@futureghost @ghost We did. The listed orgs are as independent from the cops + as readily available to people as we could find.

@teslas_moustache @ghost Oh interesting! As of last year NSPL would still call the cops. Do you have info that that has changed? Which is not to say that it's a bad resource or shouldn't be on the list necessarily, but I think it's helpful for folks to know.

@futureghost @ghost And that was sort of a non-answer to your question. The reality is that the non-cop landscape is pretty bleak right now, which is why so much of the flyer talks about building solidarity in your community. Truth is, none of these orgs have a "don't call the cops" policy. But the ones *not* on the list have direct partnerships with the police.

@ghost @futureghost Early on it switched from finding people who wouldn't snitch on you, to finding people who were not literal cops and getting as far from the cops as possible.

@futureghost @ghost Ah crap. That's actually not the final. I only have a pdf of it. We added another one called Compassionate Ear: 913-281-2251

@teslas_moustache @ghost Heard. I mean, it is part of NSPL protocol to call the cops in some situations. I also worked at a crisis line that was part of the DV hotline network and that was specifically not in our protocol, so, for example, I would prioritize it as a resource over NSPL. But I also think NSPL is a helpful resource in many situations, I just hate to be like “don’t call the cops but call someone who might” ya know?

@teslas_moustache @ghost Interestingly, where I live, the best non-cop resource is a 24/7 mobile crisis team pretty much fully integrated into our public safety system (they are an NPO that contracts with the govt) so is dispatched by calling police non-emergency, which can still feel a bit close for comfort even though they are not at all cops and are generally really great. It’s all weird, basically.

@futureghost @ghost that's pretty cool

@teslas_moustache @ghost Also I don’t mean to criticize your doc for including NSPL at all, was genuinely wondering if something had changed that I didn’t know about. I think it’s great!

@futureghost @ghost thanks, yeah I was just worried that we fucked up because these flyers have already been distributed to hundreds of people. So I was like, 'how bad did we just fuck up?'

I mean, we tried.

@ghost @futureghost

Police departments have only limited, informal training on how to
de-escalate sensitive situations and they typically have a very
small number of registered social workers or medical
professionals (called "co-responders") on staff, if there are any
at all. And despite recent extreme funding increases for KCPD,
the number of officers has decreased by at least 8% since 2013.

As a result, response times have increased in some cases to
between 1 hour and 1 1I2 hours, even in cases of violent crimes.
With 149 homicides, 2017 was the deadliest year in KC since
1992.

But cops aren't just a threat to disabled people and the mentally
ill people. They're a threat to everyone in our communities. There
is a simple explanation for this: COPS ARE TRAINED KILLERS.

Every time you think of dialing 9-1-1, ask yourself "is this worth
someone's life?" If your friend ODs or your partner has a heart
attack, will an EMT arrive at your door with a medkit and a will to
help? Or will it be a cop with a license to kill or lock humans in
cages? If your neighbor shoots off fireworks in the middle of the
night, or their dog is barking, talk to them, ask them to stop. Your
neighbors are people, just like you.

Get to know them. Be a good
neighbor. Learn the needs and conditions of the people in your
community because it's their community too.

In order to make a life for ourselves without having to rely
on the cops, we need to start relying on each other. But
one of the biggest problems with the way society is
constructed is that we feel we have to put ourselves and
our families above everyone else. Work, school, and the
daily grind isolates us. But we can fight it in some very
simple ways. Here are some ideas for how to get to know
your neighbors.

-- If you live in an apartment, find common areas such as
dog parks or smoking areas, and be there even if you don't
have a dog or smoke.

-- Help them carry groceries or do yard work.

-- Potluck. Food is the great unifier

-- Start a text chain, email chain, or social media group and
add your neighbors to it. Call it something like
"Neighborhood Rapid Response". Signal is a good
messaging app if you have a smartphone. GroupMe works
with non-smartphones as well.

-- Add these numbers to your phone (even if you may not
encounter these problems personally, they could help
someone you know):
-National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
-Love Is Respect (Dating Abuse Hotline):
Call: 866-331-9474 txt: loveis to 22522
-National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
-Compassionate Ear: 913-281-2251
-National Drug Abuse Helpline: 1-877-899-9321

-If you have a companion animal that you need to keep
safe, but can't take with you, please call KC Pet Project:
call: 816-513-9821 email: contactkcpp@kcmo.org