The “CAREN Act” (Caution Against Racially Exploitative Non-Emergencies) was introduced on Tuesday at a San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting by Supervisor Shamann Walton.
The ordinance’s name is a twist on “Karen,” the name social media gives people making racially biased 911 calls.
And it’s not just “Karen.” There are also names like “Becky,” which has also come to symbolize a stereotype of whiteness. A “Karen” is generally defined as someone who throws a tantrum at a Starbucks. Who asks to speak to the manager over the slightest inconvenience. Who uses tears to get what she wants. It’s also someone who calls the police on black people for, say, asking that they leash their dog in Central Park.
The term has people divided. Some have said it’s sexist. Others say it’s a placeholder for speaking about the casual racism and privilege exhibited by some white women.
The ordinance is similar to the statewide AB 1550 bill introduced by California Assemblyman Rob Bonta, making it unlawful and accountable for a caller to “fabricate false racially biased emergency reports.”.
“Using 911 as a tool for your prejudice towards marginalized communities is unjust and wrong!” Bonta tweeted.
Excited to announce our partnership with Supervisor @shamannwalton ! Today, we unveiled our two-prong strategy to join forces and stop discriminatory 911 calls: #AB1550 and the #CARENAct. Using 911 as a tool for your prejudice towards marginalized communities is unjust and wrong! pic.twitter.com/NBfBaLe6x2
— Rob Bonta (@RobBontaCA) July 7, 2020
Racially motivated 911 calls aren’t a new occurrence across the country, in spite of a recent uptick following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed in police custody in Minneapolis.
Just a few weeks ago, a White hotel employee in North Carolina called the police on a guest, a Black woman and her children, who were using the hotel’s swimming pool. And in May, a White woman called 911 on a Black man who was birdwatching in New York’s Central Park.
Though making a false police report is a misdemeanor or felony offense in many states, including California, accountability is lacking for making racially biased calls to law enforcement.
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