LETTER TO ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES

The Honorable Letitia James Attorney General for the State of New York The Capital Albany, New York. 12224-03421 Dear Attorney General James: A wave of change is making its way through our country bringing with it a fundamental re-evaluation of our institutions and culture. This is a monumental moment, and it is a long time coming. It is a change that will cause communities to look deeply into the economic, social, and political structures that have oppressed, marginalized, and stigmatized vast numbers of citizens around the world. Recent legislation allows police to finally be held accountable for acts of brutality and murder. The voices of those directly affected by this violence had been silenced and overlooked. This is no longer true. The Westchester Coalition for Police Reform—a group of concerned community organizations, religious institutions, and individuals who share a vision to help build safe communities with improved community-police relations and greater police accountability and transparency—is advocating for effective change. Change that brings accountability to policing and justice to the innocent victims of police violence. Accordingly, The Westchester Coalition for Police Reform demands that all the investigations conducted by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office since the beginning of the 1994 administration to the present in which people have been seriously injured or killed at the hands of the police be reopened with a renewed sense of urgency that re-examines the prosecution of these cases. It is our contention that crucial evidence and testimony were not always presented, and that in many cases the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office never sincerely or thoroughly prosecuted police for their malfeasance. The Westchester Coalition for Police Reform urges you to meet with us in order to establish the necessary steps to achieve this goal. Thank you. Sincerely, Kenneth Chamberlain, Jr. Westchester Coalition for Police Reform Wespac Foundation The Anti-Racist Alliance Progressive Women of Pelham Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.