Nevada CopBlock

Be a part of the fun and compete for prizes.

It’s that time of year and once again Nevada Cop Block will be participating in CopBlock.org’s “National Chalk the Police Day” festivities. Plus, as an added bonus this year we will also be competing for prizes offered by Cop Block in several categories. In addition, this year we will be doing it at a much more visible and significant location. The original “Chalk the Police Day” action was a national action called for by CopBlock.org as a reaction to the arrest of activists in New Hampshire‘s Free State Project for drawing with chalkon sidewalks around the Manchester police station. The charges consisted mostly of intimidation charges such as “graffiti” (for easily washable drawings) and refusal to provide ID, as well as for passive resistance to those arrests.

Groups and individuals throughout the country, including here in Las Vegas, participated in the first “Chalk the Police Day,” which was largely free of additional incidents and/or arrests. Although this event predated the formation of Cop Block’s local affiliate, several people currently involved in NVCopBlock.org participated in last years’ action, which was held at the headquarters for the UNLV campus police. As with other areas, we were never directly threatened or confronted, although there was a rather large, unnecessary, wasteful and downright silly amount of surveillance conducted during the event.

This year, we’ll be relocating to the newly opened and very expensive headquarters building of LVMPD. Partly this is just based on the simple fact that if you intend to “Chalk the Police” you should go where they hang out. A more important reason is because Metro has been holding press conferences every few weeks all year to announce their latest tally of how far they are over budget, which is no part due to their lavish spending in the past on things such as a giant, shiny new headquarters building.

We’ll have chalk available and suggested “slogans” and “catchphrases” to use, but you will be very free to freelance with your own ideas and artistic desires. In addition to the budget issues, we’re going to emphasize the many instances of police abuse, up to and including beatings and murders of innocent people in the Las Vegas area, as well as the complete lack of accountability that has encouraged such actions by local police. We’ll also bring attention to more national issues involving police crackdowns on chalking by activists, such as recent incidents in the Los Angeles and Oakland areas in which people doing nothing more than drawing with chalk have been arrested, beaten, and even fired at with rubber bullets.

As an added incentive this year, the national Cop Block affiliate will be giving away prizes (free CB merchandise and high quality chalk) within various categories (see below).

The time is still somewhat flexible and may change depending on interested individuals’ availability. If so, this meetup will be updated ASAP. Also unlike most groups we will be doing this on Sunday, Sept. 30, rather than the “official” date of Monday, Oct. 1st to accommodate those who work during the week.

For more complete info (including prizes and categories) check the full announcement on CopBlock.org some of which is included below:

“Attention all chalkers, organizers, and lovers of artful dissent! It’s that time of year again to open up the buckets of chalk and find the nearest location of state repression (aka police stations, courthouses, jails) or other public property such as sidewalks, parks or public plazas at the 2nd Annual Chalk the Police Day.

Over the past year, many chalkers have been detained, harassed arrested, and jailed by authorities across this country. From the Chalking 8 in Manchester to the Chalk Walk Police Riots in LA, chalking continues to be seen as a threat to status quo and despite the temporary nature of chalk, police and local authorities continue to crack down on our right to free expression.

Do you need extra motivation to chalk? This year there is a fun contest with prizes in each of the categories

Categories:

Best Mural/Chalk Art Design – For the chalk artists who love to draw and can create great murals.

Best Chalk Saying/Slogan – Can’t draw but have a way with words? This category is for you!

Best Location – Chalk the jails? Chalk the steps of city hall? Is there any interesting public property to chalk in your area? We’ll be giving a prize for best location.

Prizes: The best entry in each category will get $66 worth of items from Cop Block’s store. Also, the winner of the Best Mural/Chalk Art Design will receive a Box of Eternity Art High Quality Sidewalk Chalk (you pick up to 35 of your favorite colors!)

Judges: There will be a three “judge” panel with one person each from the East (Kate Ager), Midwest (Melissa Hill), and West Coast (Allan Eaton) that will review the photographs of the chalk and rank them.

You can arrest the chalker but you can’t stop the chalk!”

Now you can get an official Cop Block press pass

Whether you are a regular contributor to Cop Block, an activist; who knows the value of keeping a camera handy when dealing with police and other government officials, or simply a fan; who wants to demonstrate your support for what Cop Block does and spread the word to others, there is a new tool available to make it easier for you to do so.

