An executive order signed by President Trump Tuesday hopes to lower the volume of protests against police to more productive tones. Central Texas leaders had lots to say about it.
President Trump's executive order on law enforcement covers more than just policing. It covers homelessness, education and community, but it’s his initiatives for police getting the most attention.
He touted it as safety and security for all. President Trump's wide-ranging police reform order bans the most controversial move in the police playbook.
"Chokeholds will be banned except if an officer's life is at risk," said the president.
The government will give more money to departments adopting new, tougher certification standards. It will also spend more money on new kinds of non-lethal weapons and create a database of so-called "problem officers" who hop from job to job after making critical mistakes, a move hailed by Hewitt Police Chief Jim Devlin.
"It just may be that their idea of law enforcement isn't conducive to what the agency or community's expectation is," said Chief Devlin in an earlier interview about the job-hopping officers.
While Lovie Langston of the Waco NAACP approved of the community aspects in the order, he found the police changes lacking.
"Well, to me, the specifics were not there. I wanted to see more specifics," he said.
McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara heard some things he liked.
"Well, I think most of his ideas are very good. I think he puts a lot of thought in 'em," said Sheriff McNamara.
The sheriff says good law officers were appalled by the recent brutality cases.
"Nobody likes police brutality, and I don't know any police officers who pick up a badge and a gun and go to work every day with a desire to hurt somebody or shoot somebody," said the sheriff.
That, and many of the peaceful protests taking place, gives Lovie Langston hope.
"So I'm hopeful for positive change. I really am," he said.
While some question if President Trump has authority to change orders largely approved by local governments, many they’re glad he took some sort of action.
