Opinion:FaithleaderscallforjusticesummitwithgovernmentandcommunityleaderstoreducepolicemisconductBy Rabbi David Lyon, Bishop Andrew Doyle and Rev. John Ogletree June 18, 2020

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo talks to motorcyclists at the ride for justice honoring George Floyd on Sunday at Emancipation Park. Photo: Godofredo A. Vásquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer WetheleadersofcongregationsandotherinstitutionsfromacrosstheSouthTexasregionwhichrepresenttheracial,religiousandeconomicdiversityoftheareacallforourelectedleaderstoholdaJusticeSummit.Lastweek,MayorSylvesterTurnertookafirststepwithanexecutiveorderbutmuchmoremustbedone.

OnthedayGeorgeFloydwaslaidtorest,Turnersignedanexecutiveorderregardingpoliceuseofforce.Theorderrequiresofficerstode-escalate,giveaverbalwarningandexhaustallotheroptionsbeforeusingdeadlyforce;

mandatesthattheyintercedewhentheywitnessmisconduct;forbidschokeholdsandfiringatmovingvehicles;andrequiresreportingalluseofforcetotheIndependentPoliceOversightBoard.WhilesomeofthesewerealreadypoliciesoftheHoustonPoliceDepartment,Turnerpromisedthat“thisisnottheend”andPoliceChiefArtAcevedoobservedthat“thisisawatershedmoment.”

WealsobelievethatthekillingofFloydisawatershedmomentinHoustonandthiscountrybecauseofthenationwideresponseofangerandcriesforjustice.WeencourageprotestsinHoustontocontinuetobeconstructiveandpeacefultohonorthefamilyofFloyd.

WecallonU.S.congressionalrepresentatives,statelegislators,andcountyandcitygovernmentalrepresentativestojoininaJusticeSummitalongwithcommunityandreligiousleaderstoplanastrategyforjusticetoruletheland.Thissummitmustbefullyrepresentedbyeveryrace,creedandcolor,everypoliticalpersuasionandeconomicbackground.Thegoalofthissummitwillbetogobeyonduseofforcepoliciesinordertoreduceinjusticeresultingfrompolicemisconduct.

The Metropolitan Organization calls for the following areas to be addressed: 1.Changingthepresentculturewithinpolicedepartmentsfromacultureofintimidationandpunitiveresponsestooneofcommunitypolicingwhichfocusesondevelopingrelationshipswithinthecommunity.

2.Raisingthehiringstandardsofpolicetoincreasethedegreeofprofessionalism.

3.EffectiveandrapidimplementationbytheTexasCommissiononLawEnforcementoftheirrecentdecisiontorequireallTexaspoliceofficerstolearnhowimplicitbiascanaffecttheiractions.

4.Requiretheintroductionofprogramsinallpolicedepartmentstoprovidefortheongoingmentalhealthwellnessandcareforthementalhealthneedsofofficers.

5.Theeliminationofqualifiedimmunitythatshieldslawenforcementofficersfrombeingsuedfortheirdiscretionaryactions.

6.TheestablishmentofIndependentPoliceAuditorswithsubpoenapowerinmunicipalitiestoindependentlyinvestigateallegationsofpolicemisconduct.

7.Timelyandeffectiveinvestigationofallpoliceshootings,allegationsofexcessiveforceandin-custodydeathsbytheHarrisCountyDistrictAttorneyCivilRightsDivisionandprosecutionofallofficerswhereitiswarranted.

TheuseofforcepoliciesTurnerorderedmustbeimmediatelyandbroadlyreflectedintheday-to-dayactionsofourHPDofficersiftheyaretobeacrediblebeginning.Theundersigned,andfaithleadersfromtheUnitarianUniversalistChurch,EvangelicalLutheranChurchofAmerica,PresyterianChurchUSAandothersbelievethatwemustadoptmorefar-reachingapproaches,liketheoneswementionabove,ifwearetofundamentallychangeandimprovetherelationshipbetweenourpoliceofficersandthecommunitiestheyseektoserveandprotect.

LyonisarabbiwithCongregationBethIsrael.DoyleisbishopoftheEpiscopalDioceseofTexas.OgletreeisaministeratFirstMetropolitanChurch.Thisop-edrepresentstheviewsofmanymorefaithleadersinvolvedwithTheMetropolitanOrganization:BishopMichaelRinehart,Texas-LouisianaGulfCoastSynod,ELCA;theRev.CharlesTurner,NewPleasantGroveBaptistChurch,TMO;RabbiDavidSegal,TexasReligiousActionCenterofReformJudaism;theRev.LynnHargrove,GeneralPresbyter,PresbyteryofNewCovenant;theRev.Dr.ColinBossen,PhD,FirstUnitarianUniversalistChurchofHouston.