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Title: Baltimore Police Department Grooming Policy Post by: Still_an_Empress on January 01, 2007, 08:40:24 PM I don't know if anyone posted information regarding this yet, I came across the article while visiting http://www.naani.com... Please read, and if compelled, sign the petition....
THE EXACT WEBSITE IS: http://www.petitiononline.com/baltpd/petition.html To: Baltimore Police Department & City Council We are shocked and appalled at the decision by the Baltimore Police Department to implement a grooming policy which widely discriminates against people of African descent. The policy states the following: General Order C-12, Professional Appearance Standards, effective from 1 January 2007 • “Extreme or fad hairstyles are PROHIBITED, including but not limited to: cornrows, mohawks, dreadlocks, and twists, as well as designs or sculptures using the hair and/or cut into the hair.” We take offense at the description of our hair in its natural texture as “extreme” and “fad”. The implementation of this policy will give women 3 choices: 1. Straighten their natural hair so they can wear it in European styles; 2. Completely cover their hair by wearing a European-style weave; 3. Shave their hair off and keep it extremely close cut or remain bald. Our afro-textured hair and the methods we use to style our hair in a neat and tidy fashion, such as in twists, groomed locs or cornrows are styles we have used to maintain our type of hair for centuries. Because of the natural afro-texture of our hair, these styles are the best suited to maintaining the healthy state and appearance of our natural hair. We have also been advised that afros are now also prohibited because they “do not conform to the head.” By implementing this policy, you have committed the following offenses: 1. You have effectively said that the natural hair texture of the Black Race (or people of African descent) is NOT ACCEPTABLE unless it is worn straightened, or in a straight style, like the hair of Europeans or Asians. It is acceptable only if it is covered by a hair weave which mimics the hair of Europeans or Asians or is worn in a European style. 2. You are trying to force people to use unhealthy practices like relaxing their hair and using high heat straightening in order to conform to this standard. 3. You are contributing to the belief that African American hair is inferior to European hair. 4. You have caused considerable stress among those affected by this policy by threatening sanctions against people who wish to maintain their hair in its natural state. We state this policy for what it is. It is a short-sighted, discriminatory policy, formed either out of ignorance or racism, directed at people of African descent in order to force them to conform to European hair standards. Those standards relate to maintaining what the Baltimore PD considers a superior genetic characteristic of the White race over the Black race. BALTIMORE POLICE DEPT CONTACT: Police Commissioner Leonard Hamm Baltimore Police Department 242 West 29th Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21211-2908 BALTIMORE CITY COUNCIL CONTACTS: President Sheila Dixon Room 400, City Hall 100 N. Holliday St. Baltimore, MD 21202 410-396-4804 sdixon@baltimorecitycouncil.com Vice-President Stephanie Rawlings Blake Room 516, City Hall 100 N. Holliday St. Baltimore, MD 21202 410-396-4832 srawlings@baltimorecitycouncil.com 1st District James B. Kraft Room 505, City Hall 100 N. Holliday St. Baltimore, MD 21202 410-396-4821 jkraft@baltimorecitycouncil.com 2nd District Nicholas D'Adamo, Jr. Room 525, City Hall 100 N. Holliday St. Baltimore, MD 21202 410-396-4808 ndadamo@baltimorecitycouncil.com 3rd District Robert Curran Room 553, City Hall 100 N. Holliday St. Baltimore, MD 21202 410-396-4812 rcurran@baltimorecitycouncil.com 4th District Kenneth N. Harris, Sr. Room 503, City Hall 100 N. Holliday St. Baltimore, MD 21202 410-396-4830 kharris@baltimorecitycouncil.com 5th District Rochelle "Rikki" Spector Room 521, City Hall 100 N. Holliday St. Baltimore, MD 21202 410-396-4819 rspector@baltimorecitycouncil.com 6th District Stephanie Rawlings Blake Room 516, City Hall 100 N. Holliday St. Baltimore, MD 21202 410-396-4832 srawlings@baltimorecitycouncil.com 7th District Belinda Conaway Room 548, City Hall 100 N. Holliday St. Baltimore, MD 21202 410-396-4810 bconaway@baltimorecitycouncil.com 8th District Helen Holton Room 518, City Hall 100 N. Holliday St. Baltimore, MD 21202 410-396-4818 hholton@baltimorecitycouncil.com 9th District Agnes Welch Room 532, City Hall 100 N. Holliday St. Baltimore, MD 21202 410-396-4815 awelch@baltimorecitycouncil.com 10th District Edward Reisinger Room 504, City Hall 100 N. Holliday St. Baltimore, MD 21202 410-396-4822 ereisinger@baltimorecitycouncil.com 11th District Keiffer Jackson Mitchell Room 527, City Hall 100 N. Holliday St. Baltimore, MD 21202 410-396-4816 kmitchell@baltimorecitycouncil.com 12th District Bernard "Jack" Young Room 509, City Hall 100 N. Holliday St. Baltimore, MD 21202 410-396-4811 byoung@baltimorecitycouncil.com 13th District Paula Johnson Branch Room 511, City Hall 100 N. Holliday St. Baltimore, MD 21202 410-396-4829 pbranch@baltimorecitycouncil.com 14th District Mary Pat Clarke Room 550, City Hall 100 N. Holliday St. Baltimore, MD 21202 410-396-4814 mclarke@baltimorecitycouncil.com SIGN THE PETITION @ http://www.petitiononline.com/baltpd/petition.html Title: Re: Baltimore Police Department Grooming Policy Post by: Ras_Nevoe on February 09, 2007, 10:37:33 AM To be honest I kinda support that idea. As long as it is limited to the police department, it is fine by me. Although it is offensive to most, i personally get more offended when I see "Babylon" wearing locks, makes me sick. I can remember being arrested by a "dread" cop and this fool had the nerves to be sing Bob Marley's song "Who The Cap Fits" while he was processing me. I can see where it offends the I's, but to I it is OK as long as they don't try to make this policy in all workplaces in general.
RAS NEVOE Title: Re: Baltimore Police Department Grooming Policy Post by: Still_an_Empress on February 14, 2007, 10:17:58 AM The grooming policy goes way beyond locks.
Title: Re: Baltimore Police Department Grooming Policy Post by: Ras_Nevoe on February 15, 2007, 10:46:43 PM you missed my point. I don't really care if the policy said they can't wear their black skins. The point is that as long as this policy is only applicable to the police department, it's fine by me. I don't care for a black cop or any cop, the same way a black cop or any cop don't care for me. SIMPLE!
ARE YOU A COP?..be honest! Title: Re: Baltimore Police Department Grooming Policy Post by: Still_an_Empress on February 19, 2007, 10:35:05 AM No I am not a cop...I understand your lack of concern, because this policy was currently only limited to babylon, My point of posting this is what's to stop this from being implemented into other organizations, or every type of government job, if no one objects to this now. It's a racist policy, regardless of what department it's in, and once racism is condoned, it's more likely to spread.
No Conformity in Babylon, and watch how soon it gone fall Title: Re: Baltimore Police Department Grooming Policy Post by: Ras_Nevoe on February 19, 2007, 11:32:12 PM No I am not a cop...I understand your lack of concern, because this policy was currently only limited to babylon, My point of posting this is what's to stop this from being implemented into other organizations, or every type of government job, if no one objects to this now. Yes, I understand and agree, if we allow babylon to do it once, he will get embolden and try his luck again and again. |