I was very proud to see Mitt Romney among the other protesters standing up against police brutality. The footage that we have seen of the excessive use of force too often used by the police against black people in our country has been eye-opening and outrageous. I hope that Sen. Romney will continue to fight for justice and a more peaceful community, not just on the street but also on Capitol Hill.
We need police use-of-force polices, such as a ban on chokeholds and strangle positions, a duty to intervene, a requirement that officers give a verbal warning before firing a weapon, a requirement that officers exhaust all other means before using force and independent bodies to investigate police officers accused of using excessive force to hold them accountable. Finally, police budgets should be reduced and those funds redirected into more effective supportive services. We are asking law enforcement to do too much. A guy with a gun does not need to respond to a person having a mental health crisis. A guy with a gun does not need to respond to a person experiencing homelessness. A battalion with armored vehicle, rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas does not need to respond to a peaceful protest.
Britney Marler
Taylorsville