Graphic shows key proposals in the bill.
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CRIME

U.S. Democrats unveil police reform bill

By Jordi Bou

June 9, 2020 - Democrats in Congress have proposed sweeping legislation to address racial injustice in U.S. policing and make it easier to prosecute officers for misconduct.

The Justice in Policing Act of 2020 was introduced on June 8 by top Democratic lawmakers House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, African-American senators Kamala Harris and Cory Booker and members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

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 incidents and bans police choke holds, among other changes that, if enacted, would have massive implications on policing in the United States.

Top Republicans, including President Donald Trump, rejected the Democrats’ proposals, accusing the party of wanting to “defund” and “abolish” the police.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 09/06/2020; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Getty Images
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