Thread by @ColorOfChange

Police unions are one of the most powerful forces standing in the way of efforts to hold police accountable for violence and misconduct, and to transform the criminal legal system. We’ve studied all their tactics and strategies and now we’re exposing their playbook.

From campaign contributions to contracts to copaganda, here are the strategies police unions use to perpetuate harm in Black communities, protect violent police officers, and create barriers to officer accountability and policy change.

#1: Contracts & legislation: police unions use the collective bargaining process and get states to enact law enforcement bills of rights to shield violent police officers from investigation and discipline right off the bat.
policeunionplaybook.org/page-1/

#2: Disinformation & racist rhetoric: police unions create a public narrative that shifts blame from violent police officers to their victims, often invoking racist vitriol and spreading false information about what took place.

policeunionplaybook.org/page-2/

#3: Political contributions & endorsements: police unions use money and endorsements to buy political power and influence over our representatives at every level of government. (Use the search tool to see how much cop cash your Rep has gotten):

policeunionplaybook.org/page-3/

#4: Blocking reform: On the defensive, police unions fight back by viciously attacking champions of reform, bury their opposition in endless litigation, spend millions to lobby electeds, and when all else fails — resort to outright defiance & neglect.
policeunionplaybook.org/page-4/

#5: Defending violence: When all other tactics have failed and officers are facing charges of misconduct, police unions provide legal defense & use arbitration to shield violent officers from discipline, and use copaganda to raise money in support of them.
policeunionplaybook.org/page-5

Together, we can diminish the power of police unions. When you see police unions using one of their plays, call them out using the hashtag #PoliceUnionPlaybook so we can amplify and take action.

https://twitter.com/ColorOfChange/status/1356692180463742978