Labor council demands justice for Alan Blueford\

The Alameda Central Labor Council passed the following resolution in support of Justice for Alan Blueford unanimously at its monthly delegates meeting Feb. 4. This followed unanimous approval by the council’s executive committee the previous Friday. Four member locals had passed the same resolution by their own bodies, prior to bringing it to the CLC: Service Employees Local 1021, International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 10, the Oakland Education Association, and Unite HERE 2850. Alan Blueford was killed on May 6, 2012, by Oakland police officer Miguel Masso. It was a clear case of racial profiling, with Alan’s only “guilt” being standing on a corner while Black. Alan’s family and the Justice for Alan Blueford Coalition have been waging a battle ever since to get the truth about what happened out and to have Officer Masso prosecuted for murder.

Whereas a Black person is killed by law enforcement once every 36 hours, per the Malcolm X Grass Roots Movement’s study;

Whereas the federal report monitoring the Oakland Police Department states that the Oakland Police Department pulls guns on Black and Latino people disproportionately to the number of times guns are pulled on whites;

Whereas two new reports by a federal monitor criticized the OPD’s handling of officer-involved shootings and Occupy Oakland protests;

Whereas Alan Blueford, an 18-year-old Black youth, who was about to graduate from Skyline High School, was killed by OPD Officer Masso on May 6;

Whereas OPD has provided at least four versions of what happened the night Alan Blueford was killed, including the claim that the Officer Masso was shot in a gun battle with Alan Blueford, when he later admitted that he shot himself in the foot;

Whereas the OPD:

A. Engaged in racial profiling and violated numerous OPD policies;

B. Engaged in a cover-up (made numerous false statements and repeatedly changed their story);

C. Showed complete disregard for the life of Alan Blueford and the dignity of the family;

D. Had the coroner’s report withheld from the family for three months and the police report for five months;

Whereas the coroner’s report reveals that Alan Blueford had no gun residue on his hands, no alcohol or drugs in his system, and implies that Alan Blueford was shot while lying on his back;

Whereas Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley declared she will not charge Officer Masso for the killing of Alan Blueford. Her report shows strong bias as, for example, relying on Masso’s statement that Alan was standing when he first shot him, despite 11 out of 12 witness statements to the contrary;

Therefore, be it resolved that the Alameda Labor Council pass a resolution seeking Justice for Alan Blueford and demand that the Federal Monitor and Compliance Director appointed by Judge Henderson take strong action against OPD including:

1. Stopping the OPD from racial and ethnic profiling and violence against people of color;

2. Instituting stricter background checks, training, apprehension and gun use policies within the OPD;

3. The firing of Officer Masso;

Further be it resolved that the Alameda Labor Council demand that the Alameda County District Attorney immediately charge Officer Masso with murder;

Finally be it resolved that the Alameda Labor Council send this resolution to U.S. District Court Judge Thelton Henderson, Alameda District Attorney Nancy O’Malley, ALC affiliates, the California Federation of Labor, and the AFL-CIO, for concurrence and action.