Who to Call If You Can’t Call the Police
This weekend, Sean King, civil rights activist and writer for Intercept, posted on his Facebook page that cheerleaders at Kennesaw State University knelt while singing the national anthem and were subsequently harassed at their homes by local law enforcement.
Aside from the specifics of this particular incident for a moment, the recent public discussion of police brutality and police abuse of power raises an important practical question: Who do you go to for help if you cannot call the police? To get an idea, I spoke to John L. Burris, a renowned civil rights attorney and attorney who represented Rodney King.
Talk to civic and religious leaders
Who to call if you can’t call the police is “a perennial question that we face every day,” says Burris. The short answer, he said, is to contact local leaders who don’t work for law enforcement . “Take this to people outside of [the police]. Talk to local community leaders and political leaders. In a small town, talk to religious leaders or other people with significant social standing — social and civic leaders. These people have a status that the police must respect. This makes the department responsible. “
Contact your local CCRB
“The police are not the first point of contact for the Civil Complaints Commission ,” says Burris. If your city has one, file a complaint there. “This alerts the police that they are being watched.”
Find a lawyer
“Be sure to see a lawyer,” says Burris. A good place to start is the National Police Accountability Project of which Burris is a member. “These are all good lawyers who believe in this kind of work. They are dedicated police lawyers. ” He notes, however, that there are not necessarily these types of practitioners in every small town, but the website is a good starting point. “And it’s best to find a lawyer with experience working with the police in your area.”
Use the media, but be careful
“In particular, if you are in the correct position — clearly in a firm position, such as when kneeling,” media involvement can be beneficial. But Burris warns against doing this without the help of someone well versed in the media. “I would be careful,” he says. It is difficult to control how the story is written or received.
Store evidence
“Of course you have to document [your complaints]. If you are injured, you will need medical records and photographs, videos, if you have them. The more visual effects you have, the better, ”says Burris. And keep monitoring your local leaders, CCRB, with an attorney if you have one. This allows police to know that they are being watched, Burris says.