November 24, 2014
Following the decision of a grand jury in Ferguson, Missouri, not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the death of Michael Brown, Newark Communities for Accountable Policing (N-CAP) issues the following statement:
Today’s announcement reminds all Americans of the troubling reality of the treatment by police of communities of color in the United States. When Black, teen-age males are 21 times more likely to be shot and killed by police than their White peers, we must acknowledge that we face a national policing crisis.
Ferguson may be a thousand miles away, but Newark communities also suffer from an absence of police accountability that has led to countless incidents of misconduct and abuse, including the use of excessive force, unconstitutional stop-and-frisk practices, and racially disparate enforcement. We too have a policing crisis in Newark. As our work to build a respectful, accountable, and transparent police department continues, we join in solidarity with the people of Ferguson and communities all across the United States fighting for justice and equality.
Tomorrow, November 25th, N-CAP will join with the People’s Organization for Progress at a rally to call for justice in Ferguson and in Newark. The rally will be held at the Lincoln Memorial Statue in Newark, NJ on West Market Street at 5:00 p.m.