
#ENDLETHALFORCE
#POLICYCHANGE
ACCORDING TO THE AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
"DEADLY FORCE, POLICE USE OF FORCE IN THE UNTIED STATES" REPORT...
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There is not one state that is required to follow international law and standards when it comes to the use of lethal force by law enforcement officers.
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None of the state statutes require that the use of lethal force may only be used as a last resort with non-violent and less harmful means to be tried first.
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Nine states and Washington, D.C. have no laws on use of lethal force by law enforcement officers: Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Ohio; South Carolina; Virginia; West Virginia; Wisconsin, Wyoming; and the District of Columbia.
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Thirteen states have laws that do not comply even with the lower standards set by US constitutional law on the use of lethal force by law enforcement officers: Alabama; California; Delaware; Florida; Mississippi; Missouri; Montana; New Jersey; New York; Oregon; Rhode Island; South Dakota; and Vermont.
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No state limits the use of lethal force to only those situations where there is an imminent threat to life or serious injury to the officer or to others.
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Nine states allow for the use of lethal force to be used to suppress a riot: Arizona; Delaware; Idaho; Mississippi; Nebraska; Pennsylvania; South Dakota; Vermont and Washington.
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Only eight states require that a warning be given (where feasible) before lethal force is used, however no state meets the requirement for a warning under international standards: Connecticut; Florida, Indiana; Nevada; New Mexico; Tennessee; Utah and Washington.
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None of the states’ “use of lethal force” statutes include accountability mechanisms, including for example the requirement of obligatory reporting for the use of force and firearms by law enforcement officers.
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
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Congress and all 50 states should pass laws to limit the use of lethal force.
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The Department of Justice should collect and publish data on people killed by police.
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All cases of police use of lethal force should be independently, impartially and transparently investigated.
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The Department of Justice should conduct oversight of law enforcement agencies that have violated people’s human rights.
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They need to implement or amend policies and/or statutes pertaining to lethal force.
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They need to setup a committee or an entity to regulate the use of lethal force by law enforcement to implement accountability and policing mechanisms.
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They need to follow international law and standards.
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Make it mandatory that recruits are required to minor psychology and either an associate’s, bachelor’s or master’s degree in criminal justice, criminology or law enforcement studies.
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Cut the pensions of the policy makers and public officials in charge of making sure they're implemented for the benefit of the people.
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All state legislatures should introduce or amend statutes that authorize the use of lethal force to ensure that they are in line with international standards by limiting the use of lethal force by law enforcement to those instances in which it is necessary to protect against the threat of death or serious injury. The statutes should be brought into compliance with the U.N. Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.
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The president and Department of Justice (DOJ) should support the creation of a national commission (National Crime and Justice Task Force) to examine and produce recommendations on policing issues, including a nationwide review of police use of lethal force laws, policies, training and practices, which is urgently needed, as well as a thorough review and reform of oversight and accountability mechanisms. These laws, policies and practices must be brought in line with international standards.
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The Department of Justice must ensure the collection and publication of nationwide statistics on police shootings in accordance with the Violent Crime Control and Enforcement Act (1994) and the Death in Custody Act (2014). The data collected should be disaggregated on the basis of race, gender, age, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity and indigenous status.
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Congress should take legislative action to ensure that all federal, state and local law enforcement officials restrict their use of lethal force in compliance with international law and standards. This should include enacting legislation requiring all law enforcement agencies to review and amend their policies by limiting the use of lethal force to those instances in which it is necessary to protect against the threat of death or serious injury. Congress should also pass the Police Reporting Information, Data, and Evidence Act and the End Racial Profiling Act.
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Cellphone footage and social media footage should be used in prosecuting lethal force offenders and officer names should be released as soon as the incident happens. The only thing that needs protecting is the truth.
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
DEMAND JUSTICE FOR GEORGE FLOYD
George’s death comes in the wake of a series of acts of racist violence against Black Americans that illustrates astounding levels of violence and discrimination in the USA. This includes the killing of a Black man who was out jogging, Ahmaud Arbery; the killing of Breonna Taylor, a Black woman who was sleeping in her apartment when the police opened fire on her, and so many more. The police commit human rights violations at a shockingly frequent rate, particularly against racial and ethnic minorities, and especially Black Americans. In 2019 alone, the police were involved in the deaths of over 1,000 people in the USA. Those aren’t just numbers, but a person's life: someone's parent, sibling, cousin, nephew, spouse, child.
The officers involved in George’s death have been fired from their jobs, but this cannot be considered justice. George’s family and community are calling for all those responsible to be held accountable and for guarantees that this will not happen again. People in the USA are protesting in the streets and demanding answers to George’s death, but they are being met with repression by the police instead.
Take action now and call on USA authorities to make sure that all those responsible in the death of George Floyd are held accountable.
Join George’s friends, family, and community to demand #JusticeforFloyd!
https://www.amnestyusa.org/