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Friend --
I am sure you felt, as I did, so many emotions watching or being
part of the protests over the weekend. Thousands of DC residents
peacefully and passionately exercised their First Amendment rights as
Americans to call out injustice, racism, and police brutality against
Black Americans.
It was also jarring to wake up this morning and see businesses and
places we cherish in our community damaged or defaced. But buildings
(even historic ones) and memorials get rebuilt and repaired. While I
love the places that are part of our community, communities are made
of people. People are hurting and have been for generations.
Make no mistake: the protests are not only about the murder of
George Floyd by police. So many Ward 6 residents of color have
experienced a conflicted and troubling relationship with law
enforcement. I’ve had these conversations one-on-one, in community
meetings, and in public hearings as the Chair of the Council’s
Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. In July 2018, I held a hearing
inside the Deanwood Recreation Center in Ward 7 on policing in East of
the River to hear from residents about their experiences with
Metropolitan Police Department officers. Many residents shared
profoundly disturbing stories that most white residents simply cannot
fathom happening to them. That's why this outrage has spread so far.
The murder of George Floyd is part of the legacy and evolution of
slavery and systems of institutional racism.
As the Chair of the Committee, I am positioned to lead efforts with
my colleagues to make change. I have spent my three years as Chair
focused on funding and implementing transparency around data of police
stops, strengthening the Office of Police Complaints to improve
accountability in police actions, funding restorative justice programs
that serve as alternatives to incarceration, supporting returning
citizens in building safer neighborhoods and lowering recidivism,
reforming our sentencing laws for young people, and standing up and
exponentially growing the District's violence interruption efforts,
which reduce the need for police interactions while getting at the
root causes of violent crime. And there is so much more we can do,
that we must do.
I say all of this in the backdrop of a two-year spike in homicides
in the District. Make no mistake that most of the people experiencing
violent crime, including homicides, are people of color, and they have
also experienced the majority of negative police encounters. I have
also come to understand that most violent crime can be rooted in a
scarcity of opportunity and hope. It stems from years of
underinvestment to meet the true needs of earning a living wage,
living in dignified housing, and having hope about the future. In that
context, we have spent too much time expecting police to solve
problems that are fundamentally not about public safety and which they
are not trained to solve.
We are living in a moment of history where, if we rise to the
challenge, we could look back and know we made long-sought changes
that bend the arc toward justice and fairness. It can't happen
instantly or with one policy fix. But the energy is there today, and I
ask you to join in it. I will continue to be an ally to residents of
color, and I will pursue policies that make the District safer and
more just.
A quick note: I delayed the public budget hearing for the
Metropolitan Police Department, which was originally scheduled for 9
am this morning. Here's
my statement on why I felt it was necessary.
Details on the Mayor's Curfew
If you haven't heard, the Mayor announced a two-day curfew this
morning (June 1) that takes place from 7 pm to 6 am.
Given that tomorrow is Election Day and polls are open until 8 pm,
I have serious concerns about the effect the curfew will have on folks
who want to cast their ballot before the Voting Centers close.
However, the Mayor has specifically said folks heading to or from the
polls are exempt from the curfew as are the poll workers. Essential
workers are also exempted. And finally, media and reporters are also
permitted to be out. If possible, I encourage as many residents as
possible to vote during the daytime. Polls are open from 7 am to 8 pm
tomorrow and until 7 pm tonight.
Stay safe, and let's come out of this stronger,
Charles Allen
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