Tokyo-Wednesday President Biden may issue a presidential order to reform federal police on the second anniversary of George Floyd’s death, who died after being handcuffed and anchored on the ground by Minneapolis police officers. It is expected. The problem said.
The order amended all federal agencies to revise military usage policies, create a national register of police officers dismissed for illegal activities, and use subsidies to strangle and ban state and local police. Most military equipment to law enforcement agencies, people said, tightening restrictions on. They asked for anonymity to discuss the details of the order before it was announced.
The White House and the Justice Department have been working on this order since last year when efforts were made to come up with a bipartisan compromise in the review of national policing. Failed in the Senate.. Mr Biden’s presidential directive is expected to be more restrictive than the bill and is a sign of a balancing act in which the president is trying to navigate criminal justice.
Floyd’s death and the nationwide protests it caused helped dramatically change public opinion on racial and political issues in the summer of 2020, but Republicans also made Democrats an enemy of law enforcement. Launched a political attack described as.
Even though the rise in violent crimes in some cities has become a Republican offensive line towards midterm elections, many progressive activists still want stronger restrictions and accountability measures against police.
But authorities believe the order that the final text is tightly held. After a previous draft was leaked earlier this yearGet some support from both activists and police.
Biden, expected to be in his first official action after returning from a diplomatic trip to South Korea and Japan this week, will sign a new presidential directive with Floyd’s relatives and police officers. It’s a schedule.
Police groups complained that when it was released in January, the White House gave them only a small chance of input, especially upset by some items in the previous 18-page draft meeting. They threatened to draw their support, Leads to a major reset of the process By the White House’s National Policy Council, led by Susan Rice.
Since then, the White House has worked more closely with police and Justice Ministry officials. Police have extensive experience crossing the boundaries between police reform and law enforcement operations, and the executive branch has increased its central position in criminal justice.
“The White House has built an important relationship with us and tried to listen to our concerns,” said Executive Director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a bipartisan think tank focused on police practices. Chuck Wechsler said. “This final presidential directive is substantially different from the original version, which has made a big difference to many of us in law enforcement.”
Mr Biden has repeatedly emphasized the message of investing rather than funding police — participating in a national debate on whether the government should give it. Police station Instead, provide more resources or spend money on mental health care and other social welfare.
According to those familiar with the final version, one of the changes reflected in the presidential directive centered around what to say about the criteria for using power.
The administration uses deadly power by federal law enforcement agencies “as a last resort in the absence of reasonable alternatives, in other words, only when necessary to prevent imminent serious physical injury or death.” Removed words that would allow you to do. Earlier versions also encouraged state and local police to adopt the same standards using federal discretionary grants.
Law enforcement officials complained that the standard allowed later inferences about officers’ decisions in emergencies.The final order is instead Ministry of Justice policy issued this week It states, “If the subject of such force has a reasonable belief that it poses an imminent risk of death or serious physical injury to the officer or others, the officer may shoot the suspect. No. “
Jim Pasco, executive director of the police brotherhood, thought the new use of force would “provide clearer and better guidance to police officers,” but hates risks so much that they can’t protect themselves. He said it would never happen. Others as needed.
“It’s neither a more rigorous issue nor a less rigorous one,” Pasco said. “It’s a matter of a better framework, and a better-constructed definition of the use of force.”
“It’s not a change in the ocean,” he added.
Woody Offer, Deputy Director of National Political Affairs of the American Civil Liberties Union, said he carefully supported the Justice Department’s policies and relied heavily on how they were implemented.
“The correct implementation of this standard is crucial to its success,” he said. “We have seen jurisdictions where officers still have strong standards for the use of deadly forces. Therefore, writing these words on paper is not enough. Bringing these words to life. To let them live and save lives, we need to change the culture and the whole spirit. “
The administration also includes guidance on screening for inherent biases between ranks and files, including those that potentially hold the view of white supremacists, according to those familiar with the matter.
Some provisions of the order will reinforce previous efforts by the Department of Justice, including requiring federal law enforcement agencies to wear body cameras. The order will also direct the government to expand data collection, including cases of the use of force nationwide, and will attempt to standardize and improve the qualifications of police agencies.
Katie Benner Contributed to the report from Washington.
