Learn about M.O.R.E’s initiatives, campaigns, and projects and where they currently stand!
Updates are shared on our news page but you can also receive them directly as emails when you subscribe to our newsletter.
Justice Reform Committee
The Justice Reform Committee works to identify systemic racist policies in our local government and policing policies, and advocates to enact anti-racist and racial justice initiatives. We aim to become a collaborative body with the Mt. Lebanon Commissioners and, if necessary, a pressure group to push the commission into action.
The JRC meets biweekly on Sundays. Join the JRC!
Research shows that police departments that adopt a policy of transparency can lead to more trust and support between them and the people they serve, especially people of color. M.O.R.E believes an important step toward police transparency would be for the Mt. Lebanon Police Department to publicly release their Use of Force policy.
- August 29, 2020: The JRC meets with Mt. Lebanon Commissioners to discuss police transparency and the Mt. Lebanon Police Department’s Use of Force policy.
- September 25, 2020: Mt. Lebanon Police Chief Aaron Lauth and Mt. Lebanon’s Ward 2 Commissioner Steve Silverman confirm to the JRC that they will release their Use of Force policy in December 2020.
- December 24, 2020: The JRC followed up with the MLPD and Chief Lauth’s response was that they were no longer committed to public release and further conversations will be delayed until Spring 2021.
- January 30, 2021: Mt. Lebanon launches their new Ad-Hoc DEI Committee with a dedicated Police Engagement working group.
- February 18, 2021: M.O.R.E’s Steering Committee asked the Mt. Lebanon Commissioners to sign a pledge in January, to which they responded with a non-committal answer. M.O.R.E issues a call to action to garner public support to encourage the Commissioners into a simple, on the record commitment.
- February 23, 2021: Members of M.O.R.E made public comments at the Mt. Lebanon Commission meeting in support of publicly releasing the MLPD’s Use of Force policy.
- March 17, 2021: With the Minutes of the February 23, 2021 Adjourned Meeting of the Mt. Lebanon Commission now publicly available, M.O.R.E publishes the Commission’s official response saying that, “once a [use of force] policy is implemented, it will be made available to the public.”
- May 14, 2021: An email from Commissioner Leeann Foster announces that all policing policies will be publicly available on a website by early September, including the new Use of Force policy.
- August 8, 2021: Commissioner Andrew Flynn announces that all policing policies will be publicly available on MtLebanonPD.org on September 1, 2021, including the new Use of Force policy.
- September 1, 2021: The Mt. Lebanon Police Department Policy Manual is publicly published on their website, including the new Use of Force policy.
Recent news articles were published exposing Pittsburgh police officers that have been expressing transphobic and racist sentiments in a Facebook group. M.O.R.E wants reassurance that the MLPD hires officers of integrity. Transparency around the MLPD’s policies on its personnel’s social media usage is yet another step toward rebuilding community trust.
- April 20, 2021: The JRC issues an open letter to Mt. Lebanon Police Chief Aaron Lauth and the Mt. Lebanon Commission to request a copy of the MLPD’s policy regarding police personnel and social media activities.
- May 14, 2021: An email from Commissioner Leeann Foster announces that all policing policies will be publicly available on a website by early September, including their Social Media policy.
- August 8, 2021: Commissioner Andrew Flynn announces that all policing policies will be publicly available on MtLebanonPD.org on September 1, 2021, including the new Use of Force policy.
- September 1, 2021: The Mt. Lebanon Police Department Policy Manual is publicly published on their website, including the new Use of Force policy.
M.O.R.E acknowledges that not everyone has the bandwidth for doing the mental labor required for developing an informed opinion around elections. We want to our community by doing this work and share the results for like-minded individuals to take advantage of it come election day.
- April 16, 2021: The JRC conducted a straw poll for this year’s Primary Election.
- April 28, 2021: All of M.O.R.E was invited to a special edition of the JRC meeting to discuss the straw poll’s results.
