DL Open Thread: Friday, April 15, 2022
Stop Minor Traffic Stops. Save Lives:
Los Angeles last month became the biggest city to restrict the policing of minor violations. In Philadelphia, a ban on such stops has just taken effect. Pittsburgh; Seattle; Berkeley, Calif.; Lansing, Mich.; Brooklyn Center, Minn.; and the State of Virginia have all taken similar steps. Elsewhere across the country, a half-dozen prosecutors have said they will not bring charges based on evidence collected at these stops.
Officials pushing the new rules cite data showing that minor stops not only disproportionately snare Black drivers but also do little to combat serious crime or improve public safety, and some escalate into avoidable violence, even killing officers or drivers.
The latest example is the death in Grand Rapids, Mich., of Patrick Lyoya, an unarmed 26-year-old Black man who was pulled over for a mismatched license plate and, after a brief struggle, was apparently shot in the head from behind, according to videos released on Wednesday. An hour away in Lansing, new rules seek to prevent such deadly encounters.
We’re seeing some progressive prosecutors stating that they will not try minor traffic infractions that do not endanger public safety. It’d be nice to see some action on this right here in Delaware.
Abbott’s War With Mexico Brings Produce Deliveries To A Stop:
“We all know the cost of fuel these days is outrageous. Ultimately, it means consumers will bear the brunt of that increased cost,” Erickson said, adding that reduced supply overall also drives up prices.
“As a Texas business, we were really confused and disappointed by this decision by Gov. Abbott, in a state that touts itself as business-friendly,” he said. “This was a direct hit to Texas businesses, businesses that are already facing increasing costs in fuel, fertilizer, labor and packaging.”
Let’s Not Forget This Publicity Stunt–Shipping Migrants To DC:
The head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection criticized Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday for busing migrants from the southern border to Washington, D.C., without consulting with federal officials.
“Governor Abbott is taking actions to move migrants without adequately coordinating with the federal government and local border communities,” CBP Commissioner Chris Magnus said in a statement.
Abbott, a Republican running for re-election who has been highly critical of President Joe Biden’s border policies, said last week that he had directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to charter buses to transport the migrants to Washington because “Texas should not have to bear the burden of the Biden Administration’s failure to secure our border.”
DeSantis and Abbott: Governors from two huge states in a race to see how much human misery they can inflict for political gain. Speaking of DeSantis, he’s gotten the State Legislature to give him the power to draw the legislative lines–and do away with two Black districts. This appears to be unprecedented.
Jury Awards BLM Protestors $14 Mill For Excesses Of Denver Cops. Must’ve missed this. Happy to share.
How To Correct Gender And Racial Inequities In State Contract Awards. Comprehensive study offers specific remedies. One of the problems?:
The DEBCC founder also wants the state to adopt hard and fast rules, like other states, to make inclusion mandatory, but she has met with some resistance.
“I am like a broken record on this issue. Our governor doesn’t like the word mandatory,” Ms. Khan, who sits on the state’s diversity council, said.
What do you want to talk about?
But if police still have their unspoken quotas and tally their collars and pull-overs, what’s the difference if some prosecutors won’t proceed? The cops still hit their numbers as they’re told to.