(CAPITOL CITY NOW) – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth announced Tuesday she has the support of 12 Senate Democrats, including Dick Durbin, in reintroducing legislation aimed at strengthening accountability and transparency in law enforcement agencies. The proposed Police Training and Independent Review Act encourages better training for police officers and mandates the use of independent investigations and prosecutions to avoid conflicts of interest.

This legislative move follows the recent fatal shooting of Sonya Massey in her home by a sheriff’s deputy. The incident, captured on deputies’ body worn cameras, highlights the urgent need for improved crisis intervention and de-escalation tactics among officers, according to Duckworth.

“We cannot accept that in the United States of America we continue to bear witness to the tragic, preventable and all-too-common deaths of Black men and women at the hands of law enforcement—it is completely unacceptable and unjustifiable,” Duckworth said. “Families like Sonya Massey’s, Laquan McDonald’s, George Floyd’s, Breonna Taylor’s and Ahmaud Arbery’s who have experienced heartbreak are no less deserving of justice than any other family, but too often they don’t get it.”

The legislation aims to create financial incentives through grants for states that require law enforcement officials to receive training on fair and impartial policing, crisis intervention, de-escalation tactics, and best practices for interacting with individuals with disabilities or mental health conditions. The bill also encourages the use of independent prosecutors to investigate police use of deadly force. It awards grants to states that mandate independent investigations and prosecutions in cases where alleged offenses result in death or serious bodily harm.

NAACP Vice President of Policy and Legislative Affairs Cedric C. Haynes said, “This bill is crucial to prevent tragedies like the recent fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, and to ensure accountability and justice. The U.S. has a long history of issues in policing, and we see this legislation as a necessary step towards restoring trust and advancing community safety.”

This legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Peter Welch (D-VT) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), with companion legislation being introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-09).

This legislation was previously introduced in 2017, 2019, and 2021. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021 includes this bill’s provisions on independent investigations into police-involved use of deadly force.

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