Democrats introduce sweeping police reform package in response to nationwide protests

Democrats unveiled Monday a sprawling package of proposals aimed at addressing calls for police reform from across the political spectrum, including mandates for anti-bias training, national use-of-force standards and changes to make it easier to sue officers for misconduct — all of which drew fire from law enforcement officials.

Tackling what activists describe as decades-old racism built into the system, the Justice and Policing Act would create a National Police Misconduct Registry, ban police chokeholds and “no-knock” warrants in drug cases and limit the amount of military-grade weapons that the federal government transfers to police departments.

Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Karen Bass, California Democrat, called the push for police accountability a “rainbow movement” for the diversity of its supporters around the country and world, saying cellphone videos helped expose widespread police brutality against black Americans.

“I am certain police officers want to make sure they are trained in the best practices,” Ms. Bass said. “A profession where you have the power to kill should be a profession that requires highly trained officers who are accountable to the public.”

Sen. Kamala D. Harris, a California Democrat who has served as the state’s attorney general, said the measures were “literally in the best interest of all Americans.”

“This is a basic matter of fairness, and as so many have said, justice,” she said.

The National Association of Police Organizations slammed the bill as an “unworkable hodgepodge of conflicting laws and policy.”