Surge in Support in Congress for Police Training and Independent Review Act After Police Shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – In the wake of the police shootings of Alton Sperling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota, there has been a surge in support in Congress for a bill to help reform policing and restore trust. The number of cosponsors of the Police Training and Independent Review Act (H.R. 2302) has grown from 62 cosponsors before the shooting of Alton Sterling on July 5^th to 93 cosponsors today.

“I am encouraged by the recent surge in support for the Police Training and Independent Review Act,” said Congressman Cohen. “We have a real problem in this country when it comes to the relationship between police and the African American community. People aren’t marching in the streets because they think the system is fair. We need reform. As the Freddie Gray case in Baltimore has shown, problems arise in the relationship between local prosecutors and local law enforcement. Asking a local prosecutor to investigate the same local police with whom he or she works so closely on a daily basis is an obvious conflict of interest. Even if the prosecutor does everything right, the action can still appear biased. In Baton Rouge, the local prosecutor recused himself from the Alton Sterling case. In Minnesota, Philando Castille’s mother called for an independent prosecutor for her son’s case. It’s the right thing to do. That’s why we are seeing growing support for our bill.”

The Police Training and Independent Review Act would encourage states to use independent prosecutors to investigate and, if need be, prosecute instances of police use of deadly force. It would also encourage states to provide improved training for police officers. The bill was introduced by Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) along with Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (MO-01) (whose district includes Ferguson, MO). It is supported by the NAACP and was endorsed by the Chicago Tribune.

The 93 cosponsors include Congressional Black Caucus Chairman G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairwoman Linda Sanchez (D-CA), House Judiciary Ranking Member John Conyers (D-MI) and civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis (D-GA).

Last year, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo began requiring the use of an independent prosecutor for police killings. See NY Times: Cuomo to Appoint Special Prosecutor for Killings by Police

Press coverage of the Police Training and Independent Review Act includes:

Chicago Tribune Editorial:
Police deadly force cases call for independent prosecutors

USA Today:
Lawmakers seek congressional hearing on police shootings

NBC News:
Tense Relations Between Cops, Prosecutors Fall Out From Freddie Gray Cases

Christian Science Monitor:
Would independent prosecutors make police shooting investigations fairer?

The Hill:
Calls mount for outside probes of police shootings

The New Republic:
Lawmakers are trying to fix what went wrong in the Tamir Rice case

UPI:
Democratic bill calling for independent reviews of fatal police shootings gaining support

The Hill:
House Dems: Use independent prosecutors for police shootings

ABC 7 Chicago (WLS-TV):
Deadly force dilemma: When should prosecutors step aside?

H.R. 2302 addresses a key recommendation included in President Obama’s Taskforce on 21st Century Policing’s final report: (See Action Item 2.2.3 in https://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/taskforce/TaskForce_FinalReport.pdf -- on p. 21 of the final report):

“2.2.3 Action Item:

The task force encour­ages policies that mandate the use of external and independent prosecutors in cases of police use of force resulting in death, officer-involved shootings resulting in injury or death, or in-custody deaths.

Strong systems and policies that encourage use of an independent prosecutor for reviewing police uses of force and for prosecution in cases of inappropriate deadly force and in-custody death will demonstrate the transparency to the public that can lead to mutual trust between community and law enforcement.”