April 2023 - Policing Annual Report

Policing committee members are working to connect to the consortium of non profits, agencies, and ministries that are being brought together by The Ethics Project - a justice initiative concerning local gun violence, crime, and mass incarceration.

When the LWVUS 2020 Convention endorsed the Resolution on Justice for Black People and People of Color, Leagues around the country quickly mobilized to adopt their own position and program recommendations. LWVUS emphasized that this was not a position; state and local leagues would have to develop their own.

The Metro Board of Directors was enthusiastic about the possibilities and under the leadership of Louise Wilkerson, a committee came together on July 17, 2020. Board members were Louise Wilkerson, Debra Cannamore, Joan Hubbard, Jennifer Rushing, Anne Sappington, Nancy Price, Irma Ruebling. Purpose was established: Encourage direct action, advocacy and education around issues of racial justice. The areas of focus are Healthcare, Education, Policing. Observer Core, and Voter Registration. Members were assigned committees to liaison and activities to investigate. During the fall, the Policing Committee continued its study of policing policies and practices in the Metro area.

In a search of original participants of the Resolution 2020 drafting committee in order to locate positions in existence covering racial justice, LWVCA and LWVAZ reached out to help the committee. The LWVCA had a state position on Criminal Justice which included all of the issues the Policing Committee was studying. The LWVAZ was preparing a concurrence with the California position for AZ’s state convention in July 2021. Both states Leagues enthusiastically shared materials to facilitate our concurrence.

When informed of the possible concurrence, the Policing Committee agreed to expand their data base to the entire state in order to present a concurrence at the May 2021 Missouri State Convention. Working toward that goal, a power point from California, with Missouri information added, has been shown to all units and an open zoom, followed by a survey with consensus of the position. The California Position that was the beginning is Social Policy: Criminal Justice:
The LWV California supports:

• a criminal justice system that is just, effective, equitable, transparent, and that fosters public trust at all stages, including policing practices, pre-trial procedures, sentencing, incarceration, and re-entry;
• reliance on evidence-based research in decision-making about law-enforcement programs and policies (including scheduled, periodic audits of program and policy effectiveness)

The State Board recommended this concurrence and it will be voted on at the May 15th State Convention.

— Chair Louisa Lyles, Mary Muldoon Leopold, Nancy Hirsch, Meredith Langlitz, Susan Taylor, Jan Scott, Carol Prombo, Lisa (Cole) Collier, Rhonda Jones, Ad Hoc: Nancy Miller, Angie Dunlap

Contact Name: Louisa Lyles

Email: Policing [at] lwvstl.org