Gov. Charlie Baker’s much-anticipated bill to increase police oversight and accountability would ban chokeholds and create a system to certify officers — a first for Massachusetts. “The murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of police officers made clear that now is the time to get this done,” Baker said, announcing details of […]
Gov. Charlie Baker’s much-anticipated bill to increase police oversight and accountability would ban chokeholds and create a system to certify officers — a first for Massachusetts.
“The murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of police officers made clear that now is the time to get this done,” Baker said, announcing details of the bill from the State House and flanked by members of the Black and Latino Caucus.
Baker added: “There are no easy answers, and improving our law enforcement is only one piece of this process, but I think we’ve put together a solid set of reforms that everyone, including the law enforcement community and the folks who are here with us today, can work on to advance this bill together.”
Massachusetts is one of only a handful of states nationwide that does not have a certification system for police.
Baker’s three-point bill creates a certification system for officers based on standardized training that will be renewed every three years.
