City Council Hearing/Community Speakout on BPD "Safe Homes" Initiative June 3, 2008

City Council Hearing and Community Speak-Out to Highlight Problems with BPD
"Safe Homes" Initiative

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, May 30, 2008

CONTACT:
Nancy Murray, Education Director, 617-482-3170 x 314
Christopher Ott, Communications Manager, 617-482-3170 x322, c...@aclum.org

BOSTON -- Ronald Hampton, Executive Director of the National Black Police Association, will join advocates and community leaders on Tuesday to call for changes in the Boston Police Department's "Safe Homes" program of warrantless home searches. Hampton, who worked for over 24 years as a community police officer in Washington DC, has been leading the opposition to a similar DC police initiative.

On Tuesday, June 3, Hampton will be testifying at a 3:30 p.m. Boston City Council hearing on a "Safe Homes" resolution (Docket # 0565) sponsored by Councilor Chuck Turner:

City Council Hearing on "Safe Homes" resolution
Docket # 0565, sponsored by Councilor Chuck Turner
Tuesday, June 3, 3:30pm
Boston City Hall

Hampton will then participate in a Community Speak-Out at Freedom House in Dorchester (6-8 p.m.): "COME GET YOUR RIGHTS ON! What You Need to Know About Police Searches":

Come Get Your Rights On! What You Need to Know About Police Searches
Tuesday, June 3, 6:00-8:00pm
Freedom House
14 Crawford Street (near Grove Hall), Dorchester

In addition to discussing the "Safe Homes" initiative, the forum will focus on police searches on the street, and what can be done to make communities safe.

Participants include King Downing, National Coordinator of the ACLU's
Campaign Against Racial Profiling, and Senator Dianne Wilkerson.

The Freedom House Speak-Out is being organized by the ACLU of Massachusetts and 13 advocacy and community groups. Freedom House is located at 14 Crawford Street, near Grove Hall in Dorchester.

Official Website: http://www.aclum.org