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Develop a Comprehensive Demonstration Response Plan


Direct County and City Governments across the state to differentiate emergency and demonstration approaches by consulting with community members, community
organizers and law enforcement officials to design a publicly available Demonstration Response Plan that:

  • First prioritizes the preservation of human life and adheres to the principles of community policing, guardianship, and the protection of human and constitutional rights (Adapted from Rules of Engagement);
  • Designates traditionally credentialed media as press only and not demonstrators, allowing them to perform their constitutional duties freely without threat of arrest;
  • Recognizes the incendiary nature of the arrest of news media and clearly designated legal observers, and will refrain from arrest unless they interfere with police activities;
  • Modifies the code 1000/2000 protocol in the case of demonstration activity such that, when a demonstration exceeds the capacity of a municipal police department to respond, the Saint Louis County Police Department shall serve as the primary line of command and, through mutual aid agreements, will determine how municipalities will assist in non-demonstration functions. It should be noted that the Saint Louis
    County Police Department shall fulfill this role in accordance with the preservation of human life and the principles of community policing, guardianship, and the protection of human and constitutional rights; and
  • Directs police departments across the state to revise their policies and training on use of force to authorize only the minimal amount of force that is proportional to the incident, brings an unlawful situation safely and effectively under control, and preserves the constitutional and human rights of the citizen.

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FTF Co-Chairs and Community Partners Call for Swift Policy Action

Residents Call for Policy Change, Regional Leaders Must Rise to the Challenge Forward Through Ferguson co-chairs, Rebeccah Bennett and Zachary Boyers, and 30 community partners call on policy and decision makers to deliver swift action on Ferguson Commission Calls to Action.  Read the full statement on Medium, or download a pdf here. “Unfortunately, we’ve been…

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Opportunity for a New Approach to Public Safety in St. Louis

An open letter to Mayor Lyda Krewson from Rebeccah Bennett and Zachary Boyers, Co-chairs of Forward Through Ferguson, on the public safety opportunity in front of our region. Click here to download a pdf of the open letter. Mayor Krewson, The retirement of Police Chief Sam Dotson represents a new day for public safety in St. Louis….

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