John,
Yesterday, the jury returned a guilty verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the police officer who murdered George Floyd in broad daylight while being filmed.
I think I speak for all of us when I say that I feel a huge sense of relief knowing that this former police officer will be held accountable for his crime.
It doesn’t usually work out this way. Historically, police officers haven’t been held accountable for assaulting and murdering Black people under the auspices of fearing for their safety while detaining or apprehending Black citizens.
Here at DFA, we are thinking of George Floyd’s family, the people of Minneapolis, and each and every one of us that has acted to hold Derek Chauvin accountable and bring an end to police brutality.
To prevent more acts of murder and injustice against the Black community, we must demand more than a guilty verdict. We have to push for a system that truly creates public safety and forces accountability.
That's why we are mobilizing to garner support for the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, a civil rights and police reform bill that has already been passed by the House and would reimagine policing and hold law enforcement accountable nationwide.
Stand with DFA as we push to pass The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021.
There is so much more we can and should do to change public safety in this country. It starts by pushing for real reforms to a system that is broken and is costing human lives.
Black Americans -- Black men especially -- have lived in fear of the police in our country for so long that “the talk” has been passed down from father to son for generations. It is not a nursery rhyme. It is a set of rules to follow if you get pulled over by the police to survive the encounter.
We just want police to stop killing us. Ending qualified immunity will help.
The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is an important step forward in re-imagining public safety and holding police accountable across the country. We must take this important step right now to prevent more people from being killed or severely injured by law enforcement.
The bill would set a national standard for use of force by police officers, ban “no-knock” warrants in federal drug cases and the use of chokeholds, and limit the transfer of military equipment to police departments.
It would also expand the Department of Justice’s ability to investigate police departments for misconduct and establish a national police misconduct database.
On March 9th, 2021 the Senate received the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. It is time for them to bring the bill to a vote.
We need to show Democrats in the Senate the overwhelming grassroots support for this legislation. Will you sign our petition to demand every Senator support the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act?
Thank you for raising your voice to demand change today.
— Kelley
Kelley Jackson, Communications Director
Democracy for America
