DAYTON — The Dayton unit of the NAACP held a press conference Monday afternoon and unveiled the group’s “8-point strategy” following the death of George Floyd in police custody on Memorial Day.
Dayton NAACP President Derrick Foward (seated 2nd from the left in the tan suit) opens the press conference with prayer, “because that’s what our nation needs right now,” Foward says. @whiotv @WHIORadio pic.twitter.com/adySK8FxRd
— John Bedell (@JBedellWHIO) June 8, 2020
The “8-point strategy” includes the organization’s requests to reform Montgomery County’s law enforcement agencies, Derrick Foward, president of the NAACP said.
Each Police Chief in the area as well as the Montgomery County Sheriff will receive the same letter from the NAACP listing the eight expectations.
- Modify and/or implement a citizens review board.
- Create a more transparent process around the accountability of officers who violate citizens first amendment rights.
- Create a policy where police officers who discharge their weapon or use excessive force on an unarmed weapon be suspended without pay during the investigation.
- Ensure transparency, accountability, and the safety of the community by placing front facing cameras to record on duty officers as well as place cameras inside police cruisers.
- Include in officer training mental health assessments and knowledge of how to deescalate and diffuse conflict.
- Ban the use of knee holds and choke holds on citizens who say they can’t breathe.
- Actively vet all applicants and recruit officers who reflect the community they serve. Psychological evaluations must be used in the application process and the number of diverse applicants must be higher.
- Provide video footage of all shootings and arrests resulting in loss of life.
We will provide further detail about each of the eight points as we learn more from the NAACP.
The organization will have a committee that meets with police monthly to evaluate the success of the eight step plan.
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The plan will come as demonstrations continued to take place in Miami Valley cities over the weekend.
Foward has said he believes the demonstrations will continue through the legal proceedings of the four former Minneapolis officers accused in Floyd’s death.
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