Massachusetts has joined other states and passed police reform legislation.
This bill addresses a range of policies and issues regarding policing practices and law enforcement accountability.
The Massachusetts state legislature bill “seeks to ban chokeholds and carotid restraints as well as form a commission that would investigate officer misconduct.
Officers would be banned from being trained to resort to any other action that involves “the placement of any part of law enforcement officer’s body on or around a person’s neck in a manner that limits the person’s breathing or blood flow.”
“The bill would also require officers executing search warrants to “knock and announce their presence and purpose before forcibly entering a residence unless authorized by a warrant.”
Lastly, the measure would form a body “to investigate officer misconduct and make disciplinary recommendations to the commission,” as well as a commission on the status of African Americans that will be tasked with making policy recommendations.
Gov. Charles Baker received the bill S.2963 on Tuesday and has not indicated if he would sign this historic document which was passed by the legislative body on Tuesday. The Police Union is voicing their disagreement.
Your voice is needed, contact GOVERNOR BAKER between 9:00. a.m. to 5:00p.m.
617 725-4005 or email the Governor’s office at
https://www.mass.gov/forms/email-the-governors-office and urge him to sign this bill.