Contacts: CJ Frogozo, cj@fitzgibbonmedia.com, 310.570.2622

Statement from Rashad Robinson, Executive Director of ColorOfChange.org

Washington, DC — “The latest task force report reflects a number of important reforms around data collection and independent prosecutors and is an important step toward toward creating clear mechanisms of accountability and effective solutions to addressing systemic discriminatory police violence.

“The report release comes at a time when the Department of Justice is unable to hold racist vigilantes and violent, discriminatory police accountable, a sharp contrast to the visions and ideals detailed in these latest recommendations. Attorney General Holder himself has called for changes to the unreasonable standard to prosecute civil rights cases, a bolder proposal than what we see coming from the task force. Time and time again when a Black person is killed at the hands of law enforcement we see no repercussion.

“However, the recommendations are only as strong and meaningful if they are fully implemented. It is President Obama’s responsibility to ensure they are properly enforced for the greatest possible impact. We urge President Obama to use his executive action to thoroughly enforce these recommendations to their fullest extent and provide clear incentives to ensure compliance nationwide, such as the immediate defunding of abusive and discriminatory police departments.

“Many of the recommendations included in the task force’s latest report reflect the specific demands of more than 8,000 ColorOfChange member comments submitted to the task force’s session, as well as the testimony of ColorOfChange.org Executive Director Rashad Robinson during the Policy & Oversight session, including greater prohibitions on discriminatory policing and the standardization of data collection on abusive officers nationwide.”

ColorOfChange federal policing demands may be seen below:

http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/execorder/

http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/federalpolicingreforms/

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With over one million members, ColorOfChange.org is the nation’s largest online civil rights organization.