JUNE 2020 \u2013<\/strong> To create a system of justice that lives up to its name, we can no longer tinker around the edges. We require structural change that fundamentally reimagines the role of police and prosecutors and shift resources away from punitive criminal justice responses that have fueled mass incarceration, and instead invest in communities and services that promote both public safety and wellbeing and enable everyone <\/em>to thrive. With this in mind, FJP\u2019s Blueprint for Police Accountability and Reform<\/em><\/a> outlines concrete policy recommendations that elected officials, chief prosecutors, law enforcement heads, and other leaders must embrace to address police misconduct and racial injustice.<\/p>\n \u201cCombatting the racism interwoven throughout our nation\u2019s justice system demands the immediate adoption of concrete and systemic reforms that will reset our priorities and our justice system.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n DEC. 2021 \u2013<\/strong> Reforms to counter racial discrimination, excessive violence, and lack of accountability within policing are long overdue. Though much of policing is carried out at the state and local level, there are a number of steps the Biden-Harris Administration can take to advance policing reforms across the country, even in the absence of Congressional action. Read more in FJP\u2019s recommendations on \u201cExecutive Actions to Advance Reforms in Policing.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n JUNE 2021 \u2013<\/strong> Police accountability requires systemic change and should start with empowering communities and putting responsibility for oversight in the hands of the people. FJP\u2019s new \u201cStatement of Principles\u201d<\/a> provides insight for elected prosecutors and other justice system stakeholders on how to achieve effective civilian oversight of law enforcement, which can help strengthen fractured relationships with law enforcement and begin to fortify bonds of trust that are integral to promoting public safety.<\/p>\n \u201cA police officer\u2019s word, and the complete veracity of that word, is fundamentally necessary to doing the job. Therefore, any break in trust must be approached with deep concern.\u201d SEPT. 2017 \u2013<\/strong> Prosecuting attorneys\u2019 relationship to local law enforcement, including their responses to allegations of officer misconduct, is an area of profound community concern and increasing public scrutiny. This FJP “Issues at a Glance” brief<\/a> addresses how prosecuting attorneys can best ensure constitutional and legal policing in their jurisdictions and seek criminal accountability, where appropriate, for police officers who have violated the law.<\/p>\n SEPT. 2017 \u2013<\/strong> Research shows that court participants are more likely to comply with court orders and follow the law in the future when they perceive the court process to be fair. This FJP “Issues at a Glance” brief<\/a> suggests strategies for strengthening community trust by improving the fairness of procedures that defendants and community members experience during a criminal investigation or prosecution. From simple measures such as using plain language whenever possible, to efforts aimed at reducing implicit bias, prosecutors can increase the legitimacy of their work in the eyes of the communities they serve.<\/p>\n JULY 23, 2024<\/strong> \u2013 In an op-ed in Slate<\/a>, Arlington County & City of Falls Church Commonwealth Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and Strategies for Youth Executive Director Lisa Thurau discuss the concerning commonality of child sex abuse by police officers in communities across the United States and the lack of true accountability. To protect children and ensure justice for survivors, elected prosecutors across the US and law enforcement leaders should advocate for empowered and fully resourced civilian oversight boards; zero-tolerance policies and practices toward predatory officers and those who fail to report them; investigations of problem officers by a different department than the employing agency; and a national database capable of tracking and blocking these officers from future careers in other law enforcement agencies.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile not every policing department is experiencing these concerns, the broader systemic failures are unacceptable, and comprehensive change throughout our criminal legal system is needed to protect vulnerable children.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n APRIL 19, 2024 \u2013<\/strong> Florida\u2019s so-called \u201cStop W.O.K.E. Act\u201d threatens to restrict the educational opportunities of law enforcement officers statewide by regulating workplace training related to race and gender. If allowed to become law, the legislation would erode community trust in government institutions \u2013 particularly among communities of color \u2013 and thereby undermine public safety. In an op-ed in Law360<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and Law Enforcement Action Partnership Executive Director Diane Goldstein explain the importance of diversity training for police departments and why we must reject attempts to limit honest discussions of race.