The White House has halted plans to create a national police oversight commission and instead will focus on changing policing through legislation, Director of Domestic Policy Susan Rice said Monday.
President Biden had pledged to create a commission to study law enforcement after the high-profile deaths of several unarmed Black men and women at the hands of police. It was a key promise of his presidential campaign.
“Based on close, respectful consultation with partners in civil rights community, the administration made the considered judgment that a police commission, at this time, would not be the most effective way to deliver on our top priority in this area, which is to sign the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act into law,” Ms. Rice told Politico.
She also said the administration is working with Congress to “swiftly enact meaningful police reform that brings profound, urgently needed change.”
The White House had planned to establish a commission that would include insight from both civil rights organizations and police unions.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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