WYPR: NAACP Goes To Web To Curb Alleged Police Brutality (2009-06-24)

On July 6th, the NAACP's website will launch a new feature that will enable users to upload details and video of alleged acts of police misconduct onto an online database.

Monique Morris is the NAACP's vice-president for research and advocacy.

"Part of what we're trying to do is figure out a way to keep our own data and begin to collect this information in a way that's meaningful. More and more we're starting to see through what's happening in Iran with Twitter and the way that people are using their cell phones now to capture incidents of abuse, that people are getting creative with trying to figure out ways to tell our story."

When users log onto to NAACP.org, Morris said there will be a link where victims or witnesses to alleged acts of misconduct will be able to file an incident report. They will be asked through a series of questions to describe the event in detail, and most importantly to upload any video or pictures they may have captured of the incident.

"This is about misconduct and abuse. It's not only about deadly force. It's about incidents wherein there might have been an attempt to intimidate, threatening language, sexual assault, abductions. You know anything they feel might be questionable so that we can have conversations about the policy standards, practices, trainings, et cetera, and ways in which our communities are engaging with law enforcement."

All data entered on the site will remain confidential, according to Morris. Unlike other online sharing sites, such as YouTube, the information will not be available to the public. Instead, the NAACP will compile the information for its own national research, lobbying, and potential legal campaigns.

Marvin "Doc" Cheatham is president of the Baltimore chapter of the NAACP.

"We're hoping one to get new information into the website which would tell us what in fact is happening in the community, because people aren't filing reports. They're afraid to file reports. But at the same time, by getting the reports, we can share with the community. We can also share with the elected officials that we got a lot of work that needs to be done, including building a better relationship with the police department, which I'm committed to do."

At the meeting last night, Cheatham pointed to two recent incidents of alleged police misconduct that he says demonstrate the need for such a tool.

Earlier this month the NAACP's Baltimore branch called for criminal charges against two city police officers accused of driving a 16-year-old to a Howard County park in May and leaving him there without shoes.

And last month, the NAACP asked the FBI to investigate the dismissal of internal charges against several city police officers. Again, Doc Cheatham.

"We have some great men and women in our police force, but, sadly, we have too many, too many that are not doing the right thing. It's because of the ones that are not doing the right thing why we don't have the kind of relationship that we think we should have."

Anthony Guglielni, a spokesman for the Baltimore City Police Department declined to comment for this story. But Detective Robert Cherry, president of the Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 3, said citizens shouldn't be encouraged to focus on only alleged wrongdoing by police officers.

"My only request for the NAACP would be that we'll work with you to remove from the street officers who aren't performing or aren't cutting it. But help us to make your neighborhood safer. You know, black and white. Rich and poor. And that means hey, videotape those drug dealers. Videotape the guy who just assaulted his girlfriend, or the guy who shot someone and then ran down the street with the gun and threw it you know in a vacant house. Take that and help our police officers reduce crime, which is what our job is."

However, Cheatham said that a lack of communication and trust still exists between the police and many citizens. And he believes the only way to correct these problems is for citizens to come forward with their own experiences.

I'm Mike Meno, reporting in West Baltimore, for 88-1 WYPR.