Since Floyd’s death, progress on reform?

It’s been a year since the death of George Floyd under the uncaring knee of a Minneapolis police officer.

Has his murder — and the months of protests, and promises from politicians — made a difference in progress on police reform in America?

That’s our Question of the Week for readers.

A bystander-filmed video of the nine-minute killing by then-Officer Derek Chauvin first caused a furor in this country and then, remarkably, around the world. It created outrage in people who had never given much thought to the relationship between the police and the citizenry — especially the Black citizenry. Out of the outrage came demonstrations that in some cities turned to riots. And out of it also came efforts to correct injustices in our justice system.

Have the efforts of local, state and national politicians over that year to pass laws protecting the public and to mend police-community relations since Floyd’s death been fruitful? When some activists originally called for cities across the nation to “defund the police,” did that kind of language actually become counterproductive to reform efforts? Even among the most radical of reformers, few say they really want to eliminate police departments altogether. They say “defund” should mean changing allocation of public safety monies to include hiring more unarmed social workers and creating preventative programs rather than reactionary ones. Is that the right course?

Has all the talk led to anything concrete, or will it in the very near future? What reforms do you support? In California, are you in favor of the legislation aimed at preventing “bad cops” from easily moving from department to department? Should certain physical restraints used by police be banned? Do departments train properly in de-escalating situations? Should all sworn police officers continue to be armed? Is the “qualified immunity” afforded police officers in court proper? Should all California police officers be at least age 25 or have a college degree, as one lawmaker proposes?

Do you sense a different — better, or worse — police-community relationship already?

Email your thoughts to opinion@scng.com. Please include your full name and city or community of residence. Provide a daytime phone number (it will not be published).