Missouri Advisory Committee to the U. S. Commission on Civil Rights Announces Public Meeting: The Impact of Community and Police Interactions on Individual Civil Rights in Missouri
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 16, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Missouri Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will convene a series of panel discussions to examine police and community interactions, and the extent to which disparities in the use of force may persist on the basis of race or color.
The meeting will take place on Monday February 23, 2015, from 8:00 am to 5:30 pm in the Auditorium of the J.C. Penny Conference Center at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, 1 University Drive, St. Louis, MO 63121. The meeting is open to the public. Closed captioning will be provided. To request other accommodations please contact the Midwest Regional Office at least 10 days prior to the meeting.
Of concern to the Committee is the extent to which disparities may persist in law enforcement practices that undermine equal protection under the law on the basis of race or color. Commission Chairman Martin R. Castro stated: "I commend our Missouri State Advisory Committee for focusing on this important issue. I look forward to attending the Public Meeting and hearing first hand the important testimony of Missourians as the Commission prepares for our upcoming national briefing on the topic of police use of deadly force."
The Committee will hear testimony from community members, law enforcement, government officials, and experts in the field of community and police relations. Members of the public will also be invited to speak during two open forum sessions beginning at 12:00pm and 4:15pm. Dr. S. David Mitchell, Chair of the Missouri Advisory Committee, urged community participation: "If we are to truly have real and longstanding change, the voices of all Missourians must be heard."
The Committee plans to hold a follow up meeting in Kansas City, MO later in the year, and will also accept written testimony submitted to Melissa Wojnaroski at [email protected]. The Committee will issue its findings and recommendations in a report to the Commission after the conclusion of these events.
The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is an independent, bipartisan agency charged with studying and advising the President and Congress on civil rights matters. For more information, visit http://www.usccr.gov.
Media Contact: David Mussatt
Director, Midwest Regional Office
(312) 353-8311
[email protected]
SOURCE U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Midwest Regional Office
Share this article