Action Alert: Ask the US Senate to Pass HR 1280 "The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021"

 

The United States House recently passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of  2021. The bill, HR 1280, is designed to hold Police accountable for their actions,  improve data collection and reform Police training and policies to ensure that Police are  responsible in their use of force. HR 1280 is now under consideration by the United  States Senate. The NAACP of Bucks County supports this bill and urges our  Pennsylvania Senators to pass HR 1280 and advance it to the President to be signed  into law. 

 

Please contact Senator Pat Toomey. Ask him to listen to the voices of  his constituents who are unduly burdened by the actions of Law  Enforcement and to support the comprehensive Police reform in HR  1280. 

 

We have provided a sample phone script and email/letter below.

 

You can contact Senator Pat Toomey online through this link or by calling or writing to  his Capitol office:

320 Market Street

Suite 475E

Harrisburg, PA 17101

717-782-3951

 

Please contact Senator Bob Casey and thank him for his strong  support of HR 1280 and his continued advocacy on its behalf.

 

You can contact Senator Bob Casey online through this link or by calling or writing to  his Capitol office:

200 North Third Street

Suite 14A

Harrisburg, PA 17101

717-231-7540

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About This Bill: HR 1280 

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George Floyd and Eric Garner both died due to asphyxiation brought about by sustained  pressure on the neck by Law Enforcement Officers. Chokeholds are not a safe or  appropriate tool for Law Enforcement in the course of their daily duties. 

 

The use of no-knock warrants allows Police Officers to enter the premises without  knocking or announcing their presence. This type of warrant poses a harm to both the occupants and the officers as we saw in the death of Breonna Taylor.

 

When bad things happen, Police are often granted qualified immunity, which leaves  victims of egregious behavior without legal remedy. Many times, Officers who violate  policies, who knowingly break the law or are just plain incompetent can be fired from  their position in one Police Department only to be hired in another without question as  we saw following the murder of Terrence Crutcher.

 

We need common sense legislation to protect the lives of all citizens. We need uniform  Police policies, uniform Police practices, and data collection to identify trends and areas  that need improvement. But most importantly we need HR 1280 to be passed into law.

 

HR 1280 addresses a wide range of policing actions and lays the framework for Law Enforcement accountability. The bill will:

• Restrict the use of chokeholds and unnecessary use of force

• Ban the use of no-knock warrants

• Enhance data collection

• Limit qualified immunity

• Establish policy and Police training requirements

• Limit racial profiling 

• Create a national Police registry

• Direct the DOJ to create national accreditation standards for all Police  Departments to follow

 

What to ask Senator Pat Toomey 

 

Here is a sample script if you call his office:

 

My name is [YOUR NAME] and I live in [YOUR TOWN].

 

I am calling to ask Senator Toomey to listen to his constituents who are unduly  burdened by the actions of Law Enforcement and support comprehensive police reform.  I am asking for Senator Toomey to vote YES on HR 1280 because everyone should feel  safe and protected by the Police. All Law Enforcement agencies should ban the use of  chokeholds, ban the use of no-knock warrants, develop uniform policies and  procedures, and promote transparency through the reporting of trends on the use of  force. This bill has already passed in the House, and now we need a vote in the Senate so that this bill can become law.

 

Here is a sample email or letter to Senator Toomey. You can use this as is or  write a letter in your own words.

 

Dear Senator Toomey,

 

I am writing to ask you to vote YES to support the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act  of 2021 and support comprehensive police reform. Everyone should feel safe and  protected by law enforcement. This bill already passed in the House and is an important step to ban practices that have led to the unnecessary and avoidable deaths  of many. The bill will also ensure that Police are responsible in their use of force and  hold them accountable if they are not.

 

HR 1280 bans the use of chokeholds, bans the use of no-knock warrants, promotes the  development of uniform policies and procedures, and promotes transparency through  the reporting of trends on the use of force. Accurate and complete information is  essential to understanding Police use of force in Pennsylvania and across the nation.

Please help build a nation in which we all feel safe and protected by law enforcement  and vote YES on HB 1280.

 

Sincerely, 

YOUR NAME

YOUR ADDRESS

YOUR PHONE NUMBER

 

Thanks so much for taking action to help ensure everyone feels safe and protected  by law enforcement!

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