The recent wave of protests that have erupted across the United States illustrate the urgent and interrelated need for comprehensive police reform and racial justice. For far too long, there have been two systems of justice in the United States: one for white Americans, and one for Americans of color. If our country is to live up to its reputation as a successful pluralistic democracy — and as a democratic model for the world — it is critical that we reconcile with our oppressive past and take decisive action in the present, in order to ensure a more just and equitable future. To act is patriotism; to defer is to renege on our founders’ promise of liberty and justice for all. Below I lay out several actionable policy proposals based on recommendations by leading advocacy groups that would bring us closer to racial justice.

1.    Demilitarize the police and reduce police funding: Police forces throughout the U.S. have come to resemble small paramilitary forces. This is both superfluous and dangerous. Many functions that the police currently fulfill (issuing fines, making arrests for non-dangerous behaviors, etc.) can be adequately and safely undertaken by unarmed civil servants with appropriate training. This would dramatically reduce the number of potentially fatal interactions between the police and people of color. Money saved by divesting from the police can be redirected to support programs that train these unarmed civil servants or be directly reinvested in black and brown communities.

2.   Require police to wear and use body cameras at all times: As the death of George Floyd attests to, the presence of video footage is often the only thing that can bring justice for the victims of police brutality and hold police officers accountable for their violence against people of color. Officers nationwide should be required to wear and utilize body cameras 100% of the time when interacting with civilians and should be required by law to release relevant footage in instances of alleged police brutality. Failure to wear and utilize a camera at all times should be treated as a violation of police protocol and should result in suspension or termination for repeated offenses.

3.   Utilize independent prosecutors in cases involving police brutality: It is clear that local and state prosecutors are reluctant to bring charges against members of the police even in the most clear and egregious cases of police brutality — the prosecution of the officers involved in the murder of George Floyd is unfortunately anomalous. In order to ensure that justice is carried out for black and brown victims of police brutality, it is essential that independent prosecutors be utilized and empowered to bring cases against members of the police who abuse their authority at the expense of people of color.

If implemented, each of the aforementioned policies would begin to address our country’s long history of racial discrimination and police brutality. However, they are only a start. A clear commitment to bring about racial justice should be a priority for every member of Congress: the safety and prosperity of America’s black and brown citizens can no longer be an issue of secondary importance.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I sincerely hope that you will strive to serve our founding ideals and promises by making the changes necessary to create a more just and equitable tomorrow.