<\/p>\n \u201cIt does a disservice to all communities if we try to erase the racist history of policing in our country and ignore how it may continue to influence current practices\u2026. This is recent history, not the ancient past, and we can either learn from it or use it to divide us further.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n NOV. 28, 2023 \u2013<\/strong> Recently released videos show LASD deputies assaulting individuals held in the county\u2019s jails, just the latest evidence of the horrific conditions of confinement in Los Angeles. These videos come 10 years after a commission of community leaders investigated LA\u2019s jails and issued recommendations to address a decades-long pattern of excessive force by sheriff\u2019s deputies. Yet, far too little progress has been made as the department has resisted meaningful and lasting reform. In this op-ed in the Los Angeles Daily News<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and Impact Justice President Alex Busansky \u2013 who were part of the Citizens\u2019 Commission on Jail Violence a decade ago \u2013 call for long-overdue measures to protect those in the care of the county and ensure the LA Sheriff\u2019s Department is held accountable.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen people enter LA County jails, they should not have to worry about the risk of violence, especially at the hands of those charged with their care.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n MAY 25, 2022 \u2013<\/strong> FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky issued this statement<\/a> in response to President Joe Biden\u2019s executive order outlining actions aimed to improve our nation\u2019s approach to policing and public safety, including creating a national law enforcement misconduct database; implementing use of force standards for federal law enforcement agencies that prioritize de-escalation, an affirmative duty to intervene and a duty to render medical aid; and promoting co-responder and alternative responder models. While these are all important elements of reforming policing, more can and should be done.<\/p>\n “We need bold leadership to bring the fundamental and lasting change to our criminal legal system that communities are crying out for and deserve. We hope this is just the beginning of concrete action by President Biden and his administration to promote and protect justice for all.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n DEC. 20, 2021 \u2013<\/strong> In 2020, over 10 percent of police killings began with a traffic stop. In an effort to prevent these opportunities for fatal interactions with police and address the racial disparities inherent in traffic stops, some reform-minded prosecutors are declining to prosecute cases that stem from non-public safety stops. In an op-ed in The Crime Report<\/em><\/a>, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky and former Albany, NY Police Chief Brendan Cox discuss why these changes are necessary and why more prosecutors, law enforcement leaders, and legislators should get on board.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople of color have often shared the fear they feel at seeing flashing lights in their rearview mirrors\u2026. It\u2019s time for that fear to end. Local governments, federal leaders, police & prosecutors all have the power to end many unnecessary encounters that too often turn deadly.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n JULY 1, 2021 \u2013<\/strong> Our criminal legal system should not provide cover to police officers who abuse their authority and take the lives of others unnecessarily. A bipartisan group of nearly 70 criminal justice leaders filed an amicus<\/em> brief urging the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to make clear that the police should not be allowed to use deadly force on people fleeing arrest who are not dangerous. The brief was filed in support of Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner\u2019s appeal prior to the trial of former Philadelphia police officer Ryan Pownall, who is charged with homicide for the killing of David Jones. For more, read the brief<\/a> and release<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cAt a time when our country is engaging in deep discussions of how to promote community safety, it is particularly critical for this Court to clarify that no one is above the law. Any other ruling sends a troubling message that would undermine our ability\u2026to seek justice, preserve public confidence in the criminal legal system, and thereby promote public safety.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n JUNE 25, 2021 \u2013<\/strong> Police accountability requires systemic change that goes far beyond the outcome of any individual conviction or sentence, and it should start with putting power in the hands of the people. In this USA Today<\/em> op-ed<\/a>, former Albany, NY Police Chief Brendan Cox and FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky discuss why empowered civilian oversight of law enforcement is a critical step towards real<\/em> police accountability and rebuilding community trust.