Communities and cities all across America are making real and necessary institutional and systemic change to their police departments that protect Black people. BRAIR spoke about the important topic of discriminatory policing in our community during the public comment section in the Bexley City Council meeting on 10/12/21.  We introduced policies as well as Good Neighbor Ordinances much like that of the Driving Equality Bill passed by a 14-2 vote by the city council in Philadelphia. Our "Good Neighbor" Ordinances seek to accomplish the same goal as the city of Philadelphia's "Driving Equality Bill'',  which is an end to racial profiling better known as "Driving While Black". Below is the text of BRAIR’S Good Neighbor Ordinances. Supporting articles and information can be found here.

The Good Neighbor Ordinances proposed by BRAIR empower fair practices by Bexley Police Department and seek to put an end to discriminatory policing practices that punish “Driving While Black”

Traffic Stops:
• Require warnings for first time moving violation offenders unless the offense is excessive and endangers the safety of others
• Limit use of plate readers or manual plate searches only to determine if a vehicle is stolen or not. A current violation must be observed to conduct a traffic stop.
• Eliminate investigatory, “suspicious activity” stops
• For purposes of tracking attainment of BPD fairness goal, require officer to ask stopped citizen to identify their race and record if the citizen is a Bexley resident or nonresident. Include race data on traffic citations requested through public records request.

Police Response Policy:
• Eliminate the common practice of multiple vehicles routinely responding to traffic stops, as this escalates the situation, threatens the person stopped, and wastes resources.
• Require officer training regarding proper stop practice

Good Neighbor Policing:
• Enact a “Good Neighbor” policy requiring all stops for equipment violations i.e. defective taillights/headlights be labeled Courtesy stops
• Persons stopped with equipment violations will be offered vouchers for repair

No Arrest for Outstanding Misdemeanor Warrants:
• Pass an ordinance barring arrests for non-violent misdemeanor warrants issued in any other jurisdiction except Bexley.
• Persons stopped who are found to have a non-violent misdemeanor warrant will not be arrested on the outstanding warrant.
• Such persons will receive a second summons or be ordered to appear in front of a judge.