How Michigan Democrats want to reform policing

While the police misconduct that resulted in the death of Tyre Nichols occurred in Memphis, Tennessee, it’s not unique to that city or state. Democratic representatives in Michigan have issued bills to reform the police on the past.

Now that Democrats have a majority in the state legislature, what kinds of bills do they want to pass to change policing and the nature of safety?

“We know that some of the things that we’re looking at are actually associated across the country with fewer police killings.” — State Sen. Stephanie Chang

Listen: What bills might be passed to reform the police in Michigan.

Guest

State Sen. Stephanie Chang is a Democrat from Detroit representing Michigan’s 3rd state Senate district. She has sponsored bills that would fund care response programs — sending mental health professionals and peers with lived experience to mental health emergency calls, instead of armed law enforcement officers.

Chang says she and her peers are pushing to curb police violence.

“We know that some of the reforms that we’re talking about — with use-of-force policies for example — we know that some of the things that we’re looking at are actually associated across the country with fewer police killings,” says Chang.