Official Cop Block press passes are designed as a multifunctional option for anyone involved with Cop Block, as well as a convenient and attractive way to support Cop Block’s goals of holding law enforcement accountable for their actions. They act as both a visual indicator that you value your rights and a prominent warning to anyone that might want to infringe upon them.

Over the years, Cop Block has expanded from a small “DIY” style project into a fully functioning independent media outlet with a prominent national online presence and over thirty (and counting) satellite organizations located in cities throughout the United States and even beyond those imaginary borders. The establishment of official Cop Block press passes represents the next step in that evolution in which we serve notice to the world that we won’t be marginalized or overlooked, but are asserting ourselves as a legitimate member of the media.

Official Cop Block press passes are available for the national CopBlock.org network and any of the local Cop Block affiliates located in over thirty different cities.

Plus, they look really cool!

Keep reading below for more detailed reasons why you need and/or want to get your hands on a press pass (and additional pictures) or just order one right now and keep it within reach, along with your camera.

Why You Need an Official Cop Block Press Pass

The days of blogs primarily being a dumping ground for photoshopped cat pictures and tales of teenaged girls’ frustrations with their BFFs have long since passed. What has come to be known as “citizen journalism” has evolved into an important element of the media. Many of the scandals and abuses by public officials in recent years have been exposed by bloggers. Absent potential conflicts of interest created by political or sponsorship concerns, grassroots journalists can and often do report the things mainstream outlets are unable or unwilling to.

Press passes are two-sided featuring your info on the front and the Cop Block logo plus a authorization statement on the back.

At Cop Block, members have varying reasons for being involved and levels of availability. However, those of us that understand the critical need for accountability for police take this responsibility very seriously. As a result, we want to  encourage others to add their own unique skills to the mix in as easy and safe a way as possible.

Safety can be an important consideration when confronted by an armed, aggressive, and at times violent person. This is, of course, why we encourage filming the police in the first place. Whether you are simply creating an unbiased record of your own interactions with badge wearing government employees on a random encounter or while actively seeking to confront official abuses, having a press pass can provide an extra layer of security.

There are several important protections afforded by the First and Fourth Amendments to the Constitution in regards to documenting the actions of public officials. Citizens can’t be forced to stop recording police activities in public places, nor can cameras, photos, or film legally be confiscated. Even in the event of an arrest, such items must be returned intact and can’t be searched without a warrant.

Cops obviously don’t always follow even their own rules, but an official Cop Block press pass serves as a visual warning to them that you know your rights and intend to use them. Even if you are unlucky enough to run across a police officer that completely disregards the Constitution and his legal responsibilities, establishing yourself as a legitimate member of the press reporting on a newsworthy issue makes it that much easier to seek compensation for those transgressions against First Amendment protections later.

Having a professional looking press pass can be your ticket to the opportunity to question those who are able to ensure accountability for public officials

Another important function of a press pass is the access it can provide to important events. In the future, members of Cop Block shouldn’t limit themselves to hacking at the branches of police brutality if there is an opportunity to strike at the root of corruption. Rather than only confronting an individual officer out in the field, if the local sheriff, mayor, district attorney, etc. schedules a press conference or other public appearance, request press access and ask them directly why one of their employees beat, shot, or wrongfully arrested someone in your city and what they intend to do about it.

As a member of a network that advocates for police accountability, you may encounter some initial resistance from those in charge of media access, but the combination of a legitimate, professional looking press pass and a good First Amendment argument can go a long way toward getting you in the same room with those who are supposed to enforce the policies. And even if they aren’t willing to answer your questions, at least you can put them on notice that there is someone watching the watchmen.

Furthermore, something that can help make it easier for you to seek accountability is the perception that accompanies those efforts. One thing that many organizers and activists learn early is that mindsets matter, both in regards to those trying to make change and those they encounter in the process. When you think of yourself as a legitimate, professional member of the media you are more likely to act as such and when you behave in a professional manner people are less likely to resist your efforts to do so.

I can actually tell you from personal (albeit anecdotal) experience that there is a perceptible difference in the way you are received when displaying a professional looking press pass, both by PR people that control access to events and by security and/or police you might encounter. Even in instances where media credentials aren’t required, you are less likely to be questioned about why you are filming and anyone that does question you is more likely to take into consideration legal ramifications that might result from interfering with members of the media.

