Duckworth reintroduces police training reform bill following Sonya Massey shooting
Source: THE STATE JOURNAL REGISTER
The July 6 fatal shooting of Sonya Massey at the hands of a now-former Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy is prompting renewed calls for police reform in Washington.
Details of the shooting of Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman, have gone international since the body camera footage went public on July 22 with marches, rallies and protests across the country. Facing five counts, including first-degree murder, and now in custody in the case is Sean P. Grayson of Riverton.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris both issued statements after the footage went public, expressing sorrow and urging justice. They also called on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policy Act which would, among other provisions, track police misconduct and limit the use of qualified immunity in a private civil action against a law enforcement officer.
"In this moment, in honor of Sonya’s memory and the memory of so many more whose names we may never know, we must come together to achieve meaningful reforms that advance the safety of all communities," said Harris, who had co-authored a prior version of the bill while serving as a senator, in a statement.
Massey placed a 911 call with concerns for a possible intruder inside her own home in an unincorporated part of Woodside Township. Two deputies responded to the scene, which escalated quickly and saw her be shot three times and once to the head.
De-escalation tactics by Grayson, or the lack thereof, have been brought into question — the video featuring him saying "I swear to God I'll f***ing shoot you right in your f***ing face." In response, U.S. Tammy Duckworth, D-Hoffman Estates, again filed legislation to incentivize improved training and the use of independent investigation and prosecution to eliminate inherent conflicts of interest.
Through the Police Training and IndependentReviewAct, states would be eligible for grant funding if they adopt protocols emphasizing anti-bias and de-escalation training.
It would also encourage training for police when interacting with individuals with a mental illness or a behavioral or physical disability. Massey, a family member said during a recent press conference, was a paranoid schizophrenic.
It is Duckworth's fourth time introducing the legislation, which has the backing of fellow Illinois Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Springfield, and the NAACP.
Asked whether she supports the pieces of legislation, U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, told a State Journal-Register reporter during an unrelated press conference at Lincoln Land Community College Wednesday that she is on-board. A companion bill to Duckworth's is also being introduced in the House.
"I think in this case, in particular, you could see the need for more de-escalation training, but I think we need to be partnering with law enforcement to make sure that they're getting the skills training they need," Budzinski said. "Obviously, I don't support things like no-knock warrants, chokeholds. Those are things that were in the George Floyd bill."
For either of the bills to pass in Congress, bipartisan support would be necessary — Democrats holding a slim-majority in the Senate while Republicans have control of the House. A spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Oakland, did not respond to a phone call or email requesting the congresswoman's position on the legislation.
By: Patrick M. Keck
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