COPBUSTERS

When there's something strange in the neighborhood...
Who ya gonna call?
COPBUSTERS-- volunteers who bust open police and court misconduct in their community. In Minneapolis, volunteers are busting open police brutality cases for all of Minnesota through a group called Communities United Against Police Brutality.
They staff a 24-hour hotline for anyone to call and document cases of police brutality.
612-874-STOP
They listen to victims' stories at weekly meetings, held Saturday afternoons at Walker Community Church in Minneapolis, and refer them to good lawyers. They do CopWatch: shooting and gathering footage of police activity outside of homeless shelters and in Northeast Minneapolis. According to volunteer and board member Darryl Robinson, "Sometimes it's needed down at the shelter, where there's a strong cop presence, or needed in Northeast, where there's a strong cop presence." He noted that incidences of brutality "pick up in the warmer months."
Every October 22nd, they organize demonstrations as a part of the national day against police brutality. The group hands out information and raises policy issues, like that of taser use in the Twin Cities.
In the colder months, grassroots organizing is crucial preparation.

The growing group helps survivors of police brutality by doing CourtWatch: showing up in large numbers at hearings to watch judges and prosecutors, keeping an eye on the fairness of trials. According to Robinson, this is "stopping misconduct in the courtrooms," because judges and prosecutors look more closely at evidence and due process when people are watching than when someone comes into the courtroom alone.
The community group is extending this vigilance by beginning its own TV show: Eye on Justice. Its premier episodes will soon air on Minneapolis' and St. Paul's public access channels, MTN and SPN. Its host, Darryl Robinson, said, "It's just a way to hear what the community has to say, see what's happening to the community, and it would be the voice of the community."
More volunteers are always welcomed, as long as cases are kept confidential.
Stolen Lives ceremonies are held to honor those killed by police, and rallies are organized so the cases are not forgotten. CUAPB's actions take place even in the unlikeliest places, like Newport City Council and downtown Hastings. In July, they showed up at Hastings' first demonstration, during an antique car show and Rivertown Days. This demonstration protested the Medals of Valor that were given to two Hastings police officers who had killed a young man, Brandon Rodriguez, one year earlier. Rodriguez had had a mental health crisis and police arrived, though they had no training in dealing with mental health crises. The police chased Rodriguez into the cemetery behind his house, where he held a sword and "refused their commands," according to the police report. The four officers used a taser, but it didn't work, so Sgt. James Galland then shot Brandon several times, killing him.
Please see the video below for an example of CUAPB's work.

"Police Murder of Brandon Rodriguez: One Year Later"

www.cuapb.org