Senator,
I write to you today about police brutality. When the citizens of our great country can be stopped in the street, choked to death[1] in broad daylight, while onlookers beg for their lives on video[2], but cannot act for fear of arrest and likely death for non-compliance – there is a problem.
The citizens of our great republic are not subjects – they are free people, who abide by a social contract, “… just Powers from the Consent of the Governed”[3]. We allow Police to enforce rule of law because we trust each other – but that is now in danger, due largely to the actions of the Police in every state of our union eroding public trust, and to the inaction of our representatives.
In active combat as a Soldier, I was held to strict rules of engagement at all times, and in all places, against armed enemies of the United States of America. I was held accountable for my actions, under due process of law. As protests rage across the country, we repeatedly see Police officers mirroring the CCP Police in Honk Kong – brutally oppressing members of the community, and enforcing their will by any measure[4]. In 2016, FBI statistics found that there were 435 justifiable homicides[5] by Police in the USA, and ‘The Counted’ – a listing run by the Guardian for people killed by police in the USA – shows a total of 1,093 killed in 2016[6]. Yet, between 2005 and 2017, only 80 officers have been arrested on murder or manslaughter charges. Of those 80, only 35% were convicted[7].
No one is above the law, not even Soldiers in combat. Why are we giving Police a pass for murder? Why are we letting Police treat Civilians like combatants?
I beg you to take action. Create an independent civilian run task force for internal investigation of Police misconduct, prohibiting Police staffing. Remove the burden of police misconduct from the community, and make Police monetarily accountable for wrongful death and destruction of property from their union’s pension funds. Enforce a federal standard of rules of engagement for peace officers. Defund Police forces that refuse use of body worn cameras at all times. End no knock raids, end civil asset forfeiture, and most importantly, end the war on drugs.
Hear the voices of the oppressed and act. Thank you for your service to this great nation.
Matthew B. L. Henderson
[1] https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/05/26/george-floyd-minneapolis-police-officers-fired-after-public-backlash/5263193002/
[2] Nawaz, Amna (May 26, 2020). "What we know about George Floyd's death in Minneapolis police custody". PBS News hour. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
[3] The Declaration of Independence
[4] https://www.bleumag.com/2019/08/17/hong-kong-police-brutality-2019-no-freedom-no-justice/
[5] https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2016/crime-in-the-u.s.-2016/tables/expanded-homicide-data-table-5.xls
[6] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2015/jun/01/the-counted-police-killings-us-database
[7] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/a-former-policeman-was-found-guilty-for-killing-a-black-teen-why-is-conviction-so-rare