The ASUO senate unanimously passed a resolution against the University of Oregon Police Department, pointing to the department’s targeting of marginalized individuals as well as the university’s use of prison labor, at its March 10 weekly meeting. Senators from the Black Lives Matter committee authored the document.

The resolution calls upon UO to immediately disarm UOPD. It also asks that the university move to defund the UOPD and redirect money toward UO’s Indigenous, Race and Ethnic Studies department, Duck Rides, CAHOOTS and mental health resources for BIPOC students.

The resolution asks that the university disband UOPD as a sworn police force “with urgency” and transition back to an unarmed public safety department.

The resolution highlights that police forces — including UOPD — target BIPOC and other marginalized individuals and that UO budgeted nearly $7,441,000 for its police department during the 2020-21 fiscal year. It also condemns UO’s partnership with Oregon Correctional Enterprises and acknowledges that Black individuals are disproportionately represented in Oregon’s prison system. 

The resolution also asks UO to divest from prison labor and work to grow the Prison Education Program.

The document garnered a number of cosponsors, including the ASUO’s executive branch — who asked UO to defund UOPD during fall term — the Coalition Against Environmental Racism, the Black Male Alliance, the Oregon Student Association, the graduate student union and Disarm UO.

The UOPD and prison labor resolution is the second in a series of BLM committee resolutions that center the needs and protections of BIPOC students at UO. The first focused on resource accessibility for BIPOC students on campus.