Biden issues policing executive order

On the two-year anniversary of George Floyd’s death following an attempted arrest by Minneapolis police, President Joe Biden signed an executive order aimed at reforming police practices. Most of the order focuses on federal law enforcement agencies. It reforms policies for some 100,000 federal officers by banning chokeholds, restricting no-knock warrants, and emphasizing de-escalation policies. The order will also create a database to track officer misconduct and keep problem officers from hopping from job to job.

What does this change? The Biden administration cannot force local police departments to participate in the database, but it intends to use federal funding as an incentive. The order also seeks to cut down the flow of surplus military equipment to local police. On Wednesday night, people gathered for a candlelight vigil at the intersection where Floyd died. Organizers are also planning an all-day festival and a concert at the intersection for Saturday.

Dig deeper: Read Addie Michaelian’s report in Compassion on police departments regaining their budgets.