Glossy information cards – the production of a collaboration between an anti-violence youth group and Akron, Ohio police – were given to students this week to help them during interactions with law enforcement.
The two-sided cards, dubbed the “You and the Law” cards, display a bullet-point guideline of how to stay out of trouble when talking to police officers. According to the anti-violence group, the idea for the cards came about after the shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice. Tamir was shot in an Ohio park (while playing with a toy gun) within 1.2 seconds of police arriving on the scene.
Some of the points suggested? Control your emotions and answer questions about your identity.
From NPR:
The youth group is known as Akron PeaceMakers. Member Devin Clark says it raised $1,500 to print 50,000 of the cards.
“When they get put in the situation, they’re going to look back at that card and be like, ‘Wow. You know, that helped when I actually read that.’ It’ll put them in a better position,” Clark says.
But not everyone is praising the cards. Rachel Cooke, a student at Firestone High School, says it’s important that the cards note police are also part of the equation.
“I’m not saying that all cops are bad, but there are cops that are drunk on their power, I would say. So I think that it holds them responsible so they can stay in line,” Cooke says. “They have to obey the law just like we do.”
In a quieter spot across from the cafeteria, Ryan Hall says he expects and welcomes the debate — better in a high school cafeteria than on the street.
“This is almost a preventative measure,” Hall says. “In many cases it was a small situation that has escalated to end up being a much larger situation.”
[…]
Ryan Hall says it’s a matter of letting people know they have options. “People can feel as if they’re powerless against police because they are the police — they’re put in a position of authority,” Hall says. “Instead of cussing him out, I can just say, ‘OK. Let me calm down,’ and then at a later time, call the police station.”
For law enforcement, the cards are a way to strengthen ties between communities wary of police following decades of a strained relationship.
Willa Keith, a retired Akron police sergeant who works with the group, says it’s about building trust.
“We are all working for the same goal. We want peace in the city, we want harmony, we want to live the best lives that we can,” Keith says.
The Peacemakers hope to distribute the cards to adults and eventually, internationally. Click here to see the actual cards.
SOURCE: NPR | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
