Garret Ean will soon join the nine-city, four-month Police Accountability Tour that aims to get folks on the ground better-connected, to share and facilitate the exchange of ideas and practices related to police accountability, and to ultimately erode the plague of police statism.
Garret is stepping-in for Jacob Crawford, who co-founded the tour with me a few months back based on discussions we had during the spring and while at PorcFest in June.
Jacob, a longtime Bay-area copwatcher who started WeCopwtach.org and who a decade ago made These Streets Are Watching, the first know your rights video using on the street (not dramatized) footage, needs to focus his attention on some police accountability efforts specific to the Bay.
All is good between Jacob and me. I learned in his presence, and appreciate his pre-tour efforts and involvement in Austin, NYC, Cape Town, South Africa, and Oakland stops of the tour. There’s mutual respect and we’ll continue to converse and collaborate.
[note: stay tuned for thoughts about the tour from Jacob and myself]
Aware of Jacob’s pending departure, I thought about options and found myself contemplating three scenarios:
- to discontinue the tour – I believe the tour thus far has been effective. Good connections and content were created. Deliverables for sponsors (5sec ads at the beginning of videos created) were satisfied. Going this route would allow me to pursue other endeavors that are believed to create value, such as the creation of primer resources and of high-caliber videos, a revamp of the website, cultivation and strengthening of networks, etc. However, lots of value – the things specific to the tour model – would be missed.
- to continue the tour solo – Most of the logistics and infrastructure of this tour are already done. When solo I visited with folks in two dozen towns with The Cop Block Tour, so I have some grasp on what to expect when traveling in this capacity with these aims. The only real con is the opportunity cost – if on the road I can’t at the same time pursue another endeavor, such as those mentioned with option#1, with as much attention.
- to continue the tour with a second person – A second person would bring enormous value, not just just in terms of the extra capacity – networking, video output, etc. – but due to the fact that an informed, creative perspective would be involved in the process. The cons would be more costs when compared to option#2 (due to food and tranpo, though those costs had been expected when the tour was planned), and a learning curve, both for the new person – getting used to the tour lifestyle, in which most of each day is spent involved with tour-related things, and for that person and myself – from the connectivity of devices and workflow to just getting along well
I concluded that the third option would be preferred (if you’re going to do something strive to do it better), provided that second person be someone solid, with videography and related multimedia skills, and the ability to spend a month on the road.
I thought about folks I’ve encountered at various stages in my journey who might fit that bill. Unsurprising, Cop Block founder Ademo Freeman, who I was on the road with during Liberty On Tour in 2011 and 2010 and Motorhome Diaries in 2009, would be an excellent addition, but he’s now busy with the Laconia, NH-based Suns of Liberty Mint (who I’m glad to say is sponsor of the Police Accountability Tour).
The next person I thought of who fit the criteria was Garret Ean. I’ve known Garret for years and have respected and appreciated his efforts. His work ethic, creativity, use of humor, and intellectual rigor are quality.
I reached out to Garret and inquired of his interest to join the tour and I’m happy to say that 
he’s now slated to join the tour in late October in Detroit, and travel from there to Chicago, Atlanta, and in late November in New Orleans!
[Thanks to others involved with the Keenevention who will step-up in Garret’s absence to cover areas he was slated to address]
I asked Garret to put-together a short bio so folks who hadn’t yet had the chance to connect with him could learn a bit more about him.
Garret has had an interest in police accountability since the time he was contemplating entering law enforcement through college. After concluding that the monopolistic protection services offered by the state could and often do harm more people than it claims to help, he opted out of trying to fix the broken system from within and instead found the videocamera to be the most effective tool for attaining justice. Video evidence captured by a third party helped Garret successfully defend himself against two disorderly conduct charges levied against him following the Manchester NH police’s Chalking 8 incident.
After moving to Keene from his native Concord, Garret and other friends picked up the torch on Robin Hooding parking meter activism, where a coordinated effort is made to keep occupied parking meters in compliance to prevent the issuance of expired meter citations. Robin Hooding has attracted global attention and raised legal questions about the people’s right to interact with and film government employees in response to a pending lawsuit filed against many Robin Hooders by the Keene city government. Garret has been involved with Keene Cop Block and is presently developing Keene Peaceful Streets with a wider focus on community crime prevention. You can find the varied content Garret shares with the world, from weekly videos to articles and graphics, at his website FreeConcord.org, as well as his numerous YouTube channels FreeConcordTV, Fr33manTVraw, and AquaKeene.
MORE WITH GARRET
- All posts at FreeConcord.org by Garret
- YouTube.com/AquaKeene
- YouTube.com/Fr33manTVRaw
- YouTube.com/FreeConcordTV
- NATO Summit Chicago – Illustrated Interview
- NH Bureaucrats Conspire to Censor Garret Ean
- Garret “Robin Hood” Ean Talks Activism to Peace News Now
- Who is Officer Pelliccia?
- Chalk the Police Keene on Shire TV
- Free Lemonade Meets Resistance From Farmers’ Market President (and police)
- Eight Arrested at Manchester, NH Pro-Police Accountability Rally
- Detained For Being Out At Night
- All posts at CopBlock.org tagged with “Garret Ean”
Stay tuned for more about and with Garret – he’ll join the tour on the ground in late October in Detroit!
If you’re within a couple hours of Detroit join Garret and myself, area Copblockers, folks active with the Michigan Peace and Liberty Coalition, and many others on Monday, Oct. 28th, 7:00-9:00pm at a meetup hosted at the Threat Management Center 6440 Wight St, Detroit, MI 48207
https://facebook.com/events/541535369253783
[Learn more about the Threat Management Center – Dale Brown of Detroit-based Threat Management Center is On-Point]
