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After hours of debate, the Connecticut General Assembly house of representatives this morning passed LCO #3700, “An Act Concerning Police Accountability.” The version passed by the house is slightly different than the original bill, which was introduced under a different LCO number (3741).
Right now, Connecticut’s legislature is considering a bill that, among other things, would ban “qualified immunity” for police in Connecticut.
Below, you'll find a copy of the ACLU of Connecticut's testimony regarding LCO No. 3471, "An Act Concerning Police Accountability," as introduced. Regardless of what happens next at the legislature, this bill cannot be the end of the conversation.
The first State's Attorney reappointments under new law are a chance for the Criminal Justice Commission to choose new leadership and send the message that prosecution in Connecticut needs to change.
It’s about bigger towns and cities, especially those where policing most harms Black and Latinx people, getting the same chance to do what other Connecticut towns have long done: investing hard-earned resources into schools, healthcare, food security, housing security, and jobs instead of policing.
This movement has been around since the early days of policing and has always been led by activists and organizers from communities that have been harmed by the police. It’s time people in power listen.