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| US police reform: Trump signs executive order on 'best practice' | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order introducing several police reforms while rejecting calls to defund or dismantle the police. | |
| His order offers federal grants to improve police practices, including creating a database to trace abuses by officers. | |
| The order comes amid anger over the killing of African Americans by police officers. | |
| Several US cities have proposed more radical reforms. | |
| Speaking at the White House on Tuesday, Mr Trump also said he had met with a number of African American families who had lost loved ones. | |
| In his address, the president again defended police while condemning looters and "anarchy". | |
| "We have to find common ground," Mr Trump said. "But I strongly oppose the radical and dangerous efforts to defund, dismantle and dissolve our police departments." | |
| He added that "without police, there's chaos". | |
| "Americans believe we must support the brave men and women in blue who police our streets and keep us safe," Mr Trump said. | |
| "Americans also believe we must improve accountability, increase transparency and invest more resources in police training, recruiting and community engagement." | |
| The latest drive for reform began after the death in police custody of George Floyd last month. | The latest drive for reform began after the death in police custody of George Floyd last month. |
| Floyd died after a white police officer in Minneapolis knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes. The killing spurred global protests led by the Black Lives Matter movement. | |
| There was fresh outrage after the death of another black man, Rayshard Brooks, who was shot during an attempted arrest in Atlanta last Friday. | There was fresh outrage after the death of another black man, Rayshard Brooks, who was shot during an attempted arrest in Atlanta last Friday. |
| What does the Trump order include? | What does the Trump order include? |
| The Trump announcement comes as Democrats and Republicans in the US Congress are developing reforms of their own. | The Trump announcement comes as Democrats and Republicans in the US Congress are developing reforms of their own. |
| The president's executive order aims to provide incentives for police departments to improve by tying some federal grants to "best practices". | |
| It will create a federal database of complaints against officers. It will also encourage the deployment of social workers alongside officers to deal with non-violent cases involving drug addiction and homelessness. | |
| The White House has stressed the idea is to bring the police closer to communities. | |
| The order will also prioritise federal grants to departments that obtain certifications of high standards regarding de-escalation training and use of force. | |
| "As part of this new credentialing process, chokeholds will be banned except if an officer's life is at risk," Mr Trump said. "Everybody said it's time, we have to do it." | |
| The president also said the government is looking into new "less lethal weapons to prevent deadly interactions". | |
| Mr Trump has described the Atlanta incident as "very disturbing", and said his initiative was "about safety". | Mr Trump has described the Atlanta incident as "very disturbing", and said his initiative was "about safety". |
| The president has also condemned George Floyd's death, but rejected suggestions of ingrained racism in police forces. | |
| Critics say the measures fall short of the deep reform that many are seeking. | Critics say the measures fall short of the deep reform that many are seeking. |
| What other reforms have been proposed? | What other reforms have been proposed? |
| In Minneapolis, some council members have announced plans to defund and dismantle the police department. | In Minneapolis, some council members have announced plans to defund and dismantle the police department. |
| In Atlanta, following Rayshard Brooks's death, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms demanded a series of changes concerning the use of lethal force by police. These include a "duty to intervene" if a police officer sees misconduct by a colleague. | In Atlanta, following Rayshard Brooks's death, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms demanded a series of changes concerning the use of lethal force by police. These include a "duty to intervene" if a police officer sees misconduct by a colleague. |
| San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Chicago are among the cities that have said they would reform their policies on the use of force and root out racist officers. | |
| At federal level, the Democrats have introduced their own legislation into the House of Representatives. | At federal level, the Democrats have introduced their own legislation into the House of Representatives. |
| It calls for a ban on the chokeholds method of restraining suspects and on no-knock warrants - which allow police to enter a property without notifying residents. | It calls for a ban on the chokeholds method of restraining suspects and on no-knock warrants - which allow police to enter a property without notifying residents. |
| More on George Floyd's death | More on George Floyd's death |