Question and Answer with CNP Board Member Elizabeth Meadows
Why you think Evanston needs Citizens Network of Protection?
There is police misconduct, ranging from harassment to the killing of people, in places all over the U.S. Evanston is no exception. This fact is, in my experience, less widely understood by white people than by Black people in Evanston. The CNP works to raise awareness of police misconduct in Evanston in order to help people work towards decreasing the amount of police misconduct in Evanston.
In addition, in many places in the U.S., including in Evanston, there are difficulties, and sometimes actual obstacles, in the way of people filing complaints when they are the victims of police misconduct. Help is needed and CNP provides help to Evanston residents who are aged 23 and older in filing such complaints. (Other organizations exist to help younger people.)
Part of the help that CNP provides is educating people about their rights. For example, what are a person’s rights when encountered by the police? For individuals in Evanston to know their rights is important for improving the relations between the police and everyone in Evanston, given that the police here are supposed to serve and protect every single person in Evanston. The CNP works towards the realization of that role for police.
Why does the Evanston Police department need to reform it’s nuisance citation policy?
I recently learned about the city and state nuisance policies at a CNP educational forum. I am extremely concerned that homeowners can and do lose their homes due to citations under this ordinance. Nuisance citations can arise when neighbors dislike neighbors and want them gone from their neighborhood. This is wrong and CNP is needed to help make this right. CNP focuses on police accountability, police transparency, and community oversight of the police. Evanston residents need to know their rights when police confront them with an alleged nuisance citation. CNP helps with this community education.
Thank you for reading my thoughts. encourage you as residents in Evanston to become engaged in conversation about these two topics. I look forward to reading your thoughts.
Elizabeth Meadows – CNP Board Member
