Police Use of Force (H 7938, S 2379)

Especially in the context of the past two years, the need to narrow the permissible actions that law enforcement officers can take in the course of their duties has become especially salient. We supported legislation that would have restricted use of force by police and put in place reporting requirements for officers who witness use of force. Though the bill is important in its entirety, we expressed particular appreciation for a provision that addresses police use of force in the course of civilian First Amendment activities. Unfortunately, this bill died in committee in both the House and the Senate.