Draft Resolution
In Support of Black Lives Matter
Whereas, the murder of George Floyd by members of the Minneapolis Police Department has unleashed a torrent of rage against unjust police violence against Black people, and
Whereas, George Floyd’s murder is only one among many instances of racist police and vigilante violence against Black people, including Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Dontre Hamilton, John Crawford III, Ezell Ford, Dante Parker, Tanisha Anderson, Akai Gurley, Tamir Rice, Rumain Brisbon, Jerame Reid, Tony Robinson, Phillip White, Eric Harris, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, Breonna Taylor, Charleena Lyles and many others, and
Whereas, there are multiple reports of police violence against peaceful demonstrators and journalists, including protests in Seattle which were met with unnecessary use of percussion grenades and tear gas, and
Whereas, Americans across this country are rising up to show solidarity and say No More to police violence against Black Americans, and are raising their voices to demand change and actions to actively oppose racism, both overt and systemic,
Therefore be it resolved, we, the members of the 21st Legislative District Democrats, stand in solidarity with protestors all across this country and across the world, who are demanding an end to police violence against Black people.
Be it further resolved, we support measures to ensure police accountability, including:
- Banning extreme measures such as chokeholds
- Legislation requiring all complaints of police use of excessive force to be investigated by an outside impartial agency
- Citizens review boards with full powers to investigate allegations of police misconduct
- Requirement for board certification of police officers, to prevent officers from being rehired in another jurisdiction if they are fired in one jurisdiction
- Defunding of police departments to fund social service agencies for addressing issues such as mental health problems, substance abuse problems, etc.
- Demilitarization of police departments
Be it further resolved, we understand that racism needs to be addressed by white people, and white people need to recognize and confront racism within themselves, including unconscious bias
Be it further resolved, we support Dave Somers’ Executive Proclamation of June 12, 2020, in response to the killing of George FLoyd [presented as an appendix]
We support the newly adopted
Be it finally resolved, this resolution will be forwarded to other Democratic Party organizations in Snohomish County and Washington State, our elected officials and candidates for office
___________________________ ____________________________ _____________
Signed Printed Dated
________________________, Chair, 21st Legislative District Democrats
Proposed: _______________________
Memorialized: __________________________________________________
Passed by 21st LD Democrats at regular meeting, _____________, 2020, in ___________, Washington, for submission to the Snohomish County Democrats (100519) and the Washington State Democratic Central Committee (092819).
___________________ Submitted to the Snohomish County Democrats
Date
___________________ Submitted to the Washington State Democrats
Date
Appendix:
SNOHOMISH COUNTY EXECUTIVE
Snohomish County, Washington
PROCLAMATION
A PROCLAMATION IN RESPONSE TO THE KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD, CONDEMNING INSTITUTIONAL AND SYSTEMIC RACISM, AND SUPPORTING PEACEFUL PROTESTS
IN SNOHOMISH COUNTY
WHEREAS, people around the globe were horrified as they witnessed a police officer with his knee on George Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds, brutally murdering him, a beloved member of his community, proud father, and man in pursuit of the American Dream; and
WHEREAS, the devaluation and degradation of Black lives is not unique to this place or time. According to the American Journal of Public Health, Black people are three times more likely to be killed by police than White people; and
WHEREAS, institutional and systemic racism are real. Deep seated racism in our nation adversely impacts Black Americans, Indigenous people, and people of color in every facet of their life including wealth, employment, education, criminal justice, housing, privacy, and healthcare, among others; and
WHEREAS, in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, people around the country and the world have engaged in peaceful protests and demonstrations, expressing their righteous rage and grief with the racial disparities and injustices that are experienced daily by communities of color; and
WHEREAS, peacefully protesting is a right that we hold dear, the essence of being American to raise our voice against injustice; and
WHEREAS, I, Dave Somers, as Snohomish County Executive, commit myself and my administration to shining light on institutional racism, and racism in all its forms, and to driving this evil out of our communities and institutions; and
WHEREAS, racism, White supremacy, and all forms of hatred are condemned and will not be tolerated in Snohomish County;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DAVE SOMERS, Snohomish County Executive, do hereby proclaim June 12th, 2020 as a day of action to carry forward the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Manuel Ellis, John T. Williams, and so many others by committing to pursue the following policy goals and actions:
- Immediately reassign Executive staff to create an Office of Social Justice to implement policies and develop a culture focused on social justice, including:
- Working with the County Council and the Executive Office’s Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Task Force to set strategic, measurable, and actionable goals, including codifying the role of the Office of Social Justice.
- Creating a funded, staffed, and effective Community Police Oversight Board.
- Collaborating with the Prosecuting Attorney and Office of Public Defense to reform our cash bail system.
- Collaborating with the Prosecuting Attorney and Office of Public Defense to address outstanding legal financial obligations that impact indigent persons in 2021.
- Collaborating with the Snohomish County Council, Prosecuting Attorney, and Sheriff to invest and install dashboard and body cameras and require their use by all county law enforcement officers and park rangers.
- In the 2021 budget to Council, prioritize continuing outreach and engagement efforts to marginalized communities to be more responsive to their concerns while implementing policies and recommendations proven to be successful, such as those ones from Campaign Zero and #H8CANTWAIT.
- Collaborate with appropriate partners to assess needs for the reallocation of funds to invest in communities of color and social services which promote equity and health.
- Invest in Snohomish County’s employees by:
- Collaborating with experts to provide antiracism, inherent bias, and trauma-informed training for all new and current County employees, including law enforcement, to occur this fall.
- Requiring all Executive department leadership to begin work: to undo institutional racism; to identify and understand systemic racism and its impact on BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color); to increase understanding of White privilege and the impacts of long standing policy and law impacting persons of color.
- Collaborating with the Snohomish County Sheriff and Human Resources to provide trauma-informed counseling and leave for law enforcement officers involved in traumatic incidents.
- Working with the Snohomish County Council to potentially amend the Snohomish County Charter.
- Working with the Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney to address structural racism and recommend changes in county government.
Signed this 12th day of June 2020.
Dave Somers
Snohomish County Executive