The state of Missouri moved forward Tuesday with legislation aimed at making the use of lethal force by police officers less likely.
http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/...
A bill to limit police use of deadly force has advanced in the Missouri Senate, an effort aimed at addressing concerns raised after the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson.
The legislation comes from Sen. Bob Dixon, a Republican from the Springfield, Missouri area.
http://politicmo.com/...
“What I want to make sure is that law enforcement have is clarity in the law,” Dixon said. “What we had in our current statutes is some confusion. It looked like they could use deadly force for something like a bad check.”
Dixon, a self described conservative Republican has said that the events in Ferguson are a driving factor behind his legislation, which he hopes removes confusion from the use of force by police officers.
This has been a week of significant changes for police in Missouri, as St. Louis moved forward on a civilian review board, passing 17-8.
http://www.stltoday.com/...
ST. LOUIS • The Board of Aldermen voted Monday to create a civilian oversight board to investigate complaints against city police officers, passing the bill after a stormy legislative process following the unrest in Ferguson.
The 17-8 vote approved the bill on the last day of the board’s spring session, four months after the bill was introduced and three months after debate over it ended with a melee at City Hall.
Mayor Francis Slay, who in a rare step added his name to the bill as a co-sponsor, said he will sign it May 5.
Supporters said it will help quell civilian suspicion of police officers. Opponents showcased differing arguments: Some said it would restrain police officers and interfere with investigations, while others argued the bill didn’t give the civilian board enough power.
While none of these steps represent a conclusive answer to the problem these communities face, these legislative steps are definitely a move in the right direction.