Charlottesville City Council Votes to Ban Military Training and Weapons

David Swanson / Let’s Try Democracy

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia (July 20, 2020) — The City Council of Charlottesville is very much to be applauded for bringing to a vote this evening and is encouraged to vote “yes” and pass a resolution banning military training and weaponry for the Charlottesville Police Department.

It’s not too late to sign the petition to encourage this, or to contact the City Council. Here’s the packet for tonight’s meeting. You can and should sign up to attend the meeting here. Charlottesville residents should request to speak in support of this agenda item here.

Background: David Swanson, a Charlottesville resident, crafted a petition requesting the Charlottesville City Council to prohibit the use of military style or “warrior” training for the Charlottesville Police Department as well as to prohibit the Charlottesville Police Department from acquiring weaponry from the United States armed forces.
Discussion: The petition has received over 1,000 signatures. The  Charlottesville Police Department does not currently employ military style or “warrior” training,nor does it acquire weaponry from the United States armed forces according to Charlottesville Chief of Police, Dr. RaShall M. Brackney.

This Resolution establishes the Council’s policy on these types of training as well as weaponry acquisition.
Budgetary Impact: None.
Attachments: Proposed Resolution
Agenda Date: July 20, 2020
Action Required: Resolution Adoption
Staff Contacts: John Blair, City Attorney
Presenters: John Blair, City Attorney
Title: CharlottesvillePolice Department Training and Weaponry Resolution

RESOLUTION OPPOSING CHARLOTTESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT RECEIVING MILITARY-STYLE TRAINING AND ACQUIRING WEAPONRY FROM THE US MILITARY
WHEREAS, the Charlottesville Police Department does not receive military-style or “warrior” training by the United States armed forces, a foreign military or police, or any private company; and
WHEREAS, the Charlottesville Police Department does not acquire weaponry from the United States armed forces; and
WHEREAS, the Charlottesville City Council opposes the Charlottesville Police Department receiving military-style or “warrior” training by the United States armed forces, a foreign military or police, or any private company; and
WHEREAS, the Charlottesville City Council opposes the Charlottesville Police Department acquiring weaponry from the United States armed forces.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Charlottesville, Virginia that the Charlottesville Police Department shall not acquire weaponry from the United States armed forces.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Charlottesville, Virginia that the Charlottesville Police Department shall not receive military-style or “warrior” training by the United States armed forces, a foreign military or police, or any private company.

UPDATE: Charlottesville Va. Bans Militarized Policing — Your City Can Too

David Swanson / World BEYOND War

(July 20, 2020) — By unanimous vote, the City Council of Charlottesville, Va., on Monday evening voted to ban militarized policing. Specifically, the City Council resolved that “the Charlottesville Police Department shall not acquire weaponry from the United States armed forces,” and “shall not receive military-style or ‘warrior’ training by the United States armed forces, a foreign military or police, or any private company.”

The wording of the resolution came directly from a petition I had drafted and gathered over 1,000 signatures on. During the meeting, members of the public objected that the wording needed to be stronger, specifically that the Police Department should not be allowed to acquire military weaponry from anywhere (not just from the US military) and that the Police Department should end its policy of giving preference in hiring to former members of the military, thus acquiring police officers with military training despite the ban on military training.

A number of City Council Members said that such concerns would be addressed in the weeks and months ahead, that Monday’s action was “intended to be a beginning” (in the words of City Council Member Sena Magill) and “not the end of the discussion” (in the words of City Council Member Lloyd Snook).

In my view, this step is an excellent beginning, and the conversations now happening may generate further progress. It is to be hoped that even what Charlottesville has already done will inspire other localities to take similar initial steps toward demilitarization. Here’s the packet for Monday’s meeting. For the resolution as passed see pages 75-76.

Please Try This at Home

You can do this in your city or town or county or province anywhere on Earth. Contact World BEYOND War. Work with us to organize a local group and draft a plan for online petitioning, event organizing, media outreach, and persuading local officials. This is not difficult, but does make a difference.

If you have a little time to make a difference, please do this, and please get started now while there’s major media attention to the matter.

David Swanson is an author, activist, journalist, and radio host. He is executive director of WorldBeyondWar.org and campaign coordinator for RootsAction.org. Swanson’s books include War Is A Lie. He blogs at DavidSwanson.org and WarIsACrime.org. He hosts Talk Nation Radio. He is a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and was awarded the 2018 Peace Prize by the US Peace Memorial Foundation. Longer bio and photos and videos here. Follow him on Twitter: @davidcnswanson and FaceBook, and sign up for: Activist alerts. Articles. David Swanson news. World Beyond War news. Charlottesville news