MADISON: PLEASE RSVP

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Amelia Royko Maurer <roykomaurer@mac.com>
Date: Sat, 9 Nov 2019 22:14:20 -0600
Subject: MADISON: PLEASE RSVP
To: Amelia Royko Maurer <roykomaurer@me.com>

Hi All,

Please take 2 minutes and read this entire request and then act with
us now to secure the position of Independent Monitor/civilian
oversight over the Madison Police Department.

We need to flood the Common Council with emails between now and
tomorrow (Sunday) night.

Because of you, the finance committee passed the funding for an
independent monitor of MPD.

Now we need your help in convincing our council members to pass the
independent monitor recommendation, as is.

Two opponents of the independent monitor and objective civilian
oversight, Alders Skidmore and Tierney, want to remove the position
for independent monitor and also pass an amendment to set up an
MPD/MPPOA (police union) stacked committee to create a position
description for a future monitor.

Here is why this is unnecessary / problematic:
The city-sanctioned Ad Hoc Committee, which includes retired MPD
Police Captain, Luis Yudice, created a position description for the
Independent Monitor already and approved the entire report, as is.
There's conflict of interest in MPD/MPPOA voting on what kind of
civilian oversight mechanism will get to oversee them. It's like
giving the U.S. military 40% of the votes in Congress. In the U.S.,
the military or police are supposed to be under civilian democratic
control. What these two alders are proposing is in violation of that.
MPD already investigates, reviews and almost always exonerates their
officers for force incidents.
MPPOA and MPD have never once found an officer in the wrong for taking a life.
An independent monitor, separate from MPD and MPD influence in every
way, is needed for balance.

What I am asking you all to do before Sunday night is to send your
original letter from October, to all alders and the Mayor and please
add the following points (In order of importance):

Vote no on Alders Skidmore and Tierney’s resolutions to remove the
monitor and to corrupt the process in hiring the monitor.
Pass the recommendation for the Independent Monitor and all related
recommendations as written by the Ad-Hoc Committee.
The city-sanctioned Ad Hoc Committee, which includes retired MPD
Police Captain, Luis Yudice, created a position description for the
Independent Monitor already and approved the entire report, as is.
Please respect their work.
There's conflict of interest in MPD/MPPOA voting on what kind of
civilian oversight mechanism will get to oversee them. It's like
giving the U.S. military 40% of the votes in Congress. In the U.S.,
the military or police are supposed to be under civilian democratic
control. What these two alders are proposing is in violation of that.
MPD already investigates, reviews and almost always exonerates their
officers for force incidents.
MPPOA and MPD have never once found an officer in the wrong for taking
a life, in 130+ years.
An independent monitor, separate from MPD and MPD influence in every
way, is needed for balance.

If you are able, please show up at the meeting and make a statement in person.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019 5:30 PM
210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Room 201
(City-County Building)


Today is the anniversary of when an MPD Officer killed our dear friend
Paulie outside of our home. Paulie was unarmed. He needed help. The
damage that action caused is deep and irreversible for Paulie, his
family, his friends, our neighbor, Kevin, who tried to save him, his
family, the East side community and also for the officer who pulled
the trigger. The only way forward is justice. From what I know about
Paulie, the justice that he would want is not a punitive or spiteful
justice but one where people reach their brilliant and beautiful
potential. Where compassion is centered. The Community Response Team
was formed for this reason. That is our aim for MPD.

In Solidarity,

Amelia
The Community Response Team