Trump signs order pushing to reduce US police violence
by Sebastian Smith
US President Donald Trump issued an order to improve policing Tuesday, calling for a ban on dangerous choke holds, but he stopped well short of demands made at nationwide protests against racism and police brutality.
“We have to break old patterns of failure,” Trump said in a Rose Garden ceremony attended by police and Republican congressional allies, though no black civil rights representatives or political opponents.
The president has limited power over policing, which is run mostly at a state and local level. However, Trump said that he would use access to federal funding grants as leverage to persuade departments “to adopt the highest professional standards.”
His executive order encourages de-escalation training, better recruitment, sharing of data on police who have bad records, and money to support police in complicated duties related to people with mental or drug issues.
A highlight of Trump’s proposals, which he said could be complemented by legislation being negotiated in the Republican-controlled Senate, was ending choke holds “except if an officer’s life is at risk,” he said.
Trump called his initiative “a tremendous step” toward “safe, beautiful and elegant justice.”
Critics, including the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, derided his efforts.
“The president’s weak executive order falls sadly and seriously short of what is required to combat the epidemic of racial injustice and police brutality,” she said in a statement.
“During this moment of national anguish, we must insist on bold change, not meekly surrender to the bare minimum.” (AFP)
