During the nationwide protests that followed the murder of George Floyd, protesters, politicians, religious leaders, and other groups called for police reform in the United States. This has led to laws, proposals, and public directives at all levels of government to address police misconduct and systemic racial bias, as well as police brutality in the United States. Some of the common reforms involve bans on chokeholds and no-knock warrants, and improvements to police data collection procedures.

Background

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, an African-American man, was murdered by a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, in Minneapolis. A video of the incident depicting Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for an extended period, attracted widespread outrage leading to local, national, and international protests and demonstrations against police brutality and racism in policing.

Unrest began as local protests in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area, then quickly spread across the United States and internationally. The protests are part of a wider Black Lives Matter movement, which began after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the killing of Trayvon Martin in 2012. Police reforms have been a central part of the movement's demands, and protesters after Floyd's murder articulated several desired outcomes, some of which have been addressed by federal, state, or local lawmakers.

Federal

Proposed legislation not enacted

Justice in Policing Act of 2020

In June 2020, Democrats in Congress introduced the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, a police reform and accountability bill that contains measures to combat police misconduct, excessive force, and racial bias in policing. Advocates and lawmakers have tried to pass police reform measures in the past, and their efforts received renewed energy after the high-profile killings of Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other African Americans at the hands of police. The bill includes several provisions which aim to improve oversight, accountability, training, and documentation while placing restrictions on techniques like chokeholds and use of deadly force. It was introduced on June 8, but failed to clear a procedural vote in the Senate. The bill was re-introduced in 2021, but again failed to reach a full Senate vote. As of July 2022 no additional progress has been made.

George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act

The George Floyd Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act is a civil rights bill proposed in the United States House of Representatives by Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), co-sponsored by Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Jason Crow (D-CO). The bill would implement national policing standards and accreditations, require agencies to share policing data with the Department of Justice, and make grants available for new programs that help departments recruit, hire, or increase oversight. It also requires the Department of Justice to assemble a task force responsible for law enforcement misconduct cases. This bill was adjoined with the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, which failed to pass.

Ending Qualified Immunity Act

The Ending Qualified Immunity Act is a police reform bill proposed in the United States House of Representatives by Justin Amash (L-MI-3), cosponsored by 39 members of the House. The bill would remove the judicial doctrine of qualified immunity that protects law enforcement personnel from being held personally responsible for violating the rights of citizens. When introducing the bill, Amash stated that "The brutal killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police is merely the latest in a long line of incidents of egregious police misconduct. This pattern continues because police are legally, politically, and culturally insulated from consequences for violating the rights of the people whom they have sworn to serve. That must change so that these incidents of brutality stop happening." The bill failed to receive a House or Senate vote. It was reintroduced in 2021, but again failed to receive a vote in either chamber.

Executive orders On June 16, 2020, President Donald Trump signed the Executive Order on Safe Policing for Safe Communities, which calls for independent credentialing bodies certified by the United States attorney general, and provides financial incentives for departments which work to attain those credentials. The credentials would be based on criteria set by the attorney general, and should include a ban on chokeholds "except in those situations where the use of deadly force is allowed by law" as well as "policies and training regarding use-of-force and de-escalation techniques; performance management tools, such as early warning systems that help to identify officers who may require intervention; and best practices regarding community engagement." The order also calls for creating a national database with information about "instances of excessive use of force". Regarding police interactions with people with mental health issues or struggling with homelessness or addiction, the order calls for increased training, increasing the capacity for mental health professionals and social workers to work with law enforcement, and researching community-support models.

After Congress failed to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, on May 25, 2022, the second anniversary of Floyd's murder, President Joe Biden signed Executive Order 14074, creating the National Law Enforcement Accountability Database and enacting other federal policing reforms on a more limited level.

President Trump rescinded Executive Order 14074 on January 20, 2025, with Executive Order 14148, deactivating the NLEAD and the reports generated from it, but leaving in place some of the policy changes (e.g. body cameras) that were made in response to EO 14074.

States and municipalities

Arizona State of Arizona, House of Representatives, Fifty-fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session, 2022 passed HB 2650 with bipartisan support. ARS 41-1762 states, "effective June 30, 2025, each law enforcement agency in this state shall require the Major Incident Division [of the Arizona Department of Public Safety], a regional law enforcement task force or another law enforcement agency to perform the criminal investigation of any critical force incidents in this state."

