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The Council finds and expressly declares as follows:

A. There have been numerous incidents across the country involving individuals contacting law enforcement to report innocuous behavior as suspicious, or to falsely report alleged criminal behavior, for what appear to be solely discriminatory reasons. Discriminatory law enforcement reports against people of color for racially motivated reasons are common enough that many people of color have experienced one or more incident of being contacted by law enforcement when engaging in normal day-to-day activities. These incidents cause serious harm to the person falsely accused of a crime, cause anxiety and distrust among people of color, and put an unnecessary strain on law enforcement officers responding to frivolous and false calls.

B. The misuse of law enforcement by members of the public to discriminate against others should not be tolerated and the City should take action to stop such behavior in every way possible. Creating a means for people who suffer this kind of discrimination to seek redress from those who have targeted them through a civil cause of action for damages will discourage this type of behavior and provide a tangible way for these victims to be compensated for this wrong.

C. This ordinance is not intended to discourage individuals from contacting law enforcement when they are facing real danger or desire to report a crime. It will allow individuals who have been reported to law enforcement for unfair and unnecessary reasons to seek justice and restitution, and will motivate people who contact law enforcement to consider the reasons they are making the report. (Ord. 7837-NS § 1, 2022)