John,
Earlier this month the Rochester Police Department released extended body-cam footage of nine police officers and one 9-year-old Black girl being tackled, handcuffed, and pepper-sprayed while experiencing a mental health crisis. Nine adults with guns and chemical irritants, one 9-year-old child.
This child was subjected to both physical and psychological police terrorism. The Rochester police union chief, Eoin Higgins, downplayed the officers chasing this child down, threatening to take her to jail, handcuffing her, forcing her into the back of a squad car, and pepper spraying her in the face. Higgins told the press to imagine if the officers “had to go and push further and use more force, there's a good chance she could have been hurt worse."
John, we don’t need to imagine because we remember. Last March, Daniel Prude, a Black man experiencing a mental health crisis was murdered by Rochester police officers. We only know about Prude’s tragic death because his family fought for months to have the footage released— and the Rochester police department actively tried to cover it up.
This is who the police are, and these are the violent racist officers who police unions protect. That’s why we’ve studied police unions’ tactics, researched their strategies, and we’re ready to expose how police unions harm Black people, empower violent cops, and reinforce white supremacy.
From slave patrols to the police unions, law enforcement has a long history of terrorizing Black people. The Fraternal Order of Police, also known as FOP, is the world’s largest union of police officers, with more than 300,000 members. Put simply, they’re the biggest gang in the United States. By defending cops who brutalize and kill Black people, they’ve waged a domestic war in our communities with the support of local, state, and federal politicians.
Last summer, millions of people like you denounced, rallied, and protested against police violence following the murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Daniel Prude. In response, police unions like the FOP continue to support officers who vilify victims of police violence, kill Black people, and call BLM a “terrorist movement.”
Police unions use their power to create barriers to officer accountability and policy change. They defend officers who perpetrate harm against Black people. They exist to enable and protect anti-Black racism by any means necessary. Historically, these methods have included: multi-million dollar contracts, regressive legislation, and public persuasion campaigns to avoid accountability.
You may be unfamiliar with police unions, but so many of your elected officials and politicians aren’t. That’s why we want you to take a hard look at the data to see what police unions represent, and who represents them in Congress.
Our communities are demanding immediate changes and it starts with exposing the harm of police unions. That’s exactly what our Police Union playbook intends to do. We encourage you to leverage this tool as we continue to fight for our collective vision of safety and dignity.
Until Justice Is Real,
Erika, Rashad, Arisha, Malachi, Megan, Ariel, Ernie, Madison, Ana, McKayla, Trevor, Ericka, and the rest of the COC team
References:
1. Rochester Police Union Chief Defends Pepper Spraying Girl—'She Could Have Been Hurt Worse', Khaleda Ramen, February 12, 2021
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
