Workgroup: Small Groups May 12, 2011

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.

New Workgroup Notes Apr 14th

Community Safety Workgroup
-APRIL FOURTEENTH-

AGENDA:
*Go around/ talk about vision
*"Feeling For The Edge"
*Facilitation/ notes
*Small groups
*Report back

One of the facilitators speaks about the premises of the workgroup:
*focused on definitive actions
*autonomous- not based on petitioning the legal structure
*collective process
*leaving space for each other

Feeling for the Edge of your Imagination: finding ways not to call the police

(from Imagine Alternatives)

Dear friends, family, acquaintances and people with whom I share house party dance floors and supermarket lines,

A few weeks ago, an acquaintance of mine attended a police lineup, pointed at someone, and sent them to jail or prison. Last night, a friend’s roommate called the cops about something happening outside, and the effect of that action was a young man getting tasered.

So I’ve decided to write you a letter. All of you, but especially those of you who, like myself and the two people mentioned above, are white and/or grew up middle class and/or didn’t grow up in NYC. I’m writing to you, also, if you’ve smiled your way out of a speeding ticket, if you’ve been most afraid of cops at mass protests, or if you generally feel safer when you see police around.