Send a Message to the Detroit City Council: Say No to Unchecked Government Surveillance

Tell the Detroit City Council to Pass the Community Input Over Government Surveillance (CIOGS) Ordinance

All Detroiters care about public safety, and while we may debate whether spending millions of dollars to watch over communities 24/7 is the best investment, everyone deserves a voice. Right now, when the city wants to use a surveillance technology, it doesn't have to tell us, and it certainly doesn't have to ask our opinion. That's got to change. Take action, tell the City Council to Pass the Community Input Over Government Surveillance (CIOGS) Ordinance.

If passed, CIOGS will ensure Detroiters have the right to know what surveillance technologies might be acquired, if and how they would be used, and who they would be targeting, and what happens as a result.

Detroiters deserve to have a say in how we can best make our city safe.
Before approving the acquisition of surveillance technology, the public should have a right to know what policies will govern its use and ensure people’s civil rights and liberties are not violated.
Decisions about if and how surveillance technologies are used should be made by the City Council, who are democratically accountable to the public, not by unaccountable city bureaucrats.
Many studies have shown certain surveillance technologies fail to accurately identify Black and Brown people, and don’t prevent crime.
When considering spending tax dollars on surveillance techs like cameras and spying software, public hearings should be held in which alternatives, like investing in mental health services and other community-focused services, can be debated.

Message Recipients:
Detroit City Council Members

People should have the power to say no to surveillance.

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Your Message

Subject

Dear City Council Member,

I am calling on you to vote for City Council to Pass the Community Input Over Government Surveillance (CIOGS) Ordinance. CIOGS will empower Detroiters and the City Council to make the best decisions about how to improve public safety and public services in our city by:

•Ensuring the public is well informed about the surveillance technologies the city wants to use and what rules would govern their use;
•Mandating that the public always has the information it needs to form educated opinions about surveillance technologies and always has the opportunity to express those opinions directly to the city and the City Council;
•Resting final decisions about if and how surveillance technologies are acquired and used with the Detroit City Council, whose members are democratically accountable to the public.

Message Body

Please vote in favor of the Community Input Over Government Surveillance (CIOGS) ordinance so Detroiters can trust that if surveillance technologies are purchased and used in our city, they’re only used on our terms and with our permission.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

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Send a Message to the Detroit City Council: Say No to Unchecked Government Surveillance

Tell the Detroit City Council to Pass the Community Input Over Government Surveillance (CIOGS) Ordinance

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