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Dear Harry,
In an effort to keep you informed of our work and advancements, there is good news! In December 2020, I convened the Continuing Justice Reform Commission (CJRC) to address urgent and important issues facing our Miami-Dade County community. The Commission is comprised of a broad cross-section of our community, including public officials, government employees, faith leaders, law enforcement, advocacy groups, and community organizations. From its first virtual meeting, we proposed that the Commission identify ways to obtain more fair, equal, and just outcomes. After working to get community input from a wide range of individuals and groups, ranging from the ACLU to law enforcement, we came up with a proposal aimed at influencing both the present and future of policing in Florida.
The Commission proposed legislation to establish statewide policies limiting the use of force and preserving life. Senator Jason Pizzo, Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez and Representative Nicholas X. Duran sponsored our bills in the 2021 Florida Legislature incorporating the Commission’s recommendations, SB 1970 and HB 1513. The bills were supported by the ACLU, Miami-Dade County Association of Chiefs of Police (MDCACP), and the South Florida Police Benevolent Association. After months of lobbying, in the end, the Republican Leadership and Black Caucus’ HB 7051 passed with bipartisan support embodying many of the Commission’s and my suggestions.
Essentially, HB 7051 requires the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission to establish standards for the instruction of officers on use of force and adopt policies relating to it, including:
- Proportional use of force;
- Alternatives to force;
- De-escalation;
- The use of chokeholds (which would be limited to situations involving the immediate threat of serious bodily injury or death);
- A duty to intervene if another officer uses excessive force;
- A duty to render medical aid of a person needs medical attention;
- Recognition of, and appropriate responses to, substance use disorders and mental illnesses;
- Mandated independent reviews of use of force incidents involving deaths; and
- Disclosure of prior investigations into criminal, civil, or administrative wrongdoing prior to employment with a criminal justice agency.
While HB 7051 did not go as far as I and others would have liked, I am pleased that so many joined our call for action and that an impactful bipartisan compromise was reached. If the difficult journey of a thousand miles begins with the very first step, then this critical first step is a step of hope and progress for all the people of Florida.
Thank you all for your continued support.
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