<\/p>\n “Empowered civilian oversight of law enforcement empowers the community to be an engaged participant in reviewing law enforcement conduct and propelling reform. It is long overdue in many communities, and in need of fortifying in those places where it does exist.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n MAY 4, 2021 \u2013<\/strong> In the wake of the conviction of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky authored this MarketWatch<\/em> op-ed<\/a> acknowledging the efforts that led to Chauvin\u2019s conviction, but also noting long overdue broader systemic changes needed to prevent police violence in the first place \u2013 including developing alternative ways of helping individuals experiencing mental health or substance-use-related crises, implementing community-based oversight organizations, and empowering prosecutors to investigate and prosecute instances of police misconduct.<\/p>\n \u201cGeorge Floyd\u2019s killing was not an isolated incident and Chauvin was not an aberrant \u2018bad apple.\u2019 Excessive force, violence and racial bias are deeply ingrained in America\u2019s policing system.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n APRIL 20, 2021 \u2013<\/strong> FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky issued this statement<\/a> in response to a jury finding Derek Chauvin guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter in the killing of George Floyd.<\/p>\n “We are thankful that Derek Chauvin will be held accountable for taking George Floyd\u2019s life. Yet it cannot be said that justice was served today because true justice would be George Floyd \u2013 and all other victims of police violence \u2013 being alive today. We have a moral imperative to continue fighting for change so that we see the end of state-sanctioned violence against of our communities.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n MARCH 29, 2021 \u2013<\/strong> In the wake of a historic $27 million settlement between the city of Minneapolis and the family of George Floyd, FJP Executive Director Miriam Krinsky authored this MarketWatch<\/em> op-ed<\/a> explaining why police departments, not cash-strapped local governments, should shoulder the financial burden of law enforcement misconduct and how, more broadly, we can reform the system so these tragedies never occur in the first place.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we are serious about reducing police violence and promoting police accountability, we need to place responsibility for systemic failures at the foot of those who can correct them by holding police departments financially liable for problems that lead to wrongdoing.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n DEC. 2020 \u2013<\/strong> Our policing and criminal legal systems have failed to promote the safety and well-being of all people in our community. Decades of spending more on policing, courts, and prison than on social safety nets has left communities trapped in cycles of trauma and violence. Communities of color have borne the brunt of this deeply flawed starting point: they are simultaneously over policed, over incarcerated, under protected, and under resourced. A new generation of policing and prosecution leaders understand that the path to true safety begins with earning the trust of communities. In this FJP video, law enforcement leaders explain how making policing fairer, investing in communities, and working toward racial equity will build a stronger, safer, and healthier America.<\/p>\nExecutive Actions to Advance Reforms in Policing<\/h4>\n
Promoting Independent Police Accountability Mechanisms \u2013 Key Principles for Civilian Oversight<\/em><\/h4>\n
\n\u2013 City of St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\nFJP Police Accountability Brief<\/h4>\n
FJP Procedural Justice Brief<\/h4>\n
Speaking Out<\/h2>\n
The Quiet Epidemic of Predators in Uniforms<\/strong><\/h4>\n
The 11th Circuit’s Block Of Florida\u2019s ‘Stop WOKE’ Act Is Good For Public Safety<\/h4>\n
Will the Los Angeles County Sheriff\u2019s Department Finally be Held Accountable?<\/h4>\n
FJP Statement on President Biden\u2019s Executive Order to Advance Effective, Accountable Policing and Strengthen Public Safety<\/h4>\n
Ending Unnecessary Traffic Stops That Can Kill<\/h4>\n
Nearly 70 Criminal Justice Leaders Call for an End to the Unnecessary Use of Deadly Force by PA Police<\/h4>\n
Chauvin sentencing not enough. Police oversight must be put in the hands of the people.<\/h4>\n
The Chauvin verdict is an important step forward but here\u2019s why we must go further<\/h4>\n
FJP Statement on Verdict in the Derek Chauvin Trial<\/h4>\n
Police departments \u2013 not taxpayers \u2013 should pay the bill for misconduct settlements<\/h4>\n
Building Community Trust to Promote Public Safety<\/h4>\n