October 12, 2015, 12:35 pm
By Jordain Carney
Sen. Ben Cardin wants to boost police accountability in the wake of a series of deaths involving law enforcement that have sparked a political firestorm over the past year.
The Maryland Democrat has introduced legislation to increase funding to combat police misconduct, as well as allow for Attorney General Loretta Lynch to provide grants to start pilot programs aimed at improving police management and countering potential misconduct.
The proposal comes after a string of officer-related incidents, including the death of Freddie Gray, who died while in police custody in Baltimore, and the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.
Cardin, calling on his colleagues to take up and pass his legislation, said the events “have galvanized the nation’s attention and demand a response.” He added that his legislation could help increase trust between communities and law enforcement.
The bill would also require Lynch to create a task force to provide oversight to law enforcement and help coordinate investigations and prosecutions of misconduct; establish federal data collection requirements on police practices including the use of deadly force by and against police officers; and recommend across-the-board standards for law enforcement, including on the use of force.
Cardin added that the legislation could be taken up while the Senate is debating a broader criminal justice bill, which was rolled out earlier this month.
“It’s finally time that we took comprehensive steps to restore hope and trust in our neighborhoods. We need to ensure that all our citizens’ rights are preserved while giving police the tools they need to re-engage with the families and individuals they are there to protect,” he said.
The legislation would also create a medallion for surviving family members of police officers killed on the job.
Cardin, as well as Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), also introduced legislation known as the Baltimore Act earlier this year that focused on sentencing and law enforcement reform in the wake of Gray’s death.
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