DMO Statement on the Conviction of George Floyd’s Killer

“The conviction of George Floyd’s murderer yesterday is the bare minimum, a single step in our ongoing work to create an America where black and brown lives matter. The past four years have laid bare a nation where acts of bigotry, large and small, still shape national policy and plunder the lives of our citizens. Racism manifests not only in opportunities denied, but in a style of policing where officers all too often respond with a finger on the trigger or a knee on the throat.

This is why I am calling for the passage of the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act. Our cities are screaming for accountability, and this bill will bring law enforcement closer in line with our American values.

• Creation of a national standard for the operation of police departments.
• Mandate data collection on police encounters.
• Limit transfer of military-grade equipment to state and local law enforcement.
• Eliminate qualified immunity to allow Americans to recover damages when police violate their constitutional rights.
• Update the standard for use of deadly force from “reasonable” to “necessary”.
• Ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants.

As local elected officials, we work with and rely on law enforcement, but serve at the behest of our constituents. This bill will guide our police in their duties, uphold standards for accountability, and allow our police departments to regain the trust of their communities. As a nation, as leaders in our cities, it is time to stop sacrificing black and brown lives as we avoid difficult but necessary reform.”

Derek Green
Councilmember At-Large, Philadelphia, PA
DMO National President

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We need more Democratic Municipal Officials to get involved nationally and help us bring about these changes. To learn more about leadership opportunities at DMO, please contact Barbara.Moore@nationaldmo.org.