[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 58 (Tuesday, April 4, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E445]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     INTRODUCTION OF THE POLICE TRAINING AND INDEPENDENT REVIEW ACT

                                  _____
                                 

                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, April 4, 2017

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of The Police 
Training and Independent Review Act, a bill I introduced earlier today 
with colleague Lacy Clay of Missouri, and with Senator Tammy Duckworth 
of Illinois.
  If enacted, the Police Training and Independent Review Act would help 
ensure the independent investigation and prosecution of law enforcement 
officers in cases involving their use of deadly force. It would also 
help ensure that law enforcement officers receive appropriate training.
  America received a wakeup call in Ferguson, Missouri. We received 
another in Staten Island, New York.
  We received yet another in Ohio, South Carolina, Illinois, Minnesota, 
Louisiana and Oklahoma.
  Our nation faces sobering questions about the basic fairness of our 
criminal justice system. And we face sobering questions about race. 
These questions simply cannot be ignored.
  For too many, for too long, justice has seemed too lacking.
  Nearly 2 years ago, President Obama's Commission on 21st Century 
Policing suggested several common sense reforms, including the use of 
independent prosecutors for police-involved civilian deaths, as well as 
additional training for law enforcement officers.
  Unfortunately, Congress has not yet acted on these recommendations.
  We need to stop asking local prosecutors to investigate the same law 
enforcement officers with whom they work so closely, and whose 
relationships they rely upon to perform their daily responsibilities. 
Prosecutors also often seek the support of their local police when they 
run for reelection.
  This is an inherent conflict of interest, and if we are serious about 
restoring a sense of fairness and justice, we must remove this conflict 
immediately.
  To be sure, the vast majority of prosecutors and law enforcement 
officers are well meaning, dedicated public servants, and we depend 
upon them to keep us safe from criminals. And they have dangerous jobs, 
as we have seen all too frequently.
  But the fact remains that some officers go beyond the law in a 
callous disregard for due process. When it comes to investigating, and 
potentially prosecuting, these actions, there is often a perception of 
unfairness, and that perception poisons the public trust.
  That is bad for law enforcement as well as citizens, making their 
work more dangerous.
  The Police Training and Independent Review Act would give states an 
incentive to use independent prosecutors when police use of deadly 
force results in a civilian death. It would also give states and 
incentive to provide training to police to help them better understand 
the racial and ethnic diversity of the communities they serve, as well 
as how best to work with individuals who are disabled or mentally ill.
  If states refuse to use independent prosecutors or provide 
appropriate training, they would begin to lose a portion of their 
federal funding.
  I urge my colleagues to help pass this legislation quickly, and help 
restore some much needed faith in our criminal justice system.
  I want to thank my colleague Lacy Clay for his partnership on this 
bill. He is a tireless advocate on these issues, and I am honored to 
work with him. I also want to thank Senator Duckworth for her 
leadership on this bill in the Senate.

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