All remixes of "Not in Our City" feature the following speech that Dr. Keith R. Anderson -- Chaplin of the Lynchburg Police Department, founder of the Highly Favored Ministries Association of Churches, and member of the newly formed Alliance for Policing Reform in Lynchburg, Virginia -- delivered to the Lynchburg City Council on June 23, 2020:
The citizens of Lynchburg have awakened however…
And we have awakened with some words on our lips:
"Racial bias has no place in this city!"
And we leave you with four words:
"NOT IN MY CITY"
Not in my city will we allow racism to exist.
Not in my city will we allow the pestilence
of hatred to run rampant in our streets
So, what have we done?
We decided that we - the citizens - will select who represents us,
our wishes in legislation and in policy.
We will choose the appropriate culture that underpins
the law enforcement professional that patrol our streets.
Police officers are grand individuals.
My brother is one.
I serve this community as a chaplain.
But I also know that this man who killed Mr. Floyd
is a benefactor of a culture that targets members of a black & brown community
and hunts them on a routine basis.
My children have cried out to me,
"Speak for me so I can breathe!"
I stand here to speak for them.
It is therefore concluded that
the following conditions must be met
to satisfy the demands of this task force
to ensure that antiracism -
IT'S NOT ENOUGH NOT TO BE RACIST
We need to be actively antiracist -
in our measures
both in theory and in practice
(it's not enough simply to say it with empty words):
#1 - chokeholds and neck restraints policy
must be adopted by the Police
to outlaw its use
and provide sanctions and disciplinary actions
to include imprisonment for its violators.
There must be transparency in the disciplinary records
of these police officers that aid us in our city.
We give them the right to protect us!
Adopt a training model that produces guardians not warriors.
YOU'RE NOT AT WAR WITH ITS CITIZENS!
• Training in de-escalation techniques .
• Specialized training monitoring officers with complaint records.
• Mandated use of body cams.
• Thoughts & published strategies for community policing.
• Mental fitness of officers.
• Military-style equipment is no longer needed.
• Implement a policy that prohibits the use of the "no-knock" warrant.
And, in conclusion, let me remind you...
NOT IN OUR CITY!
NOT IN OUR CITY!
NOT IN OUR CITY!
NOT IN OUR CITY!
