CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS
Demilitarization
Immediate end of DoD Program 1033
All assets acquired through DoD Program 1033 shall be decommissioned within 30 days of notification
Decommissioning shall be overseen by Federal Agencies, Military, or both
Use of tear gas, rubber bullets, and other implements that violate the Geneva Conventions shall be summarily barred
National Standardization
The Military Use of Force Protocols shall be adopted for Law Enforcement across the nation as a Federal Standard
Where ambiguity, confusion, uncertainty, or otherwise lack of information concerning a circumstance in which use of force is warranted, it is always assumed to err on the side of de-escalation. Failure to do so shall be treated as attempted murder, assault, or appropriate criminal charge
Body Cameras shall be mandatory for all law enforcement agencies across all fields of law enforcement and at every level of government
Failure to activate body cameras, failure to record data, failure to release data when requested by appropriate authorities, shall be treated as tampering with evidence, and conspiracy to commit unlawful acts in addition to appropriate criminal charges
Dash Cameras shall be mandatory for all law enforcement agencies across all fields of law enforcement and at every level of government
Failure to activate dash cameras, failure to record data, failure to release data when requested by appropriate authorities, shall be treated as tampering with evidence, and conspiracy to commit unlawful acts in addition to appropriate criminal charges
Whistleblowing provisions shall be fully enforceable, and especially encourage in all law enforcement agencies across all levels of government
Police Misconduct shall follow and adhere to the Definition of Lawful Orders and Legal Police Activities
Additionally, any law enforcement officer, or agent who violates standard laws shall be punished according to those laws, may be arrested by their fellow officer/agent, and shall face maximum penalties in all guilty verdicts including fines, jail time, and the Death Penalty
All Law Enforcement Agencies across all levels of government shall abide by standard Fitness testing, random drug testing, including for non-prescription steroids, monthly psychological evaluations, and may not have any affiliations with hate groups, domestic terror groups, or any public commentary that would insinuate: bigoted, discriminatory, or other beliefs that would prevent equal enforcement of the law based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, or other demographic.
Public Accountability
All police footage from Dash and Body cameras shall be made publicly available upon request by affected parties
Footage cannot be made public to defame, retaliate against, or otherwise negatively impact victims of police interaction
Any investigation being conducted on Law Enforcement agents, officers, or the agencies themselves shall be conducted by members outside of the affected investigation
Complaints against law enforcement agents, or officers shall spark an investigation, to be carried out by an unaffected agency, within 7 days of the complaint
False complaints made by civilians, other agents, or officers shall be charged with Obstruction of Justice and face the maximum penalties
Investigations that prove the allegation shall result in immediate revocation of authorities, arrest, and appropriate charges filed with maximum penalties incurred upon a guilty verdict
No law enforcement activities may infringe upon a peaceful protest, demonstration, or other activity covered under the 1st Amendment
Activities such as, but not limited to the following, that may not be interfered with are peaceful: blockages of traffic, sit-ins, chanting, marching, blocking sidewalks, etc.
1st Amendment activities must allow for emergency vehicles to pass through any blockages of traffic for the good of the public, however actions or arrest against protesters may not take place unless the protester becomes violent, or refuses to allow emergency services to pass through
Use of Force provisions must still be strictly adhered to
Revocation of Asset Forfeiture
The policy of Asset Forfeiture shall be summarily repealed
All assets seized, throughout the entirety of Asset Forfeiture shall be returned with 5%APR interest to the victims within a period of 60 days
If law enforcement agencies are unable to do so, funds will come directly from pension funds until exhausted, followed by garnishment of wages from the officers who engaged in the asset forfeiture activities.
