BOSTON (WHDH) - The Massachusetts Senate will take up a sweeping police reform bill on Thursday following months of protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death while in Minneapolis police custody.
The bill, S 2800, is aimed at bolstering police accountability, reducing the risk of misconduct, fighting racism, and promoting de-escalation techniques, according to senators.
State Sen. William Brownsberger helped craft the bill.
“The consequences of a horror like what we saw in Minneapolis, what happened to George Floyd, the consequences of something like that are so horrendous that we have to be doing everything we can to reduce the risk of that happening in Massachusetts,” he said.
The bill was announced Monday and highlights a number of reforms, including the creation of a certification and de-certification process for officers, along with new limits on the use of force.
“This bill goes beyond a bad apples approach but also to the question of should we, can we, find other ways to respond to social problems other than force and punishment,” Brownsberger said.
The Massachusetts Coalition of Police released a statement, saying they will support reform.
“Police officers acting in good faith should not have to worry that any step they take could end in a lawsuit that takes their home and life savings,” they wrote.
The Massachusetts House is also working on its own police reform bill.
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