in on very specific anti-cop projects (i.e. literally getting cops out of santa cruz)

SUGGESTION! everyone bring in 3 ideas to put on an anti-cop flyer to be posted everywhere around town.

• list of things to do when faced with cop contact.
• questions cops about where they're taking people, etc.
• create a culture of resistance: stand up to police, let them know they aren't welcome nor appreciated.
• interjecting in police interactions
• helping other people find strength to speak with courage to police.
• holding cops accountable: making cop profiles.

               --->PROJECT! flyers with cops' faces, badge numbers; listing complaints and experiences with them.

               --->PROJECT! some sort of database online that logs cops and what they've been up to. (worry about it not being visible enough)

• lot of worry about legal repercussions.
• response that every time we talk about "anti-cop" stuff, we're obviously putting ourselves in trouble, so...
• weekly newsletter or report.
• mentioning of sharing a particular bad cop experience on the radio.
• addressing younger people... going to schools and programs in which cops are doing "we're heroes" presentations, and doing counter-talks about why cops are dangerous and need to be opposed.