There is a Need for the ‘Value Human Life’ Bill

Please sign the Change.org petition below:

We the undersigned see a dire need for change. The average American taxpayer understands that communities need good police officers and they are willing to compensate them with a great salary and benefits for their commitment to protect and serve. As law-abiding taxpayers and residents of those communities, we are no longer willing to tolerate our tax dollars being used to reward cowardly-incompetent police officers.

An incompetent officer, is an officer equipped with a bullet proof vest, pepper spray, a taser, a baton, a radio to call for assistance, a canine police-companion and training in hand-to-hand combat, but favors using deadly force; knowing that the police department will rally in support of their actions, simply because they are members of the same union.

Since 1974, police officers have benefited tremendously from having additional rights bestowed upon them, through the passage of Joe Biden’s Law Enforcement Officer’s Bill of Rights. Yet, the taxpayers have not gained any additional protection under the law. As a result, each year there are hundreds of officer involved homicides, which the general public overwhelmingly believes were 100% preventable.

Despite having an understanding of basic criminal laws and tactical training, the number of people killed by the police, is a clear indication that there is a need for legislation to protect citizens. We need protection from officers who have undetected mental illness, egos, unknown biases and the propensity to kill although other options are available. There is no test that can accurately detect those character traits because no one can be certain of what’s in a person’sheart.

As taxpayers, who are concerned about everyone’s safety, it is time to reaffirm the value of human life by putting our support behind a Value Human Life Bill.

Value Human Life Bill

First, police officers who kill or cause serious injury to an unarmed civilian must be suspended without pay during the investigation. Due to the nature of the job, officers should be required to carry insurance that will help their families financially if this were to happen. A police officer’s CalPERS Industrial Disability Insurance will not be pre-funded by tax dollars.

Second, police departments cannot investigate themselves. The blue code of silence and cover-up is blatant, and it’s evident in the long list of no conviction cases. There are too many cases where charges are not filed by top officials despite physical evidence and eyewitness testimony, contradicting the police department’s statement of events. The investigation process must include an immediate toxicology exam. In addition, unedited civilian video recordings must be considered evidence.

Third, police officers who fire upon an unarmed or legally armed civilian who is not in the act of committing a felony offense will be fired, and charges brought against that officer. They do not get to continue their careers within law enforcement. Taxpayers will not cover the cost of that officer’s legal defense.

Fourth, the number of White, Black, Hispanic, Asian and Native American police should be proportionate and reflective of the members of that particular city. Officers should be working in pairs, with those officers identifying as two different races.

Written with love, signed in blood. Thank you for your support.

If you have any questions regarding this petition, please visit justice4pedie.com, email K. Harley at kishanaharley@hotmail.com, or email Patricia Perez at picklesace@gmail.com.

This petition will be delivered to:

• California’s 9th District
  Senator Nancy Skinner
• Assemblymember (D-Richmond)
  Tony Thurmond
• Richmond City Councilmember
  Jovanka Beckles

Please sign the Proposed Initiative Measure for a ‘Value Human Life’ Bill petition on Change.org