Colorado Democrats unveil police accountability bill in response to George Floyd’s death
The legislation is expected to be introduced as soon as Wednesday in the Colorado Senate
The Colorado Sun
AP Photo/David Zalubowski
Democratic state lawmakers on Tuesday began to unveil a sweeping bill aimed at increasing law enforcement accountability in Colorado by collecting racial profiling data, ensuring officers hold each other accountable and making it easier for the public to file lawsuits against police.
The measure also would beef up how law-enforcement involved deaths are investigated, prevent problematic officers from moving to different police departments and sheriff’s offices, and require agencies to use body cameras while giving them guidelines on how and when to release footage.
The legislation is expected to be introduced Wednesday in the Colorado Senate and comes in response the death last week of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minnesota. Tuesday was the sixth straight day of protests in Denver in response to Floyd’s death.
“This is not a new conversation. Many of my colleagues have been talking about various aspects of police reform for years,” said Senate President Leroy Garcia, a Pueblo Democrat who will be one of the prime sponsors of the bill. “And, quite frankly, it’s a travesty that it takes such a catastrophe that’s happening across the United States, and in many of our own backyards, (for the legislation to happen).”
Gov. Jared Polis, speaking at a news conference, on Tuesday expressed a willingness to work on a measure addressing police accountability.
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