Public Comment 6/10/2020

A video of George Floyd’s 6-year-old daughter has circulated where she marvels “Daddy changed the world” while looking across a protest in honor of his life. We can only hope those words ring true. Whether it does, will ultimately come down to whether people who look like me will listen, learn, and be willing to stand up to support the voices, experiences, and traumatic history of people who look like George Floyd. People like me, with my white skin and privilege, and my magical ability to not appear threatening to a police officer or those in power, will need to step up and amplify the demands being made.This movement will also need the support of people like you on the Freeholder Board, those in power, those who are at supposed to listen to and act out the will of your constituents.

The ECCF Task Force members being submitted today are a small step in the right direction. I hope that you have asked, or will ask the potential members before you some hard questions about their ability to serve as an independent voice that will hold the Jail and Essex County Administrations accountable. I hope that you’ll secure commitments that members who do not act in that way will not secure your approval if they chose to remain on the board for a second term.

The resolution calling for the release, not redistribution, but release of civil ICE detainees facing no criminal charges is another small step. It’s important to note, this means everyone detained by ICE on civil charges in ECCF, because if they were facing criminal charges they wouldn’t be detained by ICE on civil charges.

But we call upon you to do more. Commit to community review and drafting of use of force policies for the Sheriffs and Corrections Officers. Commit to decriminalizing poverty at the County level, but also by using your voice to lobby at the State level and to lobby the County Prosecutor to refuse to prosecute these acts until the laws can be changed. Defund the Sheriffs Office and funding to municipal police forces by shrinking their scope and redirecting that money to social services, homelessness outreach, community groups, youth programming, and so much more. All with the goal of limiting people’s exposure to the police state and making their neighborhoods feel so much more like mine, where the police are not an omnipresent occupying force.

Thank you.