"We will not be denied": VP Harris calls for legislation echoed by Sacramento leaders
SACRAMENTO -- In Memphis, Tyre Nichols' Celebration of Life brought his family, siblings from Sacramento, Rev. Al Sharpton, and voices of equality together in music and a call for action.
Vice President Kamala Harris made a rallying call for legislation, namely, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021. The bill, co-authored by Harris when she was a senator, is posed to increase accountability for law enforcement misconduct. It "restricts the use of certain policing practices, enhances transparency and data collection, and establishes best practices and training requirements."
Other pieces to this legislation include convicting a law enforcement officer for misconduct in a federal prosecution, limiting qualified immunity as a defense to liability, and granting administrative subpoena power to the Department of Justice. Ultimately it would establish a framework to "prevent and remedy" racial profiling by law enforcement across the board.
"As Vice President of the United States, we demand that congress pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Joe Biden will sign it," said Harris to the Memphis church at Nichols' celebration of life.
"We will not be denied," Harris said. "It is non-negotiable."
In Sacramento, Betty Williams, President of the Greater Sacramento NAACP, said legislation must be the next step forward.
"What it would mean, no matter what state that you're traveling in within the United States, that this law would be in place for all law enforcement and that you can use it to champion getting things done in a different way," said Williams.
Enacting a federal standard, Williams said, would be a step towards equality for all. Adding that, transparency within law enforcement is critical to moving forward and building trust between law enforcement and the black community.
Another voice in the Sacramento community advocating for change is the president and CEO of the Black Youth Leadership Project Lorreen Pryor. She said, in order to think about the future, it's imperative to consider youth.
"What are they seeing and what have they seen?" said Pryor, "These are real situations, real young people. We have to be more intentional about making sure we're checking in with them, making sure they have a space where they can speak openly without judgment."
Black v. The Board of Education is a podcast for youth by youth, aimed at giving young adults a safe space to talk through impactful headlines. Pryor said, right now, the future depends on ensuring youth are taken care of, heard, and given the resources they need to work through events, like the death of Tyre Nichols.
With that, she said, legislation is the only way forward to make lasting change.
"We need to start looking at qualified immunity and stop giving a blanket protection for folks who think that because they have that protection they can go out and treat human beings in the way we saw Tyre treated," said Pryor.
A celebration of life for Tyre Nichols will be held in Sacramento on Saturday in Sacramento.