Hey John,

We are in a critical point in our movement to reform policing across the country.

Millions of people are taking action to demand police accountability. Members like you, John, are signing petitions, making phone calls, calling out public officials on social media and even risking your life in an unprecedented public health crisis by taking it to the streets and demanding justice. The public pressure is working. Yet, police unions continue to be a roadblock to reform.

In New York, elected officials passed legislation that would ban the use of chokeholds and make disciplinary records for police officers public information. Within days, local police unions filed multiple lawsuits, making the absurd argument that these reforms go too far.¹ In the District of Columbia, the city council passed historic legislation that changes the disciplinary process for dangerous cops. Weeks later, the local FOP announced a federal lawsuit, challenging the constitutionality of the law and claiming that the statue unfairly targets police officers.²

At this point, we should not be surprised. These ridiculous lawsuits are nothing more than political stunts and a weak attempt to delegitimize our movement. Police unions are desperately trying to hold onto their power because we are in a unique position to actually dismantle the status quo. Our work could drastically change the criminal justice system. Police unions feel their unchecked power slipping away, which is why they are launching these baseless attacks on reform.

And this is where you come in, John. Many people are unfamiliar with the role police unions play in blocking accountability and reform. For instance, police unions consistently advocate for bloated police budgets, fail to hold their officers accountable, push for militarized weapons in our communities, and aggressively push back against any mechanisms of accountability.

If we do not make an intervention then their political power will continue to grow unchecked. We have to limit the influence of police unions in our communities. And that starts with making sure our elected leaders reject political contributions from police unions and work to bring their influence to an end.

Here is how you can help.

1. Commit to donating once per month in order to boost our digital ads program. That way we can raise enough public awareness about the role police unions play in blocking reform, particularly calling out the political leaders who take money from killer cop organizations.
   
   
2. Choose an amount below that feels powerful to you as an investment in this important work.

Donate $5 a month

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Police resistance to our work is a sign that we are winning-- and we cannot let police unions slow us down. We must move full speed ahead. 

Become a monthly sustainer with Color Of Change PAC.

Until justice is real,

--Scott, Marybeth, Malachi and the rest of the Color of Change Pac Team

References:

1. Coalition Of Police Unions Join Forces, File Lawsuit In Attempt To Overturn NYC’s Controversial Police Reform Law
2. D.C. police union sues District over changes in disciplinary process for officers