Commissioners' Resolution 91-8. On Promoting Humane and Effective Law Enforcement.

Whereas, television coverage showing the Los Angeles police in the act of applying excessive force to a lone suspect already in their custody, the result of which was severe physical injury, has served to focus widespread public attention on the policies and actions of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD); and10301991

Whereas, extensive examination of the record of the LAPD in respect to their dealings with people of racial ethnic minority backgrounds indicates that the incident shown on television was not an isolated aberration but consistent with a pattern of cases involving the use of excessive force; and10301991

Whereas, ABC television's "Nightline" of April 3, 1991, reported that in excess of $11 million has been paid by the city of Los Angeles in settlement of lawsuits alleging unlawful use of excessive force by members of the LAPD, providing prima facie evidence of the reality of such unlawful use of force; and10301991

Whereas, comparison of the findings concerning police-community relations in Los Angeles with findings of long standing in other major metropolitan areas indicates with clarity that there exits now a crisis of national proportions in police/community relations; and10301991

Whereas, there has been formal recognition of the existence of this critical issue of social justice in the form of resolutions adopted by various ecclesiastical bodies and community groups, such as: the Coalition to End Police Torture and Brutality (a Project of Citizens Alert) in Chicago; the Presbytery of Chicago; the Women's Division of the Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist10301991

Church; the National Inter-Religious Task Force on Criminal Justice of the National Council of Churches; the Ministerial Brotherhood of the African-American Community of Indianapolis; the African Church Council of Teaneck, New Jersey; and others; and10311991

Whereas, we have witnessed the presence of unchecked police power in other nations, such as Iran, Iraq, Guatemala, El Salvador, Chile, and Argentina, expressed in abuse, beatings, torture, and in some cases actual death on the streets without arrest or trial. Without accountability to the people, such security forces are destructive to community, harmful to democracy, and harmful to personal rights and physical safety; and10311991

Whereas, there exists now a clear and present need for all American citizens to become aware of the nature and scope of this issue, and of the need for the citizenry to monitor police policies and actions, in relation to the use of force; and10311991

Whereas, experience across the nations has shown that persons of racial ethnic background—such as Native Americans, African Americans, and persons of Asian, Hispanic, and Pacific Island origin—are especially at risk in this regard, and often lack the resources and support to protect themselves against unlawful infringement of their human rights and rights under the U.S. Constitution; and10311991

Whereas, the already-documented instances of excessive use of force by domestic police departments, in combination with the potential increase in the number of such cases, constitutes both a violation of Judeo-Christian ethical standards and a grave threat to the peace and stability of individual American communities and to our democratic state and national government; therefore, be it10311991

Resolved, That the 203rd General Assembly (1991)10311991

1. urge members of all governing bodies to make themselves aware of the nature of this problem, and to become advocates for individual citizens of all racial ethnic backgrounds, across the full socioeconomic spectrum, toward a goal of protection of human and formal constitutional rights of all;10311991

2. urge that membership of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) encourage at local levels community improvements in the screening and training of police candidates, as well as the provision of counseling and other forms of support for those engaged in this vitally important field of work, and call for a general national understanding of the limits on what domestic police forces can do to remedy problems of a far-reaching nature in our society, and call for a commitment to genuine, effective confrontation of underlying problems (education, employment, etc.) affecting the peace and order of our communities;10311991

3. ask congregations to commit to the support of, and partnership with, police officers, toward the goal of humane and effective law enforcement, within the limits of the law as a vital element in seeking to attain and protect the peace and stability of individual communities and of our nation; and10311991

4. join in ecumenical interfaith partnerships at all governing body levels, with broad-based community support, to establish and/or participate in citizen-based review panels or programs designed to monitor domestic police policies and actions, including mechanisms for independent review procedures in cases where review of such polices and actions are necessary.10311991