On May 25, 2020, police killed George Floyd. Two years later, after efforts to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in 2021 fell through, Biden signed an executive order instead.
But what’s in it? And how much influence did police themselves have on its creation?
From restricting chokeholds and no-knock warrants, to arranging misconduct data and alternative crisis responses, it appears positive.
One problem, however: it can only address FEDERAL law enforcement agencies, leaving states to their own devices.
And, after a draft leaked in January, White House officials had to appease police and make the bill more "centrist" after cops threatened to pull their support. For instance, a section about use of deadly force was changed after law enforcement officials complained!
“It's not about their death, but what we do in their memory that matters,” Biden spoke of police violence victims. But are these incremental moves to “progress” enough? Since Floyd’s death, police have been killing three people on average each DAY.
While Biden and politicians across party lines advocated to “fund the police,” 2021 became “one of the deadliest years on record” for police violence.
So what can be done in the memory of Floyd and thousands of others? More! Police are continuing to kill. If it’s this difficult to implement even ineffective, surface-level reforms, the justice they deserve will not come from this system.