Newly introduced legislation in Lansing would require all law enforcement agencies to adopt “duty to intervene” policies. The sponsor is state Senator Ruth Johnson, who spoke to Michigan News Network about the plan.
“It would require all law enforcement agencies to adopt a duty to intervene,” Johnson said. “Michigan would be the first state in the country to require this. A duty to intervene policy requires law enforcement officers to intervene to prevent an observed use of excessive force by another officer.
Johnson said she was moved to introduce the plan after watching the George Floyd killing video and seeing officers just stand there while Floyd was being pinned to the ground with a knee on his neck. While many agencies in Michigan and around the country have already adopted duty to intervene policies, fewer than half of the 100 largest police departments in the U.S. currently have them.
