Washington — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday aimed at curbing police brutality by directing federal dollars to those police departments that meet …
Washington — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday aimed at curbing police brutality by directing federal dollars to those police departments that meet certain credentialing standards on the use of force. The executive action also makes it harder for those officers with a troubled history from getting hired by other departments.
Congress is also moving toward passing policing bills, but Trump was anxious to put his own stamp on the issue with a Rose Garden press conference in which he was flanked by representatives from the nation’s leading law enforcement groups.
Here’s a look at some of the topics in the order:
What are the most important provisions?
The executive order would give police departments a financial incentive to adopt best practices and encourage programs in which social workers join police when they respond to nonviolent calls involving mental health, addiction and homeless issues.
The president’s executive order also requires the attorney general to create a database tracking terminations, criminal convictions and civil judgments against law enforcement officers for excessive use-of-force. It encourages participation by providing certain grants only to those agencies that submit the required information.
Why track officer misconduct?
Many officers who wind up involved in a fatal incident have a long history of complaints made against them by the public, including Derek Chauvin, the white Minneapolis police officer who has been charged with murder in the death of George Floyd.
