Citizens Defense Proposal

Teresa N. Washington and Muhammad Ibn Bashir

The Citizens Defense Proposal recommends legislation to prevent

police officers from shooting and/or killing unarmed citizens. The proposal
also recommends legislation to prevent police officers from benefiting or
profiting in any way from the shooting and/or killing of unarmed citizens.

PREAMBLE

Every citizen of the United States of America is endowed with certain

inalienable rights—the most important of which is “life.” Officers of the
law swear to protect and serve the citizens of the United States, and officers
are entrusted with certain powers because of their positions. Officers of the
law are the only public servants who, while undertaking their job duties,
have the ability to end the lives of citizens of the United States of America.
Many police officers have used the power granted them to carry out
extrajudicial killings of unarmed citizens for suspected or even imagined
crimes. This is unlawful and unconstitutional; it is a violation of the public
trust and a violation of citizens’ fundamental human rights.
Because of the powers and authority granted them, police officers
must be held to the highest of standards as it regards human beings,
human rights, and the taking of human life.

WE, THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES, PROPOSE THAT:

WHEREAS the taking of life is a permanent irrevocable act; and

WHEREAS unarmed African Americans are being killed by police officers

at disproportionate rates; and
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WHEREAS there is ample documentation revealing that police officers who

kill unarmed citizens, especially those who are African American, routinely
circumvent standard operating procedures, ignore citizens’ rights, and
deliberately escalate situations; and

WHEREAS police officers who shoot and/or kill unarmed citizens are
rarely prosecuted for their crimes which gives the appearance that the laws
of the United States of America do not apply to them or that lesser or
subjective laws apply to them; and

WHEREAS police officers who shoot and/or kill unarmed African

Americans are routinely placed on administrative leave—which is
tantamount to a paid vacation—while their actions are reviewed by a panel
of law enforcement officials whose objectivity is compromised; and

WHEREAS the shooting and/or killing of unarmed African Americans by

police officers has been monetized through paid administrative leave and/or
through crowdsourced donations;

1. any and every police officer who kills an unarmed citizen (via shooting,
tasing, choking, “rough ride” in a police vehicle, or any other means)
must be
a. jailed without pay and
b. held without bail or bond until he or she can prove beyond a
reasonable doubt that the killing was justifiable homicide or a
lesser charge; and
2. any and all monies raised for the police officer via social media or
traditional channels, including fraternal police orders, must be held in
escrow; and
a. if it is found that the officer acted within the law and committed
justifiable homicide or a lesser charge, the officer can be
granted the money; however,
b. if the officer is found guilty of murder or manslaughter or any
charge greater than justifiable homicide, all monies must be
given to the victim and/or the victim’s family, who may also
file a civil suit if they so desire; and
3. because any police officer who kills or assaults or abuses an unarmed
person acts both under the color of the law and as an individual, in a
civil action, the officer would be named as both a member of the state
and sued as a member of the state as well as made personally liable.