Last month, we asked our readers what issues they wanted to hear the candidates running for office address ahead of this summer’s primary elections. Based on the input we received, we developed a five-item questionnaire for Democratic candidates running for the United States Senate seat.
We’re publishing the candidates’ responses to one item per day each day this week. Today we’ve got the candidates’ responses to item three:
Do you support the Justice in Policing Act, which would ban chokeholds, prohibit many no-knock warrants, and establish a national database to track police misconduct? What other steps, if any, would you like to see the federal government take on police reform?
Barbara Bollier
From what I have read, this bill takes common sense steps that I think the vast majority of Americans would agree with, like encouraging safer police practices and increasing transparency and accountability within police departments. We need to continue to ensure that people, especially people of color, are treated fairly by law enforcement, and end inequities in our legal system that treat some Americans differently than others. Black Americans have said for decades that they simply get different treatment by the police. And it’s time we all started listening to those experiences and doing something about them. That’s why, while I do not support defunding the police, I support reforms that would help end inequities in our systems that harm communities of color.
Robert Leon Tillman
Did not respond.
Tomorrow we’ll publish the candidate’s responses to item four:
What steps should the U.S. be taking right now on climate change?
