Debbie George Floyd, a Black man killed by a Minneapolis police officer, sparked nationwide protests and renewed calls for police reform. Democratic Representative Karen Bass and Senator Cory Booker worked to craft a bill that would make some changes, such as ending qualified immunity for law enforcement officers.
Use of Force
The killing of George Floyd ignited a mass movement that intensified calls for reform of police practices. The tragedy also re-energized the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which was introduced by Congressional Democrats shortly after Floyd’s death and would address police use of force, excessive use of force, and racial bias in policing.
The bill includes provisions such as requiring officers to apply non-violent means of regaining control of a situation before resorting to force and prohibiting the use of lethal force unless it is “necessary for law enforcement objectives, proportional to the nature of the intrusion on liberty, and in keeping with the community’s sense of justice.”
Further, the bill would require police departments to record detailed information on their use of force incidents through a statewide database. In addition, it would establish an affirmative duty to render medical aid to civilians injured in encounters with law enforcement officers and mandate that families of people killed by law enforcement be promptly notified.
Duty to Intervene
After Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin killed George Floyd, many communities have introduced regulations that require officers to intervene when they witness their colleagues engaging in wrongdoing. While these policies have some promise, they are unlikely to bring the fundamental changes communities are clamoring for. Despite restrictions on chokeholds and decertification processes, police departments still kill Black people at alarming rates.
The proposed George Floyd Justice in Policing Act aims to streamline the process of holding police officers accountable for their actions by mandating the use of body and car cameras by local law enforcement agencies. The act also seeks to prohibit the use of no-knock warrants, such as the one used in the case of Breonna Taylor in Louisville. Additionally, it would restrict the transfer of military weapons to law enforcement agencies. It would also require the creation of a national registry of police officer complaints. However, it is still being determined whether the bill could garner enough support in the Senate to avoid a filibuster.
Duty to Report
After the tragic murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, activists urged Congress to approve the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This proposed legislation addresses issues such as racial profiling, excessive use of force, and the militarization of local police departments.
It includes prohibitions on no-knock police raids like the one that killed Louisville front-line worker Breonna Taylor and created a national registry of officers disciplined for serious misconduct. It also provides federal grants to help communities establish commissions and task forces to study policing issues and make recommendations.
However, with Republicans still in control of the Senate, it is unlikely that the law will pass in its current form. The death of Tyre Nichols, whose beating was captured on video and stunned the nation, has renewed calls for a revamped version of the bill. Ben Crump, the family’s attorney, has said that Sheila Jackson Lee plans to reintroduce it after the State of the Union address.
Duty to Render Medical Aid
President Biden urges Congress to pass the George Floyd bill, which sets federal standards for police accountability, addresses racial bias, and enhances oversight of local police agencies.
If the bill passes, police officers must provide medical assistance to anyone shot by a fellow officer. This policy is already in place in several states.
The bill would also require law enforcement to exhaust all nonlethal means of de-escalation before using deadly force and make grants available to help departments buy body cameras for all officers. Finally, it would prohibit the transfer of military goods to local police departments. It’s unclear whether these provisions will move forward, however, since they require the support of 10 Republicans to pass.
Qualified Immunity
Amid a national crisis of police violence and distrust, people from all across the country are calling for change. They urge the Supreme Court to reconsider qualified immunity and seek reforms through state legislatures and ballot initiatives. Some of these initiatives have already led to positive changes, such as San Francisco establishing crisis response teams and Berkeley voting to limit police involvement in low-level traffic stops.
Others, such as the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, aim to address broader problems of policing by loosening immunity standards and creating grants for local governments to set up police oversight commissions and task forces. Regardless of the specific measures taken, the national conversation will likely continue to focus on the issue of qualified immunity. Once known only to civil rights lawyers and legal scholars, the obscure judicial doctrine now finds its way onto protest signs and headlines in newspapers and magazines nationwide.
Transfer of Military Goods
For the first time in nine years, Democrats have control of the House and Senate and can pass legislation without risking a filibuster by Republicans. This is a moment to act on the most significant reforms we can, including the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
It would roll back the discriminatory legal doctrine of qualified immunity and make it easier to bring civil rights cases against police officers who violate people’s constitutional rights. A proposal has been put forward to establish a nationwide database to record instances of police misconduct. Additionally, the use of chokeholds – responsible for George Floyd’s death – will be banned, alongside the implementation of no-knock warrants.
It would also limit transfers of military-grade equipment to local law enforcement and require transparency regarding federal funding. Because many state and local agencies are already struggling to meet the requirements of current federal grants, any new grants must provide incentives for compliance with these reporting and policy changes.
