Amid days of protests across the country in response to the killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Tony McDade by police, the Washington, DC, council approved emergency reforms to policing Tuesday.
The reforms were approved on only a temporary basis, and the council wrote that some of the goals of these reforms were to improve “police accountability and transparency” and to create “safe and just communities.” Some measures put in place by these reforms include prohibiting neck restraints, increasing access to body camera recordings and restricting the “purchase and use of military weaponry.” Military weaponry restrictions included armed or armored aircraft or vehicles, ammunition of a particular caliber, certain explosives and more.
Changes to police training were proposed as well, such as by more specifically requiring training in “biased-based policing, racism, and white supremacy,” and the use of de-escalation tactics to limit the use of force. Furthermore, during “first amendment assemblies” officers are required to prominently display identification.
The reforms additionally called for all eligible individuals in the Department of Corrections to be provided with a voter registration form, voter guide, and an absentee ballot.