Congressman Cohen’s Priorities Included in Justice in Policing Act
Led efforts to require sensitivity training, independent prosecutors, data collection on use of deadly force, and police body cameras
body cameras
MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee and Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, applauded introduction of the Justice in Policing Act. The bill incorporates his National Statistics on Deadly Force Transparency Act (H.R. 119), the Police CAMERA Act (H.R. 120), and Police Training and Independent Review Act (H.R. 125). Congressman Cohen has championed these bills for several years.
Congressman Cohen made the following statement:
"The Justice in Policing Act would take a significant step in improving policing in the United States and making it more equitable, and I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this critical legislation. Throughout my career, from my services as a state Senator to representing this community in Congress, I have fought to ensure our entire justice system is fair, transparent, and responsive to the needs of everyone equally. The job of the police is to protect and serve.
"The Justice in Policing Act incorporates several of my legislative proposals. It's beyond time to require that we have a centralized database of deadly force incidents involving law enforcement, which is in the bill. It integrates my bill, the Police Training and Independent Review Act (H.R.125) which creates grants for better police training and establishes a system for independent prosecutors to review incidents when a law enforcement officer uses deadly force. I am proud H.R. 125 had been previously endorsed by the NAACP. Additionally, the Justice in Policing Act includes several of my other proposals including police body cameras and overturning a misguided interpretation of civil rights law that made it nearly impossible to hold police officers accountable in federal court.
"The introduction of this bill is just the beginning. I plan to return to Washington for a House Judiciary Committee hearing on police accountability on Wednesday. Over the next several weeks, as Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, I plan to hold additional hearings on these issues, including qualified immunity and ‘no knock' warrants. Our country is literally crying out for reform."