All agents, officers, or other law enforcement entities that engaged in Asset Forfeiture will be immediately removed from their duties, and placed on a national black list ensuring no future in any law enforcement agency in the country
Jury of Peers
Should law enforcement entities undergo a trial involving a jury, the jury selection process shall be the same for any other criminal and may not include any jurors with a law enforcement background to be on the jury
Definition of Lawful Orders and Legal Police Activities
There shall be a National standard for conducting traffic stops, including
When to exit the vehicle, when and where to pull over,
What is reasonably considered a safe and well-lit area,
What is considered fleeing versus finding a safe location,
Strict adherence to use of force provisions,
Requirements to immediately inform the driver of the reason for being pulled over,
Definitions of “Flow of Traffic”,
Visibility of the law enforcement vehicle,
High visibility markings of the law enforcement vehicle,
Information the driver must provide a law enforcement entity
Semi annual calibration requirements for all speed measuring devices
There shall be a National standard for interacting with law enforcement entities
No person is obligated to speak to a law enforcement entity without being informed as to why they are being engaged with in the first place
A person need not engage with any law enforcement entity unless they have a warrant, or the person may request a lawyer be provided to them where they currently are
A person has the right to defend themselves, at all times, up to and including lethal force, against a law enforcement entity, if a law enforcement entity fails to:
declare their purpose,
escalates force,
attempts an unlawful arrest,
enters a home or vehicle without a warrant, declaration, or lawful reason,
in defense of another human being, lawfully detained or otherwise, if threat to life, eyesight, or limb seems reasonably likely to occur
Legal counsel shall always be provided when requested regardless of severity of alleged crime, at no cost to the suspect
If legal counsel is requested, no further questioning or detention may take place
All Photo Enforcement activities shall be inadmissable, and summarily removed from service
Police in Schools, Public Areas
Police shall be removed from all educational facilities
These resources shall instead be reinvested into improved social programs in schools, more social work personnel, and other recommended staff to ensure student safety
Police shall submit reports justifying patrol routes, including traffic control
If criminal activity is definitely less than the amount of law enforcement personnel currently on the force, there shall be police draw downs
The funds saved shall be diverted to social work, and community relations programs instead to truly prevent the elements that lead to criminal activity
Rape kits, and similar activities shall have priority in policing activities
Petty theft shall be investigated thoroughly at local levels in lieu of traffic enforcement
Traffic enforcement in general shall hold the lowest priority in policing activities
Corrections
Rehabilitation as Priority
Incarcerated individuals shall receive support and services to reintegrate into society after serving their sentence throughout their sentence and during probation
Lowering the cost of sealing records, and removing felony convictions from permanent records
Offering incentives to employers for hiring convicted felons who have served their time
Treatment of Incarcerated Individuals
Humane treatment of inmates as priority, with consideration to level of danger the inmate presents, and level of corrections facilities
National standards for Isolation, and use of force
Modernization of incarceration facilities
Prioritization of Rehabilitation Centers for Drug Related Crimes
Decriminalization of Drug Use and Drug Possession
Converting incarcerated inmates for Drug Use or Possession into members of society going through Rehab
Investment in Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centers
Conversion of existing correctional facilities in part or whole into rehabilitation centers separate from convicted inmates
Improving counseling services, and standards to emphasize minimization of relapse
Job seeking, and resume building services to all members in rehabilitation centers
Support in finding affordable housing, and stable financial standing
National Standards of Corrections
Elimination of privately operated prisons, corrections facilities, and any other facilities associated with Criminal Justice
Elimination of privately owned or operated services within the Criminal Justice system
Psychological standards for corrections, and criminal justice personnel to ensure humane treatment, and ethical practices
Zero tolerance for personnel who receive charges for DUI, DWI, drug usage, assault, sexual offenses, or other felony crimes
Zero tolerance also includes misconduct within the facilities themselves such as, but not limited to: assault of inmates, abuse of power, sexual misconduct, or aiding in drug trafficking
Judicial Support
Public Defenders
Municipalities, and all courts shall set the number of public defenders available to the public to a ratio of 1 public defender to 10 cases that are misdemeanors or above, and have no less than 3 public defenders to assist with minor misdemeanors
Private law firms may rotate personnel to serve as public defenders if staffing needs aren’t met for a period of 6 months maximum, per provided public defender
Public defenders shall focus on rehabilitative, community service, or other non-jail and fine related resolutions to all cases whenever possible
Reduction of Traffic Court
Traffic Court shall be reduced, as shall policing of traffic as a priority within the criminal justice community
Traffic Court shall henceforth deal with misdemeanors, and felony cases exclusively related to traffic, or vehicle crimes
Rulings shall focus on rehabilitation, education, public service, or other non-jail and fine related resolutions whenever possible
Improving Privacy Within Court Arraignments
Arraignments for all courts shall be for individuals only, no longer shall group hearings be admissible to ensure and protect privacy of persons arraigned
Arraignments should include remote options to reduce traffic and burden of the arraigned from missing work, or other private activities
National Standards for Qualification of Judgeship or Magistrate
For all levels of courts, the standard for Judgeship or Magistrate shall include
A minimum of 5 years within a legal field
No party affiliation, support, or endorsement
No private interest group support, endorsement, or affiliation
Term limits not to exceed 12 years cumulative service at any given court system
No history, public or private of intolerance, discrimination, bigotry, misogyny, or other forms of demographically charged impartiality
Violations of any of the standards shall result in immediate removal from the bench and review of cases judged for impartiality, integrity, and legality