So, here's the thing, I live in a suburb of North Phoenix called Peoria. It is an affluent city where the demographic is 85% caucasian. The majority of people in the city (some 177k by last count) are working professionals and business owners. With all of the recent social unrest, protesting, and speaking out about systemic racism or race issues there is finally a forum for citizens to engage with Peoria Police leadership on community issues and policies. This has, historically, never been available in this city as most approaches to departmental policy has been internal or at the behest of the city council or mayor. Even at the council level, citizen evaluations/recommendations/etc. are only ever given cursory reviews before moving on to the next order of business. I have been at these meetings before, at best, citizen feedback is granted weight only when delivered eloquently by a person who looks the part of the main demographic. If you aren't wearing a suit or something, good luck getting any council member to listen to you.
But now, the societal climate has changed. Now the council members are more engaged and will be attending these police community review sessions. And I AM HERE FOR IT. I have been preparing a guidance/recommendation presentation on police use of force and the changes necessary to departmental policies, practices, and training. These meetings, and community presentations, will be reviewed by a panel and final policy recommendations will go through the council and be delivered to the Chief of Police and Assistant Chiefs. I plan to give as eloquent of a presentation as possible, wearing my business suit, so that they might actually listen.
I know that people are organizing and protesting in their own ways and I support that wholeheartedly. This is the way I know how to protest, to push for systemic change at the only level I know I have a voice, the local level. I am hoping that it leads to drastic policy changes for the city. I know other suburbs, and Phoenix itself, are holding these same types of review sessions in an effort to change things at a state level. I also know that the state governing agency for law enforcement officer in AZ (the org that licenses the officers in this state) will be attending some of these meetings. I am pushing for change in the only way I feel qualified at the moment.