US to Change Police Methods after Murder Decision

 

The U.S. Department of Justice announced an investigation¹ into the policing methods of the Minneapolis police department Wednesday.

The action came one day after former police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of George Floyd's murder in a trial in the city.

The move is the first major investigation called for by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland. He said the investigation would try to find out whether the Minneapolis police department, or MPD, "engages in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional or unlawful policing."

Garland said the investigation will look into the department's use of force, including force against protestors. It will also study police treatment of those with behavioral health problems.

Garland said, "The Justice Department has already begun to reach out to community groups and members of the public to learn about their experiences with the MPD." Federal investigators², he added, will also talk to officers about training and the support they receive.

Former officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murder Tuesday in the death of George Floyd. Chauvin had pressed his knee on Floyd's neck for nearly 10 minutes. Floyd's death led to nationwide protests against racism³ and policing practices in the United States and other countries.

Floyd's death could change police practice

President Joe Biden called the verdict "a giant step forward in the march toward justice in America." But he also said the jury's decision was "much too rare."

Biden said several things came together in this case, including the video, the witnesses and police official statements in court, for the jury to reach the murder verdict.

"It feels like it took all of that for the judicial⁴ system to deliver a just, basic accountability, " Biden said.

Vice⁵ President Kamala Harris joined Biden Tuesday. She called on the Senate to pass a federal policing bill that has already been passed by the House.

The bill is named George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. It calls for bans on chokeholds, a police method of restraining a suspect by the neck. It also would ban raids called no-knock warrants in which police do not announce their presence.

Last March, a Black woman, Breonna Taylor, was shot and killed by police who entered the wrong house using a no-knock warrant. The bill also requires police officers to stop others from using too much force and create a national list of police wrongdoing.

The bill seeks to end "qualified⁶ immunity⁷", a legal idea that restricts charging police officers for incidents that take place on the job. Many Republican senators opposed this part of the bill in the Senate. Democrats⁸ and Republicans have an equal support in the Senate. The Republicans argued that such changes would harm officers acting⁹ in good faith.

Tim Scott is a Republican senator from the state of South Carolina. He told reporters that he would introduce a related proposal in the coming weeks. Scott wanted to put more responsibility in police departments than individuals when a police officer is accused of wrongdoing.

Around the country

The outcry from the video of Floyd repeatedly saying, "I can't breathe..." has led to changes in public opinion about police methods. It also led to new laws in several cities and states.

In an opinion study after Floyd's death last May, the Gallup organization reported that a majority of Americans, 58 percent, said major changes are needed to make policing better. Another 36 percent say small changes are needed.

Preventing excessive use of force and holding police officers responsible for wrongdoing were among the ideas receiving public support.

Ballotpedia is an independent organization that informs the public of political issues and elections around the U.S. The organization says that 100 cities and states have made changes to policing policy as a result of Floyd's death. Many states, from California to Connecticut, passed laws to ban chokeholds.

The National Conference of State Legislatures reported there are 471 bills being considered in 47 state legislatures to deal with the issues of policing and use of force.

In his speech, Biden recalled his talk with George Floyd's daughter, Gianna. He said she told him last year that "Daddy changed the world." After the verdict, Biden called Floyd's family and he told Gianna that "Daddy did change the world."

Words in This Story

engage in –v. to do

pattern –n. a repeated or regular way in which something happens or is done

practice –n. something that is done often or regularly

verdict –n. the decision of a jury in a trial

1 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

2 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

4 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

5 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

6 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

7 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

8 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。