Democrats in Congress are proposing an overhaul of police procedures and accountability after the mass protests over the deaths of black Americans at the hand of law enforcement.
The Justice in Policing Act is among the most ambitious law enforcement reforms from Congress in years and confronts several aspects of policing that have come under strong criticism, especially as more and more police violence is captured on cellphone video and shared across the nation and the world.
The package limits legal protections for police, creates a national database of excessive-force encounters and bans police choke holds, among other changes. The changes, if enacted, would have massive implications on policing in the U.S. It’s not clear whether the legislation will pass, especially in an election year and amid calls to “defund the police” and growing protests. President Donald Trump has tried to set himself up as a “law and order” leader and has criticized the package, claiming Democrats have “gone CRAZY.”
Today on AirTalk, we weigh the pros and cons of the legislation with a group of experts. Do you have questions or thoughts? Join the conversation by calling 866-893-5722.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Melanie L. Campbell, president and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP), a civil rights and social justice organization “dedicated to increasing civic engagement, economic and voter empowerment in Black America; NCBCP is one of the major civil rights organizations supporting the Justice in Policing Act of 2020
Eugene O’Donnell, professor of law and police science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice; former NYPD officer and former prosecutor in Kings County, New York
Tommy Tunson, PhD, retired chief of police in California with 30 years experience in law enforcement