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Policing

Law enforcement must protect both public safety and the rights of individuals. This is why arrests and use of force should be last resorts, not first options, for police. The ACLU-WA advocates for stronger laws regulating police use of force, alternatives to arrest and incarceration, and de-escalation practices and training. And to ensure law enforcement is accountable to the people they serve, the ACLU-WA works for greater community oversight, such as independent civilian review boards with disciplinary authority.

Resources

Vancouver and Clark County Policing Resources and Press Page

Published: 
Monday, November 8, 2021
Our organization and more than a dozen others sent a letter to the United States Department of Justice to formally request the agency investigate the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) and Clark County Sheriff's Office. It’s a request we don’t make lightly, but given the situation in southwest Washington, it’s time for a new approach.
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Exploring the Divestment/Reinvestment Approach to Policing: an ACLU-WA Blog Series

Published: 
Thursday, November 4, 2021
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Improving Seattle's public safety requires proven solutions, not myths

Published: 
Friday, October 29, 2021
Black and Indigenous peoples and people of color, in particular, are disproportionately harmed by violent crime, and by highly funded, militarized police departments.
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Does the Seattle Police Consent Decree Allow Divestment and Reinvestment, to Further Its Purposes? Absolutely. 

Published: 
Monday, August 9, 2021
As Seattle prepares to head into budget deliberations for the City’s 2022 budget, it is important for decision makers to understand that the Seattle Consent Decree does not stand in the way of making changes to the Seattle Police Department (SPD) budget.
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Tacoma Candidates’ Views on Policing 

Published: 
Thursday, July 22, 2021
The purpose of this blog post is to analyze and inform the public on what their candidates have said (or not said) on local policing issues.
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 Vancouver Candidates’ Views on Policing

Published: 
Thursday, July 22, 2021
The purpose of this blog post is to analyze and inform the public on what their candidates have said (or not said) on local policing issues.
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Seattle Candidates’ Views on Policing

Published: 
Thursday, July 22, 2021
The purpose of this blog post is to analyze and inform the public on what their candidates have said (or not said) on local policing issues.
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Police oversight at a crossroads: The next challenges in community-led change

Published: 
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Like few times in our city’s history, there was a choice to be made during the first days of the protests – a choice about what our police department was and what it wanted to be.
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 Will body cameras help end police violence? 

Published: 
Monday, June 7, 2021
A comprehensive review of 70 empirical studies of body-worn cameras found that body cameras have not had statistically significant or consistent effects in decreasing police use of force. While some studies suggest that body cameras may offer benefits, others show either no impact or even possible negative effects.
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ACLU Statement on Extended Amazon Face Recognition Moratorium

News Release, Published: 
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
Amazon today announced it will indefinitely extend its moratorium on sales of face recognition technology to law enforcement. In June 2020, amidst nationwide protests against police violence, Amazon announced a one-year pause on its sale of the technology to police.
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