Time for change, re-imagining public safety , What's Your Point?

Across the nation cities and states are addressing public concern about police brutality, racial profiling, and other injustices. Taskforce studies are in abundance and reform bills have been introduced in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The Independence Day weekend edition of What's Your Point brings together a panel of talented young leaders so-called Millenials, 
who have already demonstrated a desire to lead our community into a future filled with both uncertainty and opportunity.
Michele Leal, Latino Texas PAC, Genevieve Carter, Communication Dir. of Harris County GOP, Raj Sahotra, co-founder Momentum Education, Charles Blain, Urban Reform, and Anthony Dolcefino, conservative, former City Council candidate, join Greg Groogan in a discussion about police reform, public safety and policies.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  - July 2, 2020    Gov. Bill Lee on Thursday called on every law enforcement agency to review and update its use of force policies, as well as scrutinize guidelines surrounding when officers should prevent or stop incidents of misconduct.

Lee said the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, the Tennessee Highway Patrol and others have volunteered to help implement the 60-day review.

“This is just the beginning but we’re grateful for this first step,” Lee said.

Also part of Lee’s Thursday announcement was a call for increased officer training, including requiring no fewer than 16 hours on de-escalation techniques, officer’s duty-to-intervene, public assembly interaction and emphasizing positive officer and community relationships.

CONCORD, N.H. (AP)  - July 2, 2020    Racism has played a role in policing in New Hampshire and law enforcement would benefit from training and policy changes as a necessary first step to treat people as human beings rather than “presumptively dangerous potential,” a criminal defense lawyers group said in testimony presented Thursday to a commission examining police accountability.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  - July 2, 2020   A new state law in New York allows judges to set bail for more criminal charges than originally allowed under a sweeping 2019 reform that largely did away with cash bail for many people awaiting trial.

Several criminal justice reform groups and state lawmakers raised concern at a Thursday virtual news conference that the amended law, which goes into effect in July, will land more people behind bars amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“Legislators rolled back bail reform knowing that it would put more people in jail,” said Roger Clark, a community leader with the #HALTsolitary campaign and VOCAL-NY. “It’s unconscionable.”

The Commission on Law Enforcement, Accountability, Community and Transparency formed by Gov. Chris Sununu in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis began meeting last month. It has 45 days to submit its recommendations to him.