July 30, 2024

In Wake of Sonya Massey’s Murder, Duckworth, Senate Democrats Renew Push to Strengthen Police Accountability and Help Provide Justice to Families

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today is leading a dozen of her Senate Democratic colleagues in re-introducing legislation to help strengthen accountability and transparency from law enforcement agencies, encouraging improved training for police officers and the use of independent investigation and prosecution to eliminate inherent conflicts of interest. Duckworth’s re-introduction of her Police Training and Independent Review Act comes after the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey in her home near Springfield, Illinois, earlier this month, by the very sheriff’s deputy she called for help. The body worn camera footage of this horrible incident emphasizes a clear need for crisis intervention and de-escalation tactics among law enforcement officers, and the speedy referral of the case demonstrates the effectiveness of mandating objective, independent investigators to hold law enforcement officers accountable when there is a police-involved use of deadly force.

“We cannot accept that in the United States of America we continue to bear witness to the tragic, preventable and all-too-common deaths of Black men and women at the hands of law enforcement—it is completely unacceptable and unjustifiable,” Duckworth said. “Families like Sonya Massey’s, Laquan McDonald’s, George Floyd’s, Breonna Taylor’s and Ahmaud Arbery’s who have experienced heartbreak are no less deserving of justice than any other family, but too often they don’t get it. Today, I’m proud to lead Senate Democrats in re-introducing my legislation to promote objective and independent investigations into the use of deadly force by police officers and increase resources for training to help prevent these tragedies from continuing to happen. It’s long past time our country acts to ensure accountability within our law enforcement agencies and provide justice to those who have lost loved ones.”

On average, police in the United States shoot and kill more than 1,000 people every year. Despite staggering rates of fatal on-duty shootings, low conviction rates highlight the challenges in holding police officers accountable. Factors such as close relationships between local prosecutors and police departments can hinder independent investigations and impact the pursuit of charges and convictions—as the tragic case of Ahmaud Arbery’s murder and initial denial of justice demonstrated.

The Police Training and Independent Review Act would:

  • Create financial incentives through grants for states that require training for law enforcement officials on fair and impartial policing, crisis intervention, de-escalation tactics as well as best practices for working with members of the community with disabilities or mental health conditions
  • Encourage communities to use independent prosecutors to investigate law enforcement officials’ use of deadly force by awarding grants to states that require an independent investigation and, if warranted, prosecution in cases where one or more of the alleged offenses result in death or serious bodily harm.

A one-page summary of the Police Training and Independent Review Act can be found on the Senator’s website. Full text of the bill can also be found on her website.

This legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Peter Welch (D-VT) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), with companion legislation being introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-09). This bill is endorsed by NAACP.

“The NAACP strongly supports the Police Training and Independent Review Act and acknowledges the urgent need for comprehensive training and independent investigations in law enforcement,” said NAACP Vice President of Policy and Legislative Affairs Cedric C. Haynes. “This bill is crucial to prevent tragedies like the recent fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, and to ensure accountability and justice. The U.S. has a long history of issues in policing, and we see this legislation as a necessary step towards restoring trust and advancing community safety.”

Duckworth originally introduced her bill in 2017, 2019 and again in 2021. Last Congress, the House-passed George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 included this bill’s provisions to promote independent investigations into police-involved use of deadly force.

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