How to Support Police Reform Effectively Right Now

Written By natalie bowers

Statement from NAACP branch 23ae-b on HB4794/S.2820I

Friends, 

In the North Shore, the thin blue line flag has become recognized as a symbol of police support by those in our community who truly feel that the police are under attack by the Black Lives Matter movement. 

We are not on different sides because we all want our communities to be safe. Despite the extreme polarity of the politics, and vociferous agitators, many of the people who fly this thin blue line flag also profess to support and value black lives, ‘just not Black Lives Matter’. Despite their brandishing those that support Black Lives Matter as people who do not value our officers (or as violent rioters), we irrefutably see the necessity and value of a well-trained, community-focused police force that protects and serves all people. We reject the murders and unnecessary abuse that habitually occurs to people in custody by officers, and this must stop. Black Lives Matter.

Recent civil rights protests that have ensued since the murder of George Floyd have given rise to significant shifts in legislation across the country as it pertains to policing. Cries for Police Reform are being taken seriously across the country and change is happening. 

Here in Massachusetts, a Bill was passed in our Senate and a Bill was passed in our House; currently, both House and Senate have been in conference since the end of July to agree on one Bill to present to our Governor for adoption. During this time of closed-door negotiations, Police unions and associations have been lobbying hard against the Bill, particularly the proposal of removing ‘Qualified Immunity’ for officers. They resist adopting formal accountability for when civilians are harmed or murdered.

Qualified immunity is a judicially created doctrine that shields government officials from being held personally liable for constitutional violations—like the right to be free from excessive police force—for money damages under federal law so long as the officials did not violate “clearly established” law. The new legislation wishes to remove Qualified Immunity and hold accountable those officers who wrongfully murder or harm civilians. 

As our political leaders who are in support of the Bill fight for consensus, it is you and I who can help strengthen their efforts to adopt this legislation. We must support our elected officials who are trying to get this bill passed and we must show those in opposition to the Bill that the voting base supports this change. 

Currently, the biggest hang up is House members who do not want to adopt the Senate’s version of Qualified Immunity. The House is knuckling under pressure to the police unions, but our Senators are holding tight. This conference is mandated to not speak about developments and therefore, we have no other update on the status of the conversation. However, if they cannot come to resolution, the Bill will die. They will say “we have been unable to resolve differences”.

The time to act is NOW. Do not let this conversation die. Reach out with your voice today.

What you are seeing when you see the thin blue line flag being flown in our streets or on billboards, is a reaction from the political activity within our State legislative branch that is threatening to take away funding and Qualified Immunity from our Police. Make no mistake, a lot of time and money is going into fighting this battle. They may purport to invoke the honor of a fallen officer in their quest to lobby against this legislative change, but this is theatre to evoke an emotional response from their support base. Simply put, they are scared/threatened of change that must occur to achieve equity in policing. 

So, as civilians, who feel triggered when we see this thin blue line flag, what should we do? 

In taking a political strategy in support of our National NAACP’s stance on the issue, and with a view for real change, there are two possible approaches: reactive/emotional or proactive/strategic. Reactive/emotional responses include rallying, protesting, counter rallying, getting into arguments on social media, holding worry and letting the fear seep into your bones about someone you see flying this flag, putting it on a billboard, or somewhere else. While these actions are powerful approaches to convey an immediate sense of solidarity, getting this Bill presented to our Governor so that actual men and women are legally protected from the police misconduct that causes their harm and sometimes death, requires that you consider the following actions with as much passion as you have for the cause:

Write Letters. Currently, there are six state lawmakers working behind closed doors in a conference committee to draft a final version of HB4794/S.2820I. Write to your Representatives and Senators and local officials expressing your full support of Police Reform, with emphasis on not removing the section that covers removing Qualified Immunity (this is the part of the Bill that is creating the most push-back and those in opposition want to remove it entirely).

Write an Open letter or a Letter to the Editor. Send a letter to your local newspaper, blog, or even share it on your own Facebook page or your community facebook page. Tell people that you support this bill, inform people that it exists, let them know what is happening and influence them to focus on what is actually happening in our Senate right now. Bring their attention to this legislation that could actually prevent people from being murdered or harmed by changing the law that currently allows the deed to go unpunished.

Talk to your friends and tell them about what is really happening here.  In your daily conversations, make it a point to inform them of what is actually happening. Tell them about the Senate Bill, the concept of Qualified Immunity, and why it’s important to remove this protection in our police force. 

What’s the bill in question? 

For your convenience and context, below are the links for each bill:

S.2800/2820: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S2820

H.4886/4794: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/H4886 Amendment Order for Senate Bill No. 2820, “An Act to reform police standards and shift resources to build a more equitable, fair and just commonwealth that values Black lives and communities of color”

Which elected officials to contact/write:

Sincerely,

Natalie Bowers

President, North Shore MA NAACP Branch 23AE-B

natalie bowers
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