Support for Bill to Address Police Shootings Continues to Grow
Press Release
As a tragic week laced with deadly violence both against and by police draws to a close, support for a bill to help reform policing and restore trust continues to gain momentum in Congress. On Friday, the number of cosponsors of the Police Training and Independent Review Act (H.R. 2302) grew to 70.
"This week has been tragic," said Congressman Steve Cohen. "I grieve for the police officers who lost their lives in Dallas and my thoughts are with their families. I was a police legal advisor for more than three years and greatly respect the difficult and essential job that law enforcement does. We must have police to have an open and safe society."
"I also continue to grieve for the victims in Louisiana and Minnesota. We need a hearing in Congress and we need action. The Police Training and Independent Review Act would help reform policing and restore trust by having independent reviews for police shootings."
Congressman Cohen spoke on the House floor last night about the bill. Video is available here.
The Police Training and Independent Review Act would encourage states to use independent prosecutors to investigate and, if need be, prosecute instances of police use of deadly force. It would also provide improved training for police officers. The bill was introduced by Congressman Cohen along with Congressman Lacy Clay (D-MO) (whose district includes Ferguson, MO). It is supported by the NAACP and was endorsed by the Chicago Tribune.
The 70 cosponsors include Congressional Black Caucus Chairman G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) and House Judiciary Ranking Member John Conyers (D-MI), and John Lewis (D-GA).
Last year, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo began requiring the use of an independent prosecutor for police killings. See NY Times: Cuomo to Appoint Special Prosecutor for Killings by Police
Press coverage of the Police Training and Independent Review Act includes:
Chicago Tribune:
Police deadly force cases call for independent prosecutors
USA Today:
Lawmakers seek congressional hearing on police shootings
The Hill:
Calls mount for outside probes of police shootings
The New Republic:
Lawmakers are trying to fix what went wrong in the Tamir Rice case
UPI:
Democratic bill calling for independent reviews of fatal police shootings gaining support
The Hill:
House Dems: Use independent prosecutors for police shootings
ABC 7 Chicago (WLS-TV):
Deadly force dilemma: When should prosecutors step aside?
H.R. 2302 addresses a key recommendation included in President Obama's Taskforce on 21st Century Policing's final report: (See Action Item 2.2.3 in http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/taskforce/TaskForce_FinalReport.pdf -- on p. 21 of the final report):
"2.2.3 Action Item:
The task force encourages policies that mandate the use of external and independent prosecutors in cases of police use of force resulting in death, officer-involved shootings resulting in injury or death, or in-custody deaths.
Strong systems and policies that encourage use of an independent prosecutor for reviewing police uses of force and for prosecution in cases of inappropriate deadly force and in-custody death will demonstrate the transparency to the public that can lead to mutual trust between community and law enforcement."
Source