As already stated, one of the purposes of issuing press passes is to serve notice to those we come into contact with that we are acting as and expect to be treated as an independent media outlet. Additionally, that same intent extends to those wearing the press passes and to encourage them to expect and even demand such recognition.

Yet another benefit to using a press pass when filming in public is that it give any innocent bystanders that might not want to be in a video or photograph an opportunity to get out of the way. This is both a matter of courtesy and a way of avoiding unnecessary conflict with people that aren’t doing anything wrong.

Why You Want an Official Cop Block Press Pass

Official press passes come laminated to protect them from damage and include extra space for a lanyard (not included) to be attached.

Even if you can’t or just aren’t interested in actively participating in Cop Block activities, there are several reasons why you will want an official Cop Block press pass. Not only do they make great souvenirs and gifts, but they are a way for you to show your personal support for Cop Block and police accountability.

Much like Cop Block’s other merchandise, these press passes are a visual symbol of your belief that everyone should be held to the same standard and the act of putting on a badge and certain outfit shouldn’t confer special privileges upon someone.

Wearing a Cop Block press pass also creates an easy opportunity for outreach to others in your community. Cop Block’s logo and URL are prominently featured in the design of the press pass. Anyone who views them will gain the opportunity to be exposed to a site dedicated to holding law enforcement officials accountable.

The official Cop Block press pass + a handy lanyard = ready to go out and seek accountability at a moment’s notice.

Beyond that, the uniqueness of it is sure to serve as a conversation starter and enable you to have discussions with your friends, neighbors, and even random strangers about the violence, corruption, and encroachment on personal liberties committed by government employees and the importance of holding them accountable for such abuses, when they occur.

Plus, each press pass is a unique, personalized souvenir. Featuring your own name and photo, as well as the option of choosing the main Cop Block site or an affiliate in your own town, if there is one (if not, you can always start one). Either way they add up to a great keepsake that will make you stand out in the crowd. Order one today for yourself or as a memorable gift for a fan of Cop Block and what we do to make the world a more just place.

If you are ready to make that leap from activist to a member of the grassroots media ORDER YOUR PRESS PASS RIGHT NOW!

A memorial candlelight vigil will be held Tuesday June 12, 2012 for Stanley L. Gibson, who was recently murdered by a member of the Las Vegas Metro Police Department. June 12th marks six months since Stanley, a disabled Iraq War vet suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, cancer, depression and other conditions related to his time in the Army, was shot while sitting unarmed in his car by Jesus Arevalo, of LVMPD. (see map below for location of the vigil)

Details of the vigil (via FaceBook):

Date:Tuesday June 12, 2012

Time: 6:30pm-7:30pm

Location: 2541 N. Rainbow (the back gate area of the Alondra Apts)

Rondha Gibson will host a candlelight vigil in honor of her husband Stan L. Gibson, who was murdered on 12/12/11 by  LVMPD. This event is open to all that want to join in our moment of silence for our fallen husband, brother, son, friend, soldier, etc. Our motto is and always will be “NEVER FORGET.’ Some day we may forgive, but we will never forget. The vigil will consist of those who knew and loved Stanley speaking about his life and what he meant to them and a call for accountability from LVMPD and those responsible for his killing to be brought to justice.

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Stanley Gibson was killed while looking for his apartment in the early hours of December 12, 2011. At the time, he was suffering from PTSD and cancer and had been unable to get medication he was supposed to be taking due to bureaucratic roadblocks within the VA hospital. He had become confused and was likely suffering a panic attack, which resulted in him ending up at the wrong apartment complex. after responding to a report of someone trying to break into an apartment, police confronted Stanley and eventually blocked his car with two police cruisers, immobilizing it.

During a resulting standoff, in which Stanley was unresponsive to commands to exit the vehicle, cops on the scene devised a plan to force him out by firing a shotgun loaded with a beanbag round through his back window and then following up with tear gas. In spite of knowing about this plan, Jesus Arevalo reacted to the shooting of the beanbag round by firing seven rounds of live ammo into Stanley’s back with a AR-15 automatic assault rifle. The entire time leading up to the deadly shots being fired Stanley was fully visible, his vehicle was immobilized, and he was unarmed.

Six months later, many questions persist regarding the necessity of an armed response to the situation, the use of military grade weapons by police, and why Ofc. Arevalo has been sitting at home essentially on paid vacation, rather than being punished for his actions that day.

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