The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release

Civil Rights Group Responds to Presidential Task Force on 21st Century Policing Recommendations

"The latest task force report reflects a number of important reforms around data collection and independent prosecutors and is an important step toward toward creating clear mechanisms of accountability and effective solutions to addressing systemic discriminatory police violence.

WASHINGTON

"The latest task force report reflects a number of important reforms around data collection and independent prosecutors and is an important step toward toward creating clear mechanisms of accountability and effective solutions to addressing systemic discriminatory police violence.

"However, the recommendations are only as strong and meaningful if they are fully implemented. It is President Obama's responsibility to ensure they are properly enforced for the greatest possible impact. We urge President Obama to use his executive action to thoroughly enforce these recommendations to their fullest extent and provide clear incentives to ensure compliance nationwide, such as the immediate defunding of abusive and discriminatory police departments.

"The report release comes at a time when the Department of Justice is unable to hold racist vigilantes and violent, discriminatory police accountable, a sharp contrast to the visions and ideals detailed in these latest recommendations. Attorney General Holder himself has called for changes to the unreasonable standard to prosecute civil rights cases, a bolder proposal than what we see coming from the task force. Time and time again when a Black person is killed at the hands of law enforcement we see no repercussion.

"Many of the recommendations included in the task forces' latest report reflect the specific demands of more than 8,000 ColorOfChange member comments submitted to the task force's session, as well as the testimony of ColorOfChange.org Executive Director Rashad Robinson during the Policy & Oversight session, including greater prohibitions on discriminatory policing and the standardization of data collection on abusive officers nationwide."

ColorOfChange federal policing demands may be seen below:

https://act.colorofchange.org/sign/execorder/

https://act.colorofchange.org/sign/federalpolicingreforms/

Color Of Change is the nation's largest online racial justice organization. We help people respond effectively to injustice in the world around us. As a national online force driven by over one million members, we move decision-makers in corporations and government to create a more human and less hostile world for Black people in America.