Phoenix In May 2021 the city of Phoenix formed the Office of Accountability in Transparency, which investigates Phoenix Police shootings, in-custody deaths, and duty-related incidents where a person dies or suffers serious injury.

Arkansas On June 9, 2020, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson signed an executive order to create a police task force to “deal with police training, certification, and standards.” The purpose of the task force is to study and review policies of de-certification, community policing, and recommended means of "enhancing the trust of law enforcement."

California

On June 5, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom called for new police crowd control procedures for the state and the banning of the police use of carotid chokeholds, which starve the brain of oxygen. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra has recommended nine key reforms for local police departments in California, including banning the use of chokeholds, requiring officers to de-escalate situations and give verbal warning before using force, and requiring officers to intervene to stop another officer from using excessive force.

Berkeley On June 9, 2020, the city of Berkeley permanently banned police from using tear gas.

Davis On June 6, 2020, the Davis Police Department announced that it would prohibit officers from using chokeholds, and would require officers to intervene when observing colleagues using improper levels of force.

Fresno In 2020 Fresno's Police chief Paco Balderrama formed a commission to reform the Fresno Police Department. In 2021 Balderrama announced reforms based on the commission's recommendations. The reforms amend the workplace discrimination policy to allow the discriminated the same protections as witnesses, remedies conditions that deter female applicants, disbands the Homeless Task Force, documents corrective action in employee's personnel file, updates the use of force policy, prohibits officers from reaching into moving vehicles, and requires the use of de-escalation techniques.

Los Angeles On June 3, 2020, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has said he would cut as much as $150 million from the Los Angeles Police Department's budget, a reversal of his planned increase of $120 million. Garcetti announced the funds would be redirected to community initiatives.

Sacramento On June 30, 2020, Sacramento City Council members voted on an agreement to appoint an Inspector General to investigate use-of-force incidents involving the Sacramento Police Department.

San Diego On June 1, 2020, San Diego Police Department announced an immediate ban on carotid chokeholds, which starve the brain of oxygen. Similarly, San Diego resident and Brazilian jiu-jitsu World Champion Andre Galvão called for all first responders to be trained in grappling to avoid fatalities.

San Francisco

On June 11, 2020, the city of San Francisco announced plans for police to stop responding to non-criminal activities such as neighbor disputes, reports on homeless people, and school discipline interventions. Under the proposal, police will be replaced with trained and non-armed professionals.

Vallejo Touro University California banned the Vallejo Police Department from using its campus for training. The university's decision came after the shooting of Sean Monterrosa and after the release of a statement from the Vallejo police union which criticized protests of the killing by police.

Colorado On June 13, 2020, the Colorado General Assembly passed SB20-217, banning the use of chokeholds, banning the use of tear gas without announcing it or allowing people to disperse, removing the qualified immunity defense, and requiring all officers to use body cameras by July 1, 2023.

Denver On June 7, 2020, Denver Police Department banned the use of chokeholds without exception and established new reporting requirements whenever a police officer points a gun at a person."Denver fully bans chokeholds, requires report for aimed guns", Associated Press (June 8, 2020). . The department will also require its SWAT teams to activate body cameras during tactical operations.

Connecticut On June 15, 2020, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont imposed a series of reforms on the Connecticut State Police.

On July 31, 2020, Governor Lamont signed into law a sweeping police accountability bill. The bill increased state oversight of police officers, strengthened the use-of-force standard, banned consent searches in traffic stops, established an Inspector General to investigate police shootings, and weakened qualified immunity protections for officers.

Hartford In June 2020 the Hartford City Council voted to reduce the Hartford Police Department's budget and reallocate some funds to social services.

District of Columbia

On June 10, 2020, Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that she would sign the D.C. Council's emergency legislation to ban the use of neck restraints, tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, and stun grenades by police. The council has also passed legislation regarding the release of body camera footage.

Florida Hialeah The Hialeah Police Department announced it would no longer authorize the use of the Applied Carotid Triangle Restraint unless a justified need for deadly force is present.

Miami-Dade County Miami-Dade Police Department director Alfredo Ramirez III announced a ban on neck restraints during arrests.

Tampa