Major reforms needed

This editorial appeared in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. P ublic sentiment on police accountability appears to have taken a definite and welcome turn, best witnessed by the competing proposals emerging among the two political parties at the state and national levels.

Many will find fault with the congressional and legislative proposals, for going too far or not far enough. What’s important is to keep the pressure on, to demand the uncomfortable discussions, the challenges to the status quo, to let those in power know that this time, the public will not forget. Here are a few guiding principles:

■ Modify qualified immunity. Qualified immunity is what shields police officers from lawsuits involving misconduct. At the federal level, Democrats want to amend misconduct statutes to make it easier for courts to find officers personally liable for civil rights violations. Republicans have suggested a decertification process. There’s room for compromise.

■ End mandatory arbitration. This is a big one. Police chiefs who impose disciplinary action often find it reversed by the mandatory arbitration process.

■ Independent excessive force investigations. It’s worth considering whether an independent authority should stand at the ready to investigate cases involving excessive force. However, there should be immediate and mandatory reporting of such events, as well as a federal database tracking use-of-force incidents.

■ Retraining and culture change. The “us vs. them” mind-set has become truly threatening for portions of the population.

■ Demilitarization. Well-intentioned though it may have been, selling surplus war gear to police departments around the country was a mistake.

■ Greater flexibility to use non-sworn personnel. Make no mistake, police are needed, but that doesn’t mean every situation requires an armed, sworn officer.

Whatever measures are taken, they should reflect community input, particularly from communities of color. Some have done decades of work in this area, and their voices should be heard and valued. In Minnesota, Gov. Tim Walz told an editorial writer that he has spoken with many such groups in recent weeks and is convinced that the need for bold, innovative police reform is urgent.

“We need reforms with real teeth,” he said. “Anything that doesn’t have real teeth is going to be seen as worse than doing nothing.”