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“Something is happening with the consciousness of America. People all over the country and here in Antioch are saying ‘enough is enough,’ and they expect change.”

-Lamar Thorpe

Police Reform

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In the wake of the senseless murder of George Floyd by four Minneapolis police officers, Councilman Lamar Thorpe outlined his agenda for police reform in the City of Antioch. He fully endorsed the enactment of eight specific policy recommendations that are part of the national 8 Can’t Wait Campaign and the formation of a police reform ad-hoc committee, which was voted down by the City Council (in a 3/2 vote).

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When no one else stood up, Lamar Thorpe called on the city to think globally and act locally. As an elected official in Antioch, Councilman Thorpe:

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  • Authored an opinion piece in the East Bay Times about race. 

  • Endorsed the 8 Can’t Wait Campaign’s policy recommendations: 

  1. Ban police use of chokeholds and strangleholds, including the carotid restraint

  2. Require officers to de-escalate situations whenever possible

  3. Require officers to exhaust all options before shooting, including less-lethal force

  4. Ban officers from shooting at moving vehicles 

  5. Establish use of force continuum that restricts using the most severe force to most extreme situations

  6. Require comprehensive reporting for each time an officer fires or points their weapon at someone

  7. Require verbal warnings before using deadly force

  8. Require officers to intervene to stop excessive force by other officers
     

  • Called on Governor Gavin Newsome to sign Assembly Bill 119, which would make using the carotid restraint illegal in California. 

  • Introduced a proposal to establish a police reform ad-hoc committee to examine potential long term reforms in the following areas: 

    • Demilitarize our local police

    • Increase police accountability 

    • Improve police hiring practices

    • Excessive use of force

    • Budget appropriations

As Mayor, Lamar Thorpe will ensure Antioch is a full participant in our national awakening on race and policing. Thorpe will continue to pursue responsible police reform in the following areas:

  • Demilitarizing our local police by no longer accepting military war equipment from the federal government.

  • Increasing police accountability by equipping officers with body cameras, mandating regular bias training, and independently reviewing police officer complaints.

  • Improving police hiring practices to ensure Antioch is not a stop for police officers with troubled pasts. 

  •  Avoiding excessive use of force by enacting all of the "8 Can't Wait" policies, including the use of force continuum and exhausting all alternatives before using deadly force.

  • Budget appropriations to ensure that the appropriate funding is available to increase police accountability, such as funding for body cameras.

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