Panel, the a b. A. Annual Meeting Forum on justice and policing. A path forward with senator tim scott of South Carolina. Thank you senator scott, so very much, its a privilege to have you join us for this program at the ap a annual meeting. Thank you maam and thank you for your leadership. Without any question, americas better for folks because a folks by yourself with strong positions. Thank you for making the investment to make a difference. Thank you sir. Senator scott, what do you see is the role of congress and improving police and Community Relations and bridging the gap of trust, particularly with communities of color across our nation. I think Congress Plays a role in that. Even a significant role. But perhaps the most Important Role is the one on the local level. The mayors and the county chairman or chair women, those folks have the most direct path for Police Reform. Not those of us in congress. Ive share this story several times, i have been stopped by officers 18 times in the last 20 years. Seven times in one year as an elected official. All of my 18 stops were either by city, county or state Law Enforcement. Never by federal Law Enforcement officers. So, while we know the president ial election is very important and this one is another important one, the truth is that your election for your mayor a lot of citizens dont participate in those elections, for your city council members, those folks are in direct positions of power to determine what kind of Law Enforcement you have. When you dont vote in those elections, we are actually taking a step back from the one place where Police Reform comes to life immediately in your cities. We will do all that we can. Ive worked on legislation, bipartisan legislation. Im having great conversations with the chairwoman of the congressional black caucus. Were looking for the sweet spot and common ground. In the last few days, ive spoken with family members whose brothers died at the hand of Law Enforcement. We want to see something done. The more i spoke with the family of the victims, the more they kept saying thats a local issue. It really is, in a very big way, local issues. Were going to continue to play a prominent role because we must, but our ability to ban chokeholds is on the federal level. We can only induce or encourage behavior by what we do with grant dollars. Thats an important part, but its less than 5 of the average departments revenue stream. So thats an important part of the equation. If i paid the entire picture, especially as someone who has felt discrimination at the hands of Law Enforcement, its really important for us to recognize that most of that is a local decision. There have been calls to defund the police. When you hear that term, defund the police, what does it mean to you . Do you think its appropriate to examine how resources are distributed to communities . I certainly think its important for us to examine how resources are distributed, but the concept of defunding the police is the scariest thought ive ever heard of as it relates to communities of color and the vulnerable communities. I hosted several weeks ago, a roundtable discussion with African American leaders throughout South Carolina and attorney general barr. The one consensus in the room was lets not defund the police, but lets talk about a better strategy of having Police Respond. A couple of ideas that they came out of the room was consistent with the executive order that came out of the administration. One was coresponders. The eighth importance of having Mental Health experts responding to homelessness and Mental Health episodes. Responding to issues of addiction. Those are places where Law Enforcement agencies should have health Mental Health care experts as a part of their team, so when theyre responding to these unique and specific circumstances, that they are responding with the type of expertise that is necessary to prevent an escalation of force when possible. I will say it this way. You are too young to remember these days, but in the eighties we had six or 700,000 additional beds for Mental Health patients than we do today. I think that has a Significant Impact on what we are asking our officers to do today. If we could find a way to embed within the response, Mental Health experts, we might walk away with a lot of lives saved. Do you think consideration should be given to altering or limiting or even removing the immunity currently enjoyed by Law Enforcement across the country . And do you believe that congress will act to address qualified immunity . I just had conversations with family members about this specific issue. When i say family members, i mean family members of the deceased who lost their lives at the hand of Law Enforcement. What i told them was that theres two ways to take a look at qualified immunity. One way is, is there a way for us to provide recourse and restitution to the extent possible for the life that was lost . That, im all on board. Lets figure out how to make it more punitive for cities, municipalities and departments in counties. Even for states. To be responsible for the actions of their officers. At the same time, if we want to continue to recruit and attract highly talented and highly motivated character driven officers, you have to protect that officer and their personal possessions from those lawsuits. To the extent possible. The core threshold that we have, i think i would support, but i would also make it easier for families to us receive restitution and