May 1, 2015

CONTACT: 
Stacie Royster                                                         
sroyster@lawyerscommittee.org           
202-662-8328,

Julie Sweeney 
jsweeney@lawyerscommittee.org
202-662-8328 

National Civil and Human Rights Groups Host Audio Press Conference Call
 “Baltimore, Ferguson and Beyond: The Crisis of Race and Policing”
May 1, 2015, 11:30 a.m. ET 
Dial In Number:  800-862-9098; 
Meeting ID:  REFORM; Program Title:  POLICE REFORM AND ACCOUNTABILITY

#Unity4Justice

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, May 1, 2015, the Civil Rights Coalition on Police Reform will host an audio press conference call featuring national human and civil rights leaders and community activists to discuss the national epidemic of police brutality and misconduct on the heels of Freddie Gray’s death in Baltimore.  Speakers will also discuss necessary nationwide reforms and solutions, including action steps, such as economic empowerment, which can be implemented in their communities.  Speakers will share resources and information and renew call for accountability.

WHEN: Friday, May 1, 2015, 11:30 a.m. ET

WHAT: Audio press conference call addressing ongoing killings and brutality of African American men, women and youth by police officers nationwide; policing reforms; and accountability.

WHO: National civil and human rights partner organizations and leaders listed below on behalf of the Civil Rights Police Reform Coalition and those who care about police brutality, misconduct and necessary reforms.

·       Rev. Aundreia Alexander, National Council of Churches of Christ, USA

·       Barbara Arnwine, President and Executive Director, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

·       Rev. Dr. Cornell Brooks, President and CEO, NAACP

·       Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.

·       Pamela Meanes, President, National Bar Association

·       David Rocah, Senior Staff Attorney, ACLU of Maryland

·       Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., President and CEO, Hip Hop Caucus

Background on Coalition
A coalition of 14 national civil and human rights organizations and leaders issued a Unified Statement of Action to Promote Reform and Stop Police Abuse on August 18^th, which cited clear and necessary recommendations and reforms. We will continue to work together to ensure that all of our recommendations and reforms are adopted and justice is brought to bear in Ferguson and nationwide.  Seven additional groups and more than 700 independent signatories have joined the open letter which was sent to the White House and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

We reiterate our call for transparency, accountability, leadership, and training, including:

• Passage of the End Racial Profiling Act (Maryland’s Senator Ben Cardin and
• Michigan’s Representative John Conyers reintroduced the End Racial Profiling Act on April 22, 2015)
• A full accounting of police-involved killings of African Americans nationwide;
• Mandatory racial bias and sensitivity training for all law enforcement personnel;
• The required use of police officer Body-Worn Cameras (BWC) to record every police-civilian encounter;
• Better accountability of the use and potential distribution and use of federal military weapons by local law enforcement;
• Greater oversight of police officers through the formation of both national and community-based policing commissions; and
• Grand jury reform.

Note to Media:  Please RSVP to jsweeney@lawyerscommittee.org by May 1^st at 10 a.m.

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