Ron Scott, spokesperson for the Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality, talking with Fox 2 reporter on the death of Robert Mitchell, 16, at the hands of Warren Police. The youth had been chased and tased. (Photo: Abayomi Azikiwe)
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ron Scott
313.399.7345
How Will the Next $1.5 Million Be Spent?
Coalition Calls for Inclusion in New Police Monitor Choice
10/6/09—The Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality released this statement today about the appointment of new Police Monitor Robert Warshaw by Judge Julian Cook:
Newly appointed Police Monitor Robert Warshaw and Deputy Monitor Thomas Lusby are both police officials. This fact raises questions for us, given the character and culture of policing that exists throughout the United States. Our question: can cops police cops?
We feel it is imperative that we--as the citizens who brought the long train of civil rights violations and shootings violations which have not yet abated-—to the public’s attention some 13 years ago be central to the monitoring process.
The City of Detroit has already paid more than $300 million in the last 13 years in lawsuits regarding police misconduct. It is only with the direction of the citizens who are most abused that this or any Monitor can evaluate or make any recommendations to stem the tide of lives lost and lawsuit money paid.
We continue our call for Judge Cook to include aggrieved families as “parties of interest” in these Consent Judgments. We will be watching closely to see if Mr. Warshaw is willing to balance his police-heavy team with many of those who have recommended the changes in the police department that he will only reiterate.
The Coalition remains vigilant in its challenge to Judge Cook to “monitor the Monitor,” and to work hard to ensure that a true culture change is achieved within the Detroit Police Department. In short, we look for transparency, inclusion, and accountability in this process.
1 comment:
I am not sure to understand when you say "The son of Jacques Foccart’s affiliate Mahmoud Bourgi, French lawyer Robert Bourgi is considered Foccart’s francafrique successor. As an example of media censorship and postcolonial control, his brother Albert Bourgi is the editor of Jeune Afrique, Francophone Africa’s popular news publication coming out of Paris since 1964, but a disinformation front billed as the ‘number one Pan-African magazine’."
Albert Bourgi, as you should know, has always fought against dictatorship and French postcolonial drifts in Africa.
Unfortunately, you can't chose your family, especially when your brother is the lawyer of dictators like Mobutu or Bongo.
But you can chose your own fights and friends.
You should be aware of the fact that ALbert Bourgi's friends have been sent to jail because they were fighting for their people and democracy (have you heard about Alpha COndé in Guinea ?).
You mention Jeune Afrique, but Mr Bourgi is not an editor in this paper any more...
Thanks by advance.
Post a Comment