- May 7, 2021: The results of the straw poll and discussion are publicly announced and a printable PDF is made available for those that wish to take it with them to the polls.
Anti-Racism Education Committee
The Anti-Racism Education Committee (AREC) is a group of educated people working to write articles, create videos, share infographics, and find ways to provide anti-racist education to anyone who wants to do their part. AREC covers topics including implicit bias, white privilege, systemic racism, and more.
AREC meets monthly on the third Sunday of every month. Join AREC!
Members of our Anti-Racism Education Committee are currently working on a project to increase awareness and education on the concept of community policing. Since Mt. Lebanon is a walking community, one aspect of this project includes yard signs! Check back soon for when they’re available on how to get yours.
What is Community Policing?
- Engages all community members in meaningful decision-making, implementation, and evaluation of departmental policies, practices, and priorities.
- Police leaders value community perspectives, especially of those most impacted by policing.
- Emphasizes prevention and problem-solving over arrests and criminalization.
- Promotes fair and equal treatment of all community members and judicious use of resources to promote public safety rather than criminalize minor offenses.
Continue Learning
Additional articles and resources about community policing.
- New Era of Public Safety: An Advocacy Toolkit for Fair, Safe, and Effective Community Policing (PDF)
- Donna DiNardo, “Defunding the Police Might Keep Grandma Out of Handcuffs” (Oct. 31, 2020). M.O.R.E.
- President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. 2015. Final Report of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing (PDF) Washington, DC: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
Some members are organizing events to help white parents and caregivers to build skills in raising race-conscious children by amplifying tools that have been created by experts. Our goals include normalizing these kinds of ongoing discussions with their kids about race through peer-to-peer support and learning and increase engagement with M.O.R.E and other racial justice community-based organizations.
- May 23, 2021: AREC’s first story-time event was held in Bird Park led by local second grade teacher, Megan Williams. It was a massive success with roughly 80 people!
Check back soon for when these programs will be offered! Be sure to follow us on Facebook or subscribe to our newsletter to receive these announcements.
Members of our Anti-Racism Education Committee (AREC) have been collecting educational resources on anti-racism to assist families in having age-appropriate discussions in addition to self-education.
You can also check out our collection of educational articles surrounding anti-racism written and curated by our members of AREC.
Steering Committee
M.O.R.E is led by a Steering Committee made up of local Mt. Lebanon residents that oversee the activities of all committees by providing guidance and direction in accordance with our mission and vision.
The Steering Committee meets on Mondays. Join the Steering Committee!
Mt. Lebanon finally started recognizing the need for social change and the municipality started putting their own Ad-hoc Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee together in October 2020. M.O.R.E believes we can be an important resource to assist the committee and its working groups in reaching its goals.
- January 30, 2021: M.O.R.E announces that we intend on supporting the members of Mt. Lebanon’s new Ad-hoc DEI Committee.
- February 26, 2021: M.O.R.E questions Mt. Lebanon’s Ad-hoc DEI Committee’s ability to be successful, observes that they’re tokenizing their members of color, and receives reports of their members feeling unsafe and less important than the police officers in attendance.
When we talk about systemic racism, that includes our government on all levels. For real, lasting change to happen, M.O.R.E believes it is important to share education on how and why our government and judicial branch function in addition to how they are inherently racist so racial justice advocates can be more successful in their work.
- October 14, 2020: Police Reform Legislation Update featuring Pennsylvania State Representatives Jordan Harris and Dan Miller.
- November 17, 2020: From Protest to Policy featuring Heather Arnet.
- February 9, 2021: Why Good Magistrates Matter featuring MAN-E and Swain Uber.
- March 11, 2021: Why the Courts of Common Pleas Matter featuring President Judge Kim Berkeley Clark and Angharad Grimes Stock.
- March 22, 2021 – May 10, 2021: An 8-part series called Real Talk on Our Courts by the Grassroots Justice of the South Hills.
Learn more about which political candidates M.O.R.E officially endorses.
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