The Leadership Conference Welcomes the Reintroduction of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rachel Hooper, [email protected] 

WASHINGTON — Jesselyn McCurdy, executive vice president for government affairs at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, released the following statement on the reintroduction of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in the House:

“Almost four years after the murder of George Floyd, our nation continues to need meaningful change and a transformation of policing policies and practices. We appreciate the efforts of lawmakers to reintroduce the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. The Leadership Conference welcomes the reintroduction of legislation that is aimed at holding police accountable, improving transparency, and empowering our communities.

“We believe there are opportunities to strengthen some of the bill’s provisions, including those on ‘no-knock’ warrants and police militarization. We also believe any police reform legislation must be accompanied by policies providing the necessary investments in initiatives that strengthen communities and prevent violence through evidence-based, non-carceral programs that approach community safety through the lens of public health.

“For years, elected officials and policymakers have made our communities less safe by upholding outdated policies that have led to the targeting of Black and Brown people by law enforcement, as well as furthering mass incarceration and perpetuating a history of structural racism and anti-Blackness in this country. We cannot arrest or imprison our way to safety. We must instead build safety by implementing proven prevention strategies and investing in the actual communities suffering from violence and in the resources and systems that make all communities thrive.”

Read The Leadership Conference’s May 21, 2024 letter to Congress welcoming the reintroduction of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, as well as noting the opportunity to strengthen the bill and articulating our overarching vision for affirmative investments in community safety.

For more information about how to engage, educate, and empower communities to transform the criminal-legal system and reimagine public safety, visit our Vision for Justice policy platform at visionforjustice.org.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 240 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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