Governor Baker today introduced a bill that would create a system to license police officers. Massachusetts is one of four states currently without a Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) program.
Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, today released the following statement in response:
“This bill is a welcome first step, but more can—and should—be done to dramatically change the role police play in our communities. There can be no more limited or temporary fixes when it comes to policing, which is why the ACLU is calling for an end to qualified immunity so officers can be held accountable for violating people’s rights; new legal standards for the use of force; and divestment from law enforcement agencies and investment into the Black and Brown communities that have been harmed by over-policing. Together, these reforms overhaul police practices.
“As the Governor’s POST bill moves forward, the ACLU will work to ensure that it is strengthened and implemented into law, and our work to fundamentally rethink policing will continue. We will not stop until the role of police is smaller, more circumscribed, and less funded with taxpayer dollars.”
