Indiana Black Legislative Caucus Justice Reform Action Steps

Phase I: Immediate Action

1. We urge Governor Holcomb to immediately establish a Statewide Criminal Justice Commission, including a diverse appointing of civilians, to examine every aspect of our state’s criminal justice system and recommend comprehensive criminal justice reform including the eradication of racist policing policies. We expect these recommendations to become bills that get passed in the 2021 Legislative Session.

2. We urge the Governor to issue an immediate executive order to immediately ban law enforcement from using chokehold restraints, or other means of restraint which cut off the ability to breathe, as a means of effectuating an arrest by law enforcement in Indiana. This order must include specific repercussions officers will face for violating this ban.

3.If there is no action by the governor, we urge the Mayors, city councils and Chiefs of Police to immediately establish a local policy that outlaws the use of a chokehold restraint, or other means of restraint which cut off the ability to breath, as a means of effectuating an arrest by law enforcement in Indiana.

4. We urge Indiana mayors, city councils and chiefs of police to immediately establish local Independent Civilian Review Boards, with members selected by local community activist groups, to review public complaints of police violence

Phase 2: Legislative Action

IBLC will craft this month with the input from the public during the IBLC virtual town halls, June 11^th and 25^th.

Here is the schedule for the 2020 IBLC Virtual Town Halls and RSVP Information:

June 11, 6:30-8:30 p.m. (ET), online only

RSVP: https://www.newamerica.org/…/events/what-residents-need-to…/