San Diego Civil Rights Leaders Need Assist For The George Floyd Justice In Policing Act

Photo by Matthew Bowler

Above: People gather in downtown San Diego in support of the Derek Chauvin Trial. April 20, 2021.

Following the murder conviction of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd, San Diego civil rights activists are calling on the County Board of Supervisors and San Diego City Council to formally assist George Floyd’s federal judiciary in policing law (HR 1280).

Rev. Shane Harris, president of the People’s Association of Justice Advocates, urged San Diego leaders to take action.

“There was a round in the fight yesterday, but the fight is not over yet,” said Harris. “We have to come together to adopt legitimate reform.”

Harris urges San Diego to pass a formal resolution in support of HR 1280 to show that the city of San Diego and the county are ready to continue fighting for police reform.

Federal law, passed in the House of Representatives in March pending a Senate vote, would ban chokeholds, limit qualified immunity, ban racial profiling, and introduce several other police reforms.

Bishop Cornelius Bowser of the Charity Apostolic Church in San Diego says the bill would have a big impact on San Diego.

“I believe that when this law is passed we will take a radical step and that is what we need if we are to redefine the police force,” said Bowser.

Supervisor Nathan Fletcher says the board will vote on May 4th on whether to support the bill.

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Cristina Kim

Racial and Social Justice reporter

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