Public statement Calling on the Removal of Police Enforcement from Vision Zero Chicago

On Monday, November 8, 2021, Equiticity President & CEO Olatunji Oboi Reed provided public comments (5:00 timestamp) at the Chicago City Council’s Committee on Pedestrian & Traffic Safety, with regards to our advocacy position calling for the removal of enforcement from Vision Zero Chicago and establishing a racially equitable traffic safety framework.

Here are Mr. Reed’s public comments in full

Hello Chairman Burnett and Aldermanic members of this committee. 

My name is Oboi. Olatunji Oboi Reed. I am the founding President & CEO of The Equiticity Racial Equity Movement. In case anyone wants to discuss my comments in more detail, my phone number is 773-916-6264.

Equiticity is calling on the members of this committee and the full city council to pass an equitable traffic safety ordinance, which formally removes enforcement from both Chicago’s Vision Zero plan and all related traffic safety frameworks.

Why is this necessary?

First, the root cause of traffic violence disproportionately impacting Black and Brown people, is structural racism, as are all injustices experienced by our communities.

Second, the Chicago Police Department is a rogue, out of control institution, which is racist, abusive, and corrupt. For years they’ve refused to answer adequately to a court enforced consent decree. In January of 2017, the United States Department of Justice uncovered rampant civil rights abuses at CPD. Newspapers of record, here in Chicago and around the country, found ample evidence of why I consider CPD an irreparably broken and fatally flawed institution running roughshod in the city we love.

Third, the research shows, and there's consensus among equity- and justice-centered transportation planners, engineers, researchers, and advocates, that the most effective tools to reduce traffic violence is re-engineering our streets and implementing a comprehensive, far reaching marketing strategy which is all parts cultural, contextual, and compelling. 

For these three reasons and more, we do not leave a commitment to racial equity and equitable traffic safety to bureaucrats with good hearts. Good hearts and warm bodies come and go. Goofy smiles and awkward handshakes come and go. Shifting political winds come and go. 

We legislate a commitment to racial equity and equitable traffic safety. 

The City Council serves as the legislative body of our city’s government. We respectfully request the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety, as well as the full City Council, pass an equitable traffic safety ordinance, which formally removes enforcement from Chicago’s Vision Zero plan and from all related traffic safety frameworks.

They call me Oboi and my number is 773-916-6264, in case anyone wants to discuss this matter in more detail. 

My comments in full will be up on the Equiticity website later today.

Thank you Chairman and thank you Aldermanic members of the Committee. 

Now, turn on the Power, and let Equity flow.