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Police use-of-force data will now be released in Michigan
Law enforcement, community organizations and elected officials on Wednesday announced the formation of the Law Enforcement Transparency Collaborative or LET-C. The effort, they said, is designed to increase transparency and accountability and is connected to a national data collection effort on police use of force led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Attending the […]
Column: Police officers accused of brutal violence often have a history of complaints by citizens
As protests against police violence and racism continue in cities throughout the U.S., the public is learning that several of the officers involved in the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville share a history of complaints by citizens of brutality or misconduct. Decades of research on police shootings and brutality […]
Lawmakers, advocates push for federal police reforms
Updated, 2:07 p.m. 6/15/20 In the aftermath of George Floyd’s death that has sparked protests across the country and the world, Michigan lawmakers and activists are pushing to change federal rules governing police conduct. Floyd died after Derek Chauvin, a Minneapolis police officer, pinned him to the ground for nearly nine minutes. Louisville police shot […]
George Floyd’s brother: ‘Make sure that he is more than another face on a T-shirt’
WASHINGTON — George Floyd’s younger brother, Philonise Floyd, pleaded with lawmakers on Capitol Hill Wednesday to ensure that his brother didn’t die in vain. “I can’t tell you the kind of pain you feel when you watch something like that. When you watch your big brother, who you looked up to your whole entire life […]
‘Trying to find reform’: Small cities hold anti-police brutality protests
Small Michigan cities and towns have held peaceful anti-police brutality protests, joining a growing Black Lives Matter movement that has swept across the nation — and even the world — in the wake of George Floyd’s death. Since late May, demonstrations have taken place in more than two dozen municipalities in Michigan on both sides […]
Increased police training bill passes unanimously through Senate
A bill requiring all incoming law enforcement officers to complete training on implicit bias, de-escalation techniques and mental health screening passed unanimously through the GOP-led Senate on Thursday — a rarity for progressive legislation. State Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor), who introduced Senate Bill 945, said this is “a small step forward in righting years […]
Whitmer rolls out reforms to prevent police brutality
As large-scale protests against police brutality and racism continue in Michigan and beyond, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday announced a series of policy proposals to increase accountability for Michigan law enforcement officers. Whitmer also noted a number of actions being taken by the Michigan State Police (MSP) to support the goal of a more transparent […]
Civil rights groups urge Congress to combat police brutality
WASHINGTON — Hundreds of civil rights organizations, including some based in Michigan, urged U.S. congressional leaders to quickly pass legislation to address police killings of Black people in the wake of a series of recent deaths that have ignited protests around the country. “In recent weeks, the chronic structural issue of police killings against Black […]
Michigan Black lawmakers renew call for police reforms after Tyre Nichols killing
Members of the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus (MLBC) on Tuesday continued their call for police reform after the fatal beating of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tenn. “Enough is enough,” said state Rep. Donavan McKinney (D-Detroit), 30, who is African American, during a news conference at the state Capitol. His comments spoke to several fatal […]
House Republicans pass some police reforms, but Dems, activists say plan falls short
The GOP-controlled state House on Thursday approved a spending plan to provide resources to law enforcement agencies. It was a move that Democrats, who offered a similar plan the previous day, described as “lip service” and playing “partisan political games.” State Rep. Mike Mueller (R-Linden), a retired sheriff’s deputy, said the measure, which was added […]