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Dear Homer City Council,
I am writing as a private citizen of Homer, Alaska in support of Resolution 17-019. This resolution does not impinge on anyone’s
beliefs. In fact, what it does is find common ground in our community’s values. The key action in this resolution is a commitment against profiling for any reason based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, political ideology, abilities, marital
status, place of birth, etc.
The community’s commitment to serve all aspects of its population, including those most vulnerable, is evidenced in the incredible
number of non-profit and grassroots programs supported by the community. Many of these organizations and efforts are run on little more than the sweat and passion of our neighbors. The reward sought by these committed community members is simply knowing that
they are contributing to the quality of life for all of us who live here. This resolution acknowledges these shared values.
The resolution does also commit the police department to cooperation with all court-mandated warrants. However, profiling that
seeks to find problems based on assumptions related to race/ethnicity, gender, appearance, sexual orientation, political ideology, etc will not be supported. This is accordance with best practices, as research has found profiling to be an ineffective method
for law enforcement. In fact, it creates false division in a community and breaks down working relationships between city agencies and its citizens. If there is disagreement on this point, I urge the council members to take the time to research this subject
via peer-reviewed studies and interviews with appropriate law enforcement experts before finalizing a vote.
Finally, I would like to thank the council for taking this resolution into consideration. It is an important conversation for
the community to engage in, and I commend the council for facilitating this dialogue through an inclusive framework.
Sincerely,
Laurie Stuart Morrow
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