Please join us for our May general body meeting and a town hall event hosted by the civic engagement committee.

Justice in Policing

An open conversation about the state of police reform and violence in our community.

On May 25, 2020, George Perry Floyd, Jr. was murdered by a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota who knelt on Floyd's neck after arresting him on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill. Where are we one year later? A jury in Minneapolis has convicted the police officer, but Congress has failed to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (first introduced on June 8, 2020) or other legislation to address police misconduct, excessive force, or racial bias in policing.

What would 'justice in policing' look like? Last June, the National Urban League advanced a framework for redefining public safety and restoring community trust to promote the protection and preservation of life, dignity, and trust, while also building safer communities. This plan was focused on five key themes:

• Collaborate with Communities to Re-Envision Public Safety
• Accountability
• Change Divisive Policing Policies
• Require Transparency, Reporting and Data Collection
• Improve Hiring Standards and Training

What is the state of police reform and violence in our community? According to data collected in a recent report by ArchCity Defenders, police in St. Louis are responsible for more killings per capita than any of the other largest police departments in the country. Forward Through Ferguson's The State of Police Reform report from September 2019 concluded, "we close with the uncomfortable fact that progress is small, and can seem excruciatingly slow, and beset by failed and superficial attempts. But it's here. Change is happening, and that means we can learn from it, and try to do better moving forward."

What do you think? Is St. Louis making any progress? What is your vision of public safety? Join us for an open town hall conversation about the state of police reform and violence in our community. 

This meeting is open to the public - you do not need to be a ULYP-STL member to join the conversation.

Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/92345846338

Meeting ID: 923 4584 6338

Dial-in by your location:

• +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
• +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
• +1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
• +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
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• +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/aopWGoEEw