### Title changed on 6/26/24 ###

INTRODUCTION

1. The overwhelming prevalence of law enforcement shatters the delicate stained glass communities in American cities. Across America, vibrant populations intersect with the sobering threads of law enforcement, enabling the following critical challenges: the balance of justice and the weight of unresolved pain.

Nationwide, police must use less force, make fewer arrests for low level offenses, solve murder cases more often, hold officers more accountable, and spend less on policing overall. The lack of accountability directly translates to the growth of police resentment.

Instances of abuse, misconduct, and unaccountability within law enforcement echo the dangers of indulgence without restraint.
At an alarming rate, police departments abuse their power in a multitude of ways because of what their role allows them to get away with: increasingly acting like a military; lying in court; abusing asset forfeiture policies; and routinely frisking entire communities; among other practices involving dehumanization strategies and ritualistic humiliation.

UNSOLVED HOMICIDES

From 2013 to 2021, the community grappled with 129 homicides, out of which 27 remained unsolved, a silent testimony to questions hanging in the air, heavier than the humid Florida breeze. This statistic is a stark reminder that in Tallahassee, like many other cities, the path to justice and closure is sometimes obscured by the fog of factors that are complex and, at times, unsettling.

The narrative deepens when one examines the colors of justice through the lens of race. The tapestry frays at the edges as we see disparities that beg for attention. The demographics of the Tallahassee Police Department show a stark contrast to the community it serves, with a representation that does not mirror the population. Questions arise when the faces of those serving don't reflect the faces of those they serve.

EXCESSIVE FORCE

11 Killings by Police this is more than 85% of Depts

44,001 arrests made: 54% of all arrests were for low-level, non-violent offenses from 2013-21.

More Unarmed People Killed per Arrest than 90% of Depts

Used More Force per Arrest than 92% of Depts

Higher Arrest Rate for Low Level Offenses than 40% of Depts

Disproportionate Representation

In the chapters of Tallahassee's story, where the shades of skin are as diverse as the trees that line its streets, the disparities continue. Black individuals, representing 34% of the populace, find themselves disproportionately represented in arrests and, more tragically, in the percentage of those killed in police encounters. The numbers paint a disquieting picture: 60% of those arrested and 64% of those killed by police are Black, signaling a dissonance in the community symphony that needs not just to be heard but addressed.

Every Loss, Every Effort

Statistics are not just numbers, rather a reflection of lives, of a community at a crossroads, and of the collective journey towards a more equitable justice system. It's a call to action, a summoning of community leaders, policymakers, and citizens to the table of dialogue and reform.

How does Tallahassee move forward? The road is undoubtedly complex, paved with the need for trust-building, policy review, and community engagement. It involves listening to the stories behind the statistics, understanding the undercurrents of racial disparities, and committing to the hard work of weaving a new chapter in the city's story—one where justice doesn't just blindfold herself to race, but opens her eyes to the nuances of humanity that make up this community.

To represent the pursuit of relevant historical context, consider Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and revelry. Like Bacchus in his state of inebriation, it's essential to acknowledge that excess and unchecked authority can lead to vulnerability and negative consequences, both for those entrusted with power and those they are meant to serve.

As this conversation unfolds, it's important to remember that each number, each percentage, represents a person, a family, a story. And while the numbers give us a sketch, the full picture is painted only when every voice is heard, every loss is acknowledged, and every effort is made to ensure that the scales of justice are balanced for all.

Transforming the System excerpt:

To promote accountability, local, state, and county legislatures should pass legislation that calls for the following:

• Establishment of an independent special investigator or prosecutor office responsible for investigating instances where police have seriously injured or killed civilians;
• Inclusion of victim advocate statements by survivors of police violence, including family members of individuals who are victims of police violence, during grand jury hearings;
• Passing legislation reducing the standard for qualified immunity;
• Changing the mens rea for criminal liability under 18 U.S.C. 242 to recklessness;
• Requiring that even where civil judgments are paid through municipal insurance payments that police departments must pay at least half of the civil judgment from their budgets’ insurance liability;
• Providing a negligent hiring cause of action against police departments that should have known that an officer would be likely to engage in unconstitutional conduct;
• Requiring that police provide name, badge number, and “a card with instructions for filing a complaint to the civilian oversight structure” before conducting a search;
• Require a regular survey (Ex: Milwaukee survey) to be fielded to the community to gauge their experiences and perceptions of the police and use this information to inform:
• police department policies and practices
• police officer evaluations
• police officer pay incentives
• Requiring that police provide Miranda warnings prior to conducting a consensual search;
• Requiring the usage of body-worn cameras with applicable privacy protections including creating protocols that indicate when cameras must be activated and guarding against the tampering of footage;
• Creating or strengthening independent and civilian review of police departments;
• Strengthening the community’s right to record police officers to promote accountability and incentivize proper conduct by law enforcement officers; and
• Requiring police departments to “develop and publicly report a strategy and timeline for achieving a representative proportion of police officers who are women and people of color through outreach, recruitment and changes to departmental practices.”

The Bureau of Justice Statistics should collect data on police officers who have been arrested.

Congress should pass legislation requiring that all federal funding to law enforcement agencies be conditioned on police department compliance with the recommendations in this Report.

In addition, law enforcement agencies, including local and state police departments, and sheriff’s offices, should incorporate these guidelines into their internal guidelines, manuals, policies, protocols, performance evaluations, and practices.

The defense bar and legal aid societies should maintain a database of police officers who have repeatedly been accused of misconduct by their clients. This database should include information on the police officer’s name, precinct, and a brief description of the incident.

Civil society, activists, and concerned community members should:

• Campaign to establish a civilian review board or agency in their communities, or to strengthen an already existing board or agency; and
• Collaborate with local defense bar and legal aid societies to demand that problematic police officers be held accountable.

WORKS CITED

https://ir.fsu.edu/facts.aspx

https://policescorecard.org/fl/police-department/tallahassee

6.26.24 https://transformingthesystem.org/criminal-justice-policy-solutions/create-fair-and-effective-policing-practices/promoting-accountability/