National Politics
George Floyd’s death needs to be met with nationwide police reform, Vern Buchanan says
Nationwide police reform is required after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, according to U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, but he doesn’t agree with Democrats on which steps to take.
Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, announced his support for the JUSTICE Act, a Republican bill that would provide funding for body cameras and de-escalation training and ban the use of chokeholds by state and local law enforcement officers.
“Our elected leaders at all levels need to come together and reassure people that their voices will be heard and the issue of racial justice and excessive police force will be addressed,” Buchanan said in a statement. “I’m hopeful that bipartisan action will be taken to ensure that every American receives equal treatment under the law.”
The JUSTICE Act bill would allocate $500 million for all state and local officers to equip themselves with body cameras, require law enforcement agencies to share their officers’ disciplinary records with other departments during the hiring process and require agencies to produce an annual report on the use of force and no-knock warrants.
Democrats have their own version of a police reform bill that goes a bit further than the JUSTICE Act. Earlier this month, Democratic lawmakers unveiled a plan that bans some no-knock warrants, makes it easier to sue an officer and allows the Justice Department to investigate a local department.
President Donald Trump previously said he’s open to most of the changes that Democrats suggest but declined to get rid of the qualified immunity legal protections that prevent officers from being sued.
State Rep. Margaret Good, D-Sarasota, who is challenging Buchanan in the general election in November, is also in favor of police reform. In a statement released shortly after Floyd’s death, she called for more diversity and transparency into how police departments review use-of-force incidents.
“We must do better and that means all of us, regardless of race or cultural background,” Good said. “Together, we must address the systemic and institutionalized racism that creates a culture of brutality against and incarceration of people of color and finally end this.”
Buchanan’s co-sponsorship of the JUSTICE Act comes after weeks of local protests in the wake of Floyd’s death. He also said he would support funding for independent investigations into unnecessary use of deadly force, mandatory racial bias training and limiting the transfer of certain military equipment to law officers.
Marchers with Black Lives Matter and other civil rights organizations urged local officials to adopt policies that hold officers accountable for misconduct. Congress is expected to vote on the JUSTICE Act next week.
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