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A thread: There is so much wrong with the way #Houston has handled this national uprising for black lives. 
#BlackLivesMatter 
#DefundHPD #DefundThePolice #Abolition #houcouncil #houstonprotesttrap #houstonprotests
#BlackLivesMatter #DefundHPD #DefundThePolice #Abolition #houcouncil #houstonprotesttrap #houstonprotests
1/ First, @SylvesterTurner and @ArtAcevedo want you to believe that they are responsive to community concerns, but they entrapped and abused protesters without batting an eye. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/Opinion-It-wasn-t-all-peaceful-What-HPD-15363887.php#photo-19594795
2/ Next, the city held a public hearing on the budget, and heard hours of testimony asking that they defund HPD. The next day, they unanimously passed a budget to increase HPD funding to nearly $1 billion.
3/ City leaders continue to say that “budgets take months to put together,” but other cities have adjusted their plans to defund the police, reallocate funds, and defend black lives. And if you already had the budget set, why hold a public hearing? Where’s the democracy in that?
4/ Additionally, as a response to citywide outcry against HPD, Mayor has assembled a 45 person task force on police reform. Despite that he already received recommendations from a criminal justice task force 4 years ago and never implemented those reforms.
5/ On top of that, his task force features a Pastor who spread anti-trans rhetoric during the fight for HERO, which reveals that his “pride resolution” is shallow and just for show.
6/ I’m absolutely fed up with this cycle. Houston’s city government is a sham, and denies us proper representation under a strong mayor system with zero accountability. Here are the things I want to work on over the next few years:
7/ First up is the city’s contract with the Houston Police Officers’ Union. HPOU currently has completely oversized power when it comes to officer discipline. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/Opinion-City-s-police-union-contract-needs-15329946.phpYou
8/ This contract is up in December, and the city is currently in negotiations with HPOU. Any changes have to be in the contract by the end of September. We need to act now, to reduce the union’s power and gain real community oversight into officer misconduct.
9/ We need to ask for abolitionist steps that change HPD policies, as opposed to reforms that only increase police funding and resources.
10/ For example, we should participate in CAHOOTS, a mental health diversion program. We need to freeze police hiring, suspend paid administrative leave for cops under investigation, require cops to be liable for misconduct settlements, and cap overtime.
11/ Next up is the July 2021 budget. We need to start pressuring the city to reallocating funding now, so they can’t use their weak excuse next time around.
12/ @mutualaidhou put out a script to ask Houston to reduce HPD funding by 25% every year and slowly start rethinking and restructuring public safety. This is a great start. We can all contact our council members, to ask that they rethink and restructure public safety.
13/ And lastly, we need to change our city government structure. The strong mayor system denies us true representation by rendering council members effectively powerless. Any power to make change or even put proposals on the city council agenda lies with the Mayor.
14/ I think the only way to change this is through a ballot measure, so we would need to gather petition signatures and then educate everyone ahead of the election. That way, the voters could decide whether or not this system serves us.
15/ There’s so much important work ahead, y’all. Now is not the time to check out. Find ways to make your activism sustainable. Get involved, for the long haul. We need everyone in this fight for Houston’s future and democracy.
16/ You can start by following and joining all of the existing groups in Houston, @BLMHOU, @mutualaidhou, @HoustonTenants, @weststrecovery, @indivisibleHOU, @BLMHTX. And by contacting your council members to tell them how you feel.
