In the wake of massive, nationwide protests over the untimely death of George Floyd, President Donald J. Trump has recently signed an executive order that calls for police reform. Please continue reading and reach out to our experienced San Antonio criminal defense attorney to learn more about the legislation.
What are the specifics of the Executive Order?
President Trump’s executive order covers a wide array of police reform, including creating federal incentives for local police departments to seek independent credentialing. This is conducted through the Justice Department. The idea is that by doing so, law enforcement will now have to undergo additional training, particularly in de-escalation, in the hopes that police will be far less inclined to use force when they do not have to. Additionally, the use of chokeholds will also be banned in the reform, except for when an officer’s life is at risk.
The order will also provide local police departments with mental health, homelessness, and addiction experts that can respond to certain “complex encounters,” alongside the responding officers. Furthermore, the Order will also prompt police to share information regarding abuse to prevent certain officers from moving from department to department after an incident. Now, the Justice Department must keep a database designed to track decertified or terminated officers, those criminally convicted for inappropriate on-duty conduct, or officers who faced civil judgments for improper use of force.
Finally, you should note, however, that the order does not address qualified immunity. Qualified immunity is a legal doctrine that states police are simply not liable under certain circumstances. Furthermore, you should also note that most law enforcement decisions are made at state and local levels, not federal levels, which means that President Trump’s executive order does not mandate local police departments to follow this order. If you have any additional questions about the order or how it may be implemented in Texas, please do not hesitate to give our experienced firm a call today. We are here to help.
Contact our experienced Texas firm
We are knowledgeable attorneys who are ready to help preserve your freedom and keep you out of jail. If you or a loved one are facing a criminal charge in the state of Texas, reach out to our firm today. We have been defending individuals in your position for years, and we are ready to do the same for you. If you need a firm who will aggressively fight for your rights, look no further–simply contact Carrol & Hinojosa today.