2 Years After George Floyd's Murder, POTUS To Sign Executive Order On Federal Policing
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- President Joe Biden is expected to sign an executive order on federal policing Wednesday at the White House, multiple sources tell CBS News. It would be on the two-year anniversary of George Floyd's death at the hands of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
The executive order comes after bipartisan negotiations in Congress to reform policing failed last year. The effort, which was sparked by Floyd's death, was spearheaded by Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, Democratic Sen. Cory Booker and Democratic Rep. Karen Bass. The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) were also engaged in the bipartisan negotiations.
Two sources told CBS News that the executive order will include sections on establishment of an accountability database of officers fired for misconduct, a ban on chokeholds and a restriction on no knock warrants at the federal level. Anti-bias training is expected to be included as well.
Terrence Cunningham, a retired chief who's now the deputy executive director of the IACP, added that there are sections that include strengthening officer recruitment and supporting officer safety and wellness. Cunningham also said the White House engaged with the FOP and IACP on the executive order.
Cunningham said that the IACP plans to attend the signing ceremony Wednesday.
The federal government has not succeeded in enacting police reform in the two years since Chauvin murdered Floyd during an arrest in May 2020. Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for over nine minutes, while Floyd complained that he couldn't breathe. Three other police officers were involved in his death and found guilty earlier this year of depriving Floyd of his right to medical care. Chauvin was sentenced to 22 and 1/2 years for Floyd's murder.
While the federal government does not have the power under the Constitution to enact laws that can directly change policing by state or municipal law enforcement, if Congress were to pass reforms, it would have the power to incentivize states and municipalities with federal grants, making funds available by requiring changes to be implemented.
