Del. Gabriel Acevero (D-Montgomery) speaks to a crowd gathered in support of police accountability bills March 4 in Annapolis. (Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post)
Maryland enacted historic police accountability measures Saturday, becoming the first state to repeal its powerful Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights and setting new rules for when police may use force and how they are investigated and disciplined.
Read the full article on the Washington Post:
"Black Democratic lawmakers responded with passionate and personal arguments for why police officers need better training and said they hoped the legislation would change policing culture and attitudes toward Black people."
This gives hope that we now have a state that sets a high bar (although not perfect) and sets a new precedent for other states - and cities - to follow. Of course, we already know that training and laws don't change police behavior and police culture, so it's still a long time coming, but another light at the end of the tunnel.