It has been a year since the death of George Floyd, killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd’s neck, preventing him from breathing. Protesters took to the streets to fight against police brutality and racial injustice after news of this event swept across the nation. One year later, Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin, Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce and U.S Congresswoman Joyce Beatty reflect on the progress that has been made in Columbus.
Beatty gladly acknowledges the large numbers of Black and brown people that are part of the Urban League organization who meet once a week to talk about change. Council President Hardin addressed the implementation of the ban on no-knock warrants and the rule against hiring police officers associated with any hate groups. In addition, a Civilian Review Board was approved. It aims to investigate allegations of misconduct and instances of Columbus police officers using force.
Jasmine Ayres, a community advocate, asserted that these changes were highly overdue.
Some of them should have been done a long time ago, right? Like our reforms on no-knock raids, which still don't go far enough in my opinion. The fact that we are going to do a more intensive background check to make sure that there aren't hate affiliations, that is important, but these are not big structural changes.
Hardin, Boyce and Beatty are on the same page as Ayres. While they agree that reform has been carried out, the three lawmakers believe that there is still more work to be done. Commissioner Boyce stated that, “We're in the same place we were last year." Beatty declared that as a community, they have not been doing enough to incite change and advance police reform. Hardin believes that the community is tired.
The past year has come with a variety of changes, but it is clear that reform is a long and strenuous process, requiring close cooperation between communities and lawmakers. One year isn’t enough to make big changes to the system. Over time, and with an open mind, progress will occur at a steady and ever-evolving pace.