Sample Email

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to you as a resident of Baltimore who is concerned about the unconstitutional and discriminatory behavior of the Baltimore Police Department (BPD). I have a vested interested in the consent decree and in ensuring that the voices of impacted residents are heard throughout the process. To that end (include your thoughts or Sample Talking Points from below here.)

Sincerely,

Your Name
Zip Code

Sample Talking Points

BPD used enforcement strategies that disproportionately impact African-Americans in the city of Baltimore. The monitoring team must include African-Americans, formerly incarcerated people, and young people impacted by these unconstitutional practices.
Community feedback and input must be central to the monitoring process. Any team chosen should be required to hire community members, affected persons, and community stakeholders as consultants. A defined percentage of the monitoring budget should be designated for this group.
Individuals with direct experience with police brutality must receive an enhanced opportunity to be fully engaged in the monitoring process.
Jump Outs (aka Stop and Frisk) are a tool of oppression and intimidation that do little to keep our communities safe. The chosen monitor should demonstrate an understanding of why ending stop and frisk is critical to the health and safety of our community.
Any monitoring team chosen by the City of Baltimore and DOJ should be required to create a formal infrastructure for community members, affected persons and community stakeholders to ENGAGE in the process not just be informed. The monitor should be required to include all dissenting information in reports, motions and other documents provided to the court.
The team should be required to provide a forum for community members, affected persons, and community stakeholders to be heard in open court, before the monitoring judge, prior to the approval of any and all settlement agreements being approved by the court.
A majority of the monitoring team should reside in the city of Baltimore.