Even though both political parties responded to the public’s protests and demands for equal treatment in the justice system, the parties responded in dissimilar ways and neither of their police reform bills were passed last week. This further highlights the polarization in Washington D.C.
“The senate deadlocked on the issue almost as quickly as it had vowed to act,” wrote LA Times columnist Doyle McManus on Sunday. “Now (Mitch) McConnell can either walk away from the issue—or he can try again, with a bigger dose of bipartisanship. But only one force can compel the Senate leader and his colleagues to move: loud, sustained pressure from the public.”
The U.S. Senate site suggests: “You can contact your senators by writing a letter or a message using your senator’s web contact form, by calling, or by visiting. All questions and comments regarding public policy issues, legislation, or requests for personal assistance should be directed to the senators from your state. Please be aware that as a matter of professional courtesy, many senators will acknowledge, but not respond to, a message from another senator’s constituent.”
A new, bipartisan measure related to police reform was put forth recently. U.S. Senators Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to limit the transfer of certain surplus military-grade equipment to local law enforcement agencies across the country.
This is similar to section 365 of the now-stalled Justice in Policing Act, which restricted the transfer of military equipment (primarily weapons and vehicles designed for combat).
The Harris-Schatz-Murkowski-Paul amendment places limitations on the Department of Defense’s 1033 program which authorizes the federal transfer of military equipment to state and local law enforcement agencies. The amendment will prohibit the transfer of tear gas, armor-piercing firearms and ammunition, bayonets, grenade launchers and grenades, combat tracked vehicles, and drones. This prohibition only applies to offensive equipment and does not prohibit the transfer of defensive equipment, such as body armor.
“It is time for our country to reimagine public safety in our communities,” said Harris. “Arming police officers with military weapons will not make us safer. Safe communities are healthy communities, and achieving healthy communities will require us to re-evaluate spending decisions, de-militarize local police departments, and invest in education, mental health, access to health care, job training, and affordable housing.”
Reports have shown that police militarization fails to reduce rates of violent crime or change the number of officers assaulted or killed. Instead, arming police departments with military equipment has led to an increase in officer-involved shootings and civilian deaths.
Its also been said that when police officers don riot gear, they change mindset in preparation for battle.
“I urge the Senate to pass this long-overdue reform,” Paul said.
In Sacramento, SB 731, the Kenneth Ross Jr. Police Decertification Act of 2020, would create a statewide process to automatically revoke the certification of a peace officer following the conviction of certain serious crimes or termination of employment due to specified misconduct. Locally, when the L.A. City Council’s special police reform committee meeting began this week, Councilman and Chair Herb Wesson called on his colleagues to make history. “Let’s let it take us as far as it can take us, if we’re serious about being impactful.”
Councilmember Marqueese Harris-Dawsom said the issue was deeply personal.
“As recently as January, I got pulled over by LAPD in my own district, and had to have an individual stand over me holding a gun in their holster, while they asked me to roll down my windows and do a whole host of things and asked me why I had a government car in this part of town,” he said.
