AUSTIN, TX — The Texas Legislative Session began on Jan 12., and will eventually address legalities regarding the interactions between law enforcement, and citizens being detained by them.
”I definitely like how it will mandate that police departments, to report data, on use of force violations and all discriminatory practices due to age, race, religion, and gender, and it’ll also be added on a National Registry of Police Misconduct,” said Tre Watson, co-founder of the Brazos Valley Black Lives Matter group.
The Texas House Bill 88, will incorporate subjects of the George Floyd Act, intended, to ban choke-holds and excessive use of force.
”Honestly, I think it’ll not only help black and brown Americans, but all Americans, it will hold police officers to a higher standard, it wouldn’t make it seem like they're here to beat us up, and keep us in line,” Watson added.
The Bryan Police Department has already reviewed and made changes after the incident in Minneapolis.
”We’re always willing to review, and look, as an example, we removed the neck restraint from our policy, it is no longer authorized, in fact, it is prohibited from our officers to use it because we found it is better practice to not have it in their,” said Eric Buske, Bryan Police Chief.
College station PD also prohibits neck-restraints—Bryan PD hold their officers to higher standards than the State.
”While State requires law enforcement officer to have 40 hours training every two years, we provide a minimum of 40 hours of training every year,” Police Chief Buske shared.
House Bill 88 will also encourage officers to develop a report database, something Bryan PD is already utilizing.
”All uses of force require the officers to complete a use of force report, which is reviewed, and scrutinized, by the officer's chain of command,” Police Chief Buske added.
Texas Senate Bill 161 is also very similar to the House Bill 88, where they also refer to subjects of the George Floyd Act.