recourse by making it easier for them to sue cities and departments and or counties or states. How do you see the role in solving the crisis in confidence and Law Enforcement. Are you confident you can make a difference and how would you go about doing so so we can move to a better place in this country as we must do . Yes maam. I think im a part of the team that can make a difference. I hope that i have made a difference. One of the things that we dont spend a lot of time talking about, and i cant figure out why, is how do we break the cycle . Nearly a third of African American boys will have had some type of negative interaction with Law Enforcement and or incarceration. The keys to that, from everything that ive studied, education and poverty. Breaking those cycles should be a robust part of our conversations as we look to address the issue of social justice. Other things ive been working on for five years frankly. I started this conversation after walter scott, in making sure that we provide enough resources for body cameras because i know personally that, had not been for the miracle of a bystander recording the incident where walter scott was shot in the back five times, had not been for that camera, none of us would have never second guessed a Police Report there have been falsified to protect a police officer. Thats a situation we have to overcome as quickly as possible. One of the ways we do that is by putting as much pressure and force on the system to change. Being in the position and having lived in that same community, ive taken it as a personal odyssey for more funding on body cameras and working on legislation and has passed the senate. Legislation like antilynching bills. Continuing to bring record breaking levels of funding to historically black colleges as ive done the past two years. Theres a lot of things we can do and that we should do that i dont think is directly connected to Law Enforcement. But its absolutely connected to the pipeline of justice. If i want to reduce the number of incidents that people of color are having in the Justice System, i need to break that cycle as early as possible. Senator scott, thank you so very much for being with us. We very much appreciate the time you spent with us today. Now i will turn it back over to joey jackson and our esteemed panel who will discuss your thoughts as well as their observations regarding policing in america and the path forward. Thank you so very much, sir. Yes maam, thank you as well, have a great day. Welcome to justice and policing, a path forward. My name is joey jackson, im an attorney. We have a lot of discs to discuss. We are in very trying in difficult times. Those trying and difficult times have been brought about by what weve seen as injustice is with our own eyes. Theyve occurred primarily with police and involving people of color. Were in a situation where i think people have come to the conclusion that enough is enough and they are looking for a path forward that are ripe with reform and the issue of equality. That these things are done in a way that treats all people of all races in a very equal way. In a sound and respectful way. Country are protestsross this everywhere. Those protests consists of people who are of all colors. I think that goes to the issue that people know what they see is wrong and that it needs to be altered. It needs to be reformed. Today, as we gather to have this very important discussion, it was very appropriate and felt very important that we bring about a Diverse Group of people on this panel that could address the perspective from a core perspective, police perspective, a political perspective, so we can get to the root cause of the issue. Not only the problem is, but also discuss solutions. Discussing moving forward. Discussing, in this time of opportunity, we see a crossroads now. What measures will be put in place so that people who have hyde died at the hands of the police who can have it legacy. That legacy will be that perhaps future lies can be changed. Perhaps policing, again, could be brought to a situation where there can be a gap bridge between communities and police. Moving forward, that it can be done in a more compassionate way, or in a way that acknowledges and represents that we have to Work Together. We have to Work Together in a way that respects everyones rights and respects the rights of black and brown people across this country. And doing so and putting together this panel, it was a Dynamic Panel indeed, that was brought together from across section of people who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience. I will start in introducing judge susan morgan. She is a Federal District court judge in louisiana. She will be introducing herself momentarily. No stranger to this issue at all. Presiding over decrees, having knowledge, information and understanding about the process as it relates to policing and what the extent of those decrees does. What the effectiveness are. What it looks like moving forward. So it is a pleasure and privilege to have her here. We also have tracy birch. Doctor tracey birch. Professor tracey birch. She brings an academic perspective. A perspective of wisdom. A perspective of having to teach people and speak to people and flesh out these issues in the classroom. To develop and work with bright minds going forward, which will perhaps bring further meaning and dialog to this discussion of how we fix a broken system. Of course, we know that we had commissioner Michael