Senator Tim Scott Statement on Biden’s Policing Executive Order

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) issued the following statement on President Biden’s policing executive order. 

“After the radical ‘defund the police’ movement helped create the current crime wave, President Biden is pursuing a partisan approach to many of the exact same policy solutions I proposed in the JUSTICE Act just two year ago. The fact is Democrats used a filibuster they call racist to block my reforms that they’re now embracing,” said Senator Scott.

“While my proposal added funding to help local law enforcement comply with higher standards, the Democrats’ proposal sets departments up for failure by issuing unfunded federal mandates. Making it harder for police to do their jobs to the best of their ability should be a nonstarter, yet that’s exactly what the Biden plan does. I’m disappointed that the president who campaigned on unity has once again fallen into the trap of divisive politics.”

Background: 

• In June 2020, Senate Democrats blocked the JUSTICE Act, a police reform bill introduced by Senator Scott and co-sponsored by 48 Senate Republicans.
• In 2021, homicides in U.S. cities reached near record highs. 
• The JUSTICE Act would have addressed many of the issues included in the executive order, including:
  • Sec. 301 – Required local police to maintain a system for sharing police disciplinary records
  • Sec. 106 – Increased penalties for all law enforcement officers who intentionally submits a false police report in connection
  • JUSTICE Act Title II – Incentivized body-worn camera use for local law enforcement, and provided penalties for non-compliance
  • Sec. 105 – Incentivized the banning of chokeholds by local law enforcement
  • Sec. 106 – Required DoJ to develop training standards on in alternatives to use of force, de-escalation tactics, and techniques for responding to a behavioral health crisis
  • Sec. 801 – Provided grants for improved recruitment and hiring
  • Sec. 901 – Required new best practices on fair and effective policing tactics and procedures
  • Sec. 101 – Tracked use of force or serious bodily injury incident data

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