Following weeks of nationwide protests against systemic racism and police brutality against Black Americans and ensuing calls to defund the police, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order that gives federal grants to police departments that he claims “encourages police departments to adopt the highest professional standards”. In true Trumpian fashion, he sat in his Oval Office chair, proudly displaying his signature on the order. He was surrounded by Republican lawmakers and police union officials. While he did meet families of victims of police brutality, they were not present at the signing ceremony.
Trump’s order offers federal grants to police departments that undergo a certification process that involves banning chokeholds “except in those situations where the use of deadly force is allowed by law” and “except if an officer’s life is at risk”. Grants will also be provided to police departments that “seek independent credentialing, certifying that they meet high standards” and that undertake training in the “use of force and de-escalation”. While the order does offer a financial incentive to police departments to implement these measures, it also says that state and local law enforcement risk losing these grants if they do not take the requisite steps to reform their departments.
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The President also directed Attorney General William Barr to establish a database “concerning instances of excessive use of force related to law enforcement matters”. The database would track terminations, and the criminal history of and civil judgments against law enforcement officers. Derek Chauvin, for instance, the officer who killed George Floyd, had 18 complaints in 19 years.
The order also calls on the Justice Department to initiate training for law enforcement in dealing with the individuals suffering from homelessness and drug addictions, and facilitate the introduction of social workers as “co-responders” in such non-violent situations.
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Trump also, said, “We are looking at new advanced and powerful, less lethal, weapons to help prevent deadly interactions.” While Trump said that chokeholds are being banned, he is merely offering federal financial incentives for police departments to do so.
He also reaffirmed his support for the police, and appeared to suggest that it is an individual problem, and not a systemic issue of racism within the police force. He said that the number of bad police officers is “very tiny”, and a “very small percentage”, adding that “nobody wants to get rid of them more than the really good and great police officers”.
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Moreover, Trump refused to acknowledge the emotions and events guiding calls for the defunding of the police, saying “without police, there’s chaos”. Trump said, “I strongly oppose the radical and dangerous efforts to defund, dismantle and dissolve our police departments.” He added, “What’s needed now is not more stoking of fear and division. We need to bring law enforcement and communities closer together, not to drive them apart.” He also denounced the protestors for creating “anarchy”.
The order has been criticized by Democratic speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer. Pelosi said it lacks “meaningful, mandatory accountability measures to end misconduct” and that it “falls sadly and seriously short of what is required to combat the epidemic of racial injustice and police brutality that is murdering hundreds of Black Americans”. Meanwhile, Schumer said, “While the president has finally acknowledged the need for policing reform, one modest executive order will not make up for his years of inflammatory rhetoric and policies designed to roll back the progress made in previous years.”
Last week, the Democrats in Congress introduced a bill that seeks to “ban police chokeholds, create a national registry to track police misconduct, make it easier for prosecutors to seek criminal and civil penalties for police abuse, and ban certain “no-knock” warrants, which allow officers to forcibly enter properties”.
However, Republicans, led by Trump have denounced the Democrats’ proposals. It is expected that Republican senators–led by Tim Scott, the only black Republican senator–will unveil their own legislative proposals this week.