Harrison here as well. A person who has been in the trenches on this issue. Whos rose among the ranks. Whos been a model of excellence and example in issues of policing. Who is formally in louisiana, and then of course, is now in baltimore as the 41st Police Commissioner. We will also be joined later by senator scott. He certainly brings a political perspective to this. The senator working on legislation and reform. Hopefully, the senate will get together with the house. We look forward to speaking with him as well. Just to get into this panel, i would like for each of the panelists to say hello and introduce themselves and speak to the issue of why this is such an important issue and how we move forward in a better way. Judge, if we can start with you. Im smart enough to know that we always start with the judge. Take it away. Im a Federal District court judge in new orleans. I had a civil practice until 2012 when i was appointed to the bench by president barack obama. About four months later, i got assigned the New Orleans Police Department specialty case. Im coming up on eight years of working that Consent Decree. Ive learned a lot about policing and Police Reform. I definitely see a role for Consent Decrees to play and Police Reform in our country. Its not the only way, but it is one way that i have found to be very effective. Thank you so very much judge. Professor burch, if we can turn to you. Hi, thank you so much joey. I am professor of Political Science and also a Research Professor at the american bar foundation. One of the major issues that i research is criminal justice and the political effects of criminal justice on participation. Im currently working on a project that examines how and when people respond politically through voting for protesting and the like to policing. Im happy to be here. We are happier that you are here. Then of course, commissioner harrison. Professor also, because he knows this stuff inside and out. Commissioner. Thank you joey. Thank you for having me. Im so honored to be a part of this panel. Especially to be joined by judge morgan who i had the pleasure of working with for four and a half years. I got my start with the New Orleans Police Department and spent 28 years there. Then in 2014, i was asked to take the lead as police superintendent. Going into the second year of a federally mandated Consent Decree and then serving the department for four and a half years as the superintendent, taking it through the various stages of compliance, i was very blessed to be asked to take a lead at the baltimore Police Department. I said yes to that. Then i moved to baltimore two years into its Consent Decree in 2019. So here i am participating in my second major city Police Department under federal Consent Decree. Its about making reform and transforming the department into a department that the citizens have asked for. Im honored to be among your panelists. If i could start with you in just having the discussion, i know youre in the hot seat. Your reputation precedes itself. Youve done tremendous things. Were in such a difficult time commissioner. Police are in a tough way now. Police are being blamed for a lot. We are in a difficult place. From my perspective, i want to make it clear that communities need police and police made communities. Knowing that, we know police some police may run afoul and serve as a lightning rod for the ire of the community. Since were looking at a path moving forward, how do we get our hands around this problem . Is it a Community Policing issue . Is it a training issue . Is it a recruitment issue . What is the issue and how do we make it better . It is all of the above. You pointed it out. It is everything from how we recruit to how we hire and who we train. How we create policies that support that training which turns into positive police performance. Joey, i heard you Say Community enforcement. I like to say we are not different than the community, we are a part of the community. In my professional opinion, there is no distinction between police and community. We are a part of the community we serve. Everything we do that breaks the trust and breaks the relationship between the police and community, were actually doing it to ourselves. Not just the community, but were harming ourselves because we are a part of that community. Its everything that we do. Every single policy, the way we perform, the way we engage in the way we enforce. The way we treat people with dignity and respect, and that our policies should support that everyone is treated with dennis dignity, respect and equity. That is what a Consent Decree is. It is designed, in new orleans as it is in baltimore, to transform the department to do all of those things so that we are looking for the right people who have the right temperament and the right will to do this work. Who will be engaging and endearing and compassionate. Tough on crime, soft on people. Very well said, commissioner. You bring up the issue of Consent Decree. Church morgan, if i could pivot to you on the issue as a person who knows so much about that issue. I guess i would ask view, what can we expect with regard to Consent Decrees . Are they effective . Could they be effective . How do you in your judicial role oversee them in a way to ensure that things are made better . I will start by talking about why we have Consent Decrees. The 1994 crime bill gets criticize often because increased penalties and increased incarceration. A very good thing that it did is e