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Police Reform Bill Needs Our Help

West Midlands CT Police Department Creative Commons

Governor Baker has issues with the long-awaited police reform bill (S.2963). Specifically, he opposes the statewide moratorium on regulation of facial recognition for all agencies except the RMV and has asked the legislature to remove it. S.2963 passed with a veto proof margin in the state senate, but not the house.

The house and senate leadership may buckle to Baker’s changes, which is why we need to contact our legislators and urge them to keep the statewide ban on facial recognition in. Calls are best. You can find your legislator’s phone number at https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator. Make the call today.

It isn’t clear what other parts of the bill Baker doesn’t like, but we believe that the following changes this bill would implement are vital:

  • bans chokeholds and restricts chemical weapons;
  • forbids schools from disclosing certain student record information to law enforcement without student/parent consent or a court order;
  • allows prosecutors to charge police who have sex with or indecently assault a person in custody;
  • ends the requirement that police be stationed in schools;
  • restricts no-knock warrants;
  • and, of course, imposes a statewide moratorium on facial recognition for all agencies except the RMV;

The Mass. ACLU has setup a form you can use to send email to your legislators.

Calls are better, even if you leave a message and both are best. You can find your legislator’s phone number at https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator.

Contact your legislators today!

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