Can a New "Progressive ALEC" Advance Effective Police Reform Through Municipal Governments?

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Can a New "Progressive ALEC" Advance Effective Police Reform Through Municipal Governments?

Friday, 12 December 2014 10:52
By Candice Bernd, Truthout | Report


As the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) begins its expansion into local municipalities and counties with its new arm, the American City County Exchange (ACCE), another group is working to provide the progressive counter to ACCE - and one of its main policy goals for cities and counties across the United States is police reform.

Local Progress, a network of hundreds of local elected officials from around the nation, held a competing convention in New York City, hosted by Mayor Bill de Blasio only a day after ACCE's own winter conference. Local leaders shared ideas and experiences about progressive policies being advanced in municipalities around the country to promote sustainability, economic justice, strong public education, immigrant rights and affordable housing, among others.

Local Progress is led by a board of elected officials from cities including Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Diego and San Francisco, among others, and by the staffs of SEIU International, the Center for Popular Democracy (CPD) and the Public Leadership Institute.

Robin Kniech, a Local Progress board member and Denver City Council member, told Truthout the network is helpful because local elected officials don't have the same kinds of caucus opportunities that state and nationally elected officials have, but she cautioned the network isn't only for elected leaders. .................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://truth-out.org/news/item/27964-can-a-new-progressive-alec-advance-effective-police-reform-through-municipal-governments