Introduction to the Local Task Forces on 21st Century Policing Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Local Task Forces on 21st Century Policing Act, to assist localities in carrying out some of the recommendations of President Obama's Task Force on 21st Century Policing and the Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, both of which detail the need to strengthen relations between local communities and local law enforcement. The bill would provide grants to local police departments to create local task forces on 21st century policing to bring police, representatives of the community, and public officials together to identify issues in their own communities, best policing practices for local police, and other ways to strengthen relations between the community and police departments. Existing funds from the Department of Justice's Grant Program would support local governments establishing the task forces.

The task forces, modeled after President Obama's Task Force on 21st Century Policing, would allow local communities to identify the best ways to create an effective partnership between local law enforcement and the community they serve while reducing crime and increasing trust. The task forces could serve as a resource to address racial profiling in the Unites States by creating a partnership that encourages each party to take ownership of the issues and then proceeding to implement practical policing practices acceptable to all concerned.

The creation of task forces could be an important step toward easing the tensions between local law enforcement and the community. In addition, the task forces would serve to engage local law enforcement and local stakeholders in a transparent public process instead of being at odds. I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.

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