Madison, WisconsinI will never forget the day I lost my son at the hands of 4 police officers who betrayed the honor and trust of the badge they wore. Our family’s tragedy was only made worse when the officers were cleared of all wrongdoing, after being investigated by their peers instead of an independent panel. The sworn testimony of each officer directly opposed irrefutable forensic evidence provided by the medical examiner. Still, no fault. As we struggled to understand this miscarriage of justice we discovered we were not alone, many families were denied an independent investigation when their loved ones were taken. We decided that together we could make their deaths mean something.
Families who have lost loved ones at the hands of officers are coming together across the nation to demand unbiased investigations. Nationwide, officer involved deaths are routinely investigated by their coworkers resulting in an impossible record of perfection. In Wisconsin alone, an “unjustified” ruling by an officer’s department or commission cannot be found in 125 years.
The people of Wisconsin have before them a Bill to bring independent review to all officer-involved fatalities in addition to drug testing of all officers involved.
Please help Wisconsin set a much-needed precedent for all states across the nation with AB 409, the Citizens and Law Enforcement Safety Act.
Police depend on community trust in order to succeed at their jobs. Yet an antiquated system allows bad cops to avoid accountability and tarnish the image of all law officers. AB 409 is designed to build and strengthen community trust via transparent review by experienced and independent professionals. If we come together and make AB 409 law, the public will have rock-solid confidence that their police force is being held to uniform and consistent standards and law enforcement will be protected from speculation and suspicion.
Garry Kasparov was speaking to reporters outside the Moscow courthouse where the sentencing of the band Pussy Riot was taking place. Suddenly he was violently seized by police and forced onto a bus. Later he was beaten by a group of police. The police department has announced they are investigating whether Kasparov bit and injured an officer. The officer in question is highlighted in this video striking Kasparov with his fist. At no time during or after beating Kasparov does the officer show any sign of injury. The officer stays at the scene after Kasparov is forced onto the bus for the second time and the officer uses both of his hands to adjust his vest.
Ismael Estrada AC360° Producer Editor’s note: Watch Anderson Cooper 360° Monday beginning at 10 pm ET to learn more about the allegations against Arpaio. (CNN) — Make no mistake about it: Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is tough on crime. The popular lawman has built a reputation for taking a strong-handed approach to those who break the law in his county. Whether it’s a DUI, a violent crime or being an undocumented immigrant: commit a crime … Read More
Be a Seed for Change 