DefundWPD

October 10 at Worcester State Univ. Hear directly from the people who have endured the consequences of two decades of failed leadership at the Worcester Police Department. betterworcester.org/oct-10-worcest…

Today back in 2021, family of Phet Gouvonvong pushing for City and DA to release the name of the officer who shot and killed family member. telegram.com/story/news/loc…

a general rule of thumb for abolitionists: if cops in your city are getting (or trying to get) military gear, surveillance tools, or anything that expands their power - and there's nothing regulating them - you'd be better off fighting for a ban rather than oversight/transparency

Check out this great post for more in-depth info: billshaner.substack.com/p/the-wpd-does…

But there's still time to support full transparency and community discussion around this expensive, invasive technology! The message is simple: No surveillance. No harassment of houseless folks. We need the city to stop wasting money that could go to community response!

TONIGHT @ 5:30 in Ester Howland Chamber of City Hall: Public Safety Meeting on WPD's proposal to drop $25,000 on a surveillance drone. We NEED a strong community turnout to resist this proposal! Thread with more info: 👇

This is such striking graphic from @DefundWPD. You budget for what you prioritize. This is sickening. “Top 100 highest paid employees in Worcester: blue is police, red is fire department, yellow is school district and white is city hall administrative. (Click image to see all)”

NEW: Mass wants to build a new $50 million prison to replace MCI #Framingham, the oldest women's prison in the country. These activists are fighting to stop it—and they want to close the old prison too. #NoNewWomensPrison #FreeHer andrewqmr.substack.com/p/no-new-women…

For a year we’ve been banging the drum that ShotSpotter flouts basic scientific standards. It has never actually tested its system for false alerts, keeps basic info about its system secret, and relentlessly promotes obviously bogus stats.

ICYMI, the 97% claim is based on no testing or data. They just *assume* every alert is a gunshot unless police contact ShotSpotter with a complaint about a specific false alert/missed gunshot. CPD admitted during the hearing that they *never* file complaints about false alerts

This guy, @slayercapital, has been in my replies for a year with vicious insults every time I drop facts about ShotSpotter, including our finding that ~90% of ShotSpotter alerts turn up *no gun incident whatsoever*. Turns out this Twitter troll was a ShotSpotter exec.

The Denver program to send social workers instead of police (STAR) has responded to over 2,200 calls low-level/intox/MH calls. They have never called for police back-up due to a safety issue. Never. Think about that.

The @THEWOONAACP statement on the appointment of acting city manager: drive.google.com/file/d/1A-dL2d… #WorcPoli

Today back in 2021, Retired Worcester Police Officer, "‘This is systemic’: City leaders, former officer highlight racism within Worcester Police Department while union president denies its existence masslive.com/worcester/2021…

CALL TO ACTION: 3 items on the City Council agenda for this week need your voice! 10.11A Surveillance Drone Program 10.38J Paying for Body Cams out of contingency fund 12.A Appointing interim city manager w/o a search or transparent process 🧵👇

Item 12.A proposes appointing an interim city manager. Why is there no search being held for this position? Why is the process so opaque? Most importantly, why haven't they sought community input?

Item 10.38J proposes to spend $1.5 million(!) from the contingency fund on body cameras for WPD. The contingency fund is supposed to be for emergencies, but somehow it keeps going to buying toys for cops (remember Shotspotter Connect?). Use PD's existing budget!