Colorado Progressive Coalition (CPC) celebrated a major legislative victory on
June 5, 2001 when Governor Bill Owens signed House Bill 1114 to stop the
practice of racial profiling in Colorado into law.
12 MONTH ANTI-RACIAL
PROFILING CAMPAIGN PAYS OFF
The bill signing is a result of a 12 month campaign that began last summer
with a community surveying project conducted by CPC members and members of
Students 4 Justice, the coalition's youth organizing project. The survey was
conducted by bilingual teams of organizers in Denver's Cole neighborhood, home
to large African-American and Mexican immigrant populations. The survey asked
residents about their experiences with racial profiling and whether
neighborhood schools were providing local youth with a quality education.
SURVEY RESPONSES COMPILED, REPORT ISSUED
After more than 350 survey responses were collected, CPC published a
report--the first to root the national issue of racial profiling in our
state--that catalyzed 75 news stories and produced hundreds of unsolicited
calls from people across the state who have also experienced racial profiling.
PROGRESSIVE LEGISLATORS PICK UP THE REPORT & RUN WITH IT
The report was immediately picked up by two of our closest allies in the
state legislature, Rep. Peter Groff and Sen. Penfield Tate (both D-Denver).
Rep. Groff and Sen. Tate shepherded the bill through our conservative
legislature and drew significant bi-partisan support, despite fierce
opposition from local and county law enforcement agencies. CPC and our members
thank Rep. Groff and Sen. Tate for their phenomenal work and commitment to
racial justice.
WHAT'S IN THE LAW?
House Bill 1114 requires data collection on all traffic stops conducted by
the Denver Police and Colorado State Patrol and, for every local, county, and
state law enforcement agency in the state, police officers are now required to
distribute their business cards at all stops not resulting in tickets. The
business cards must include the officer's name, badge number, and a phone
number for citizens to make complaints. While Colorado is the 12th state to
require data collection, we believe it is the first state to require officer
business card distribution, a key vehicle to increasing police/community
accountability. HB 1114 also contains a provision for anti-racial profiling
training for law enforcement officers.
EXCELLENT COALITION PARTNERS & GRASSROOTS SUPPORT
CPC drew excellent support from its members across the state and from groups
that include the Denver Ministerial Alliance, Latino Research and Policy
Center, 9to5 National Association of Working Women, Anti-Defamation League,
Colorado Women's Agenda, Prison Moratorium Coalition, ACLU, COPEEN, Urban
League, Northern Colorado Social Legislation Committee, Lutheran Office of
Governmental Ministry, and 25 other community and faith-based groups. CPC
members and allies generated over 2,500 phone and fax contacts to targeted
legislators and the governor.
NEXT
STEPS: MONITORING COMPLIANCE, BUILDING ACCOUNTABILITY
The bill took effect immediately with the signature of Gov. Owens and our next
steps include monitoring the implementation of the new law and law enforcement
officer and agency compliance. Thanks to funding from two of our foundation
supporters, the Chinook Fund and the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado, CPC is
setting up a toll-free, statewide hot-line for people to call if they have
been profiled and hiring new staff to conduct a similar community effort in
Colorado Springs.
KICKING OFF A NEW EDUCATION ORGANIZING CAMPAIGN
We're also beginning a new community partnership in Denver to follow-up with
community members about their concerns with local public schools. This effort
will go a long way to building a greater community voice for public school
reform and ending the Denver public schools' all-too-recent ranking by the
National Council of La Raza as the second worst in the U.S. for educating
Latina/o students (who comprise 53% of the total student body).
THANK
YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT
Thanks to all CPC members and friends for your financial and grassroots
support of our work. To all who made calls, faxes, sent email and letters in
support HB 1114--you made it happen!
RECOGNIZING CPC STAFF AND MEMBERS
From the start, this campaign has been an effort that has brought together
many CPC staff and members both past and present, including: Elsa Banuelos,
Jeff Campbell, Kara Cayce, Janet Damon, Richard Del Valle, Margaret Horton,
Ericka Landeros, Nam Luu, Soyun Park, Jenny Santos, Bill Vandenberg, and many
other members of CPC and Students 4 Justice.
WANT
TO VOLUNTEER?
CPC is seeking community volunteers to help to get the word out about the new
stop racial profiling hot-line and to assist in following up with people who
call. The hot-line will be getting off the ground this summer and we need your
help! Please call or email us if you are interested.
WANT
MORE INFORMATION?
To receive a copy of our report or for questions about CPC's Racial Justice
Organizing Project, contact us at 303.866.0908 or through our web-site at <www.progressivecoalition.org>
Colorado Progressive Coalition
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
phone: 303.866.0908
fax: 303.832.6416
email: coprogressive@aol.com
web: www.progressivecoalition.org
Building progressive
power in Colorado since 1996..... |
