I did not want to discuss suggestions for prevention of more shooting of civilians by police until after the Castile funeral. Now I’d like you to know that I’m continuing to fight to get my ideas adopted during a possible special session. I felt I should let you know what I am working on in the short term. In view of the fact that civilians, especially Blacks are being shot by officers at an alarming rate, I think my suggestions should be included in any package of initiatives being put together by the Governor and legislative leaders
This past session, I authored two bills directly aimed at decreasing the possibility of officers shooting people, especially Blacks.
Long ago, I was the first to author bills for training officers how to negotiate with people who had mental illness. We have received some funds over the years for that. This year I tried to increase the money for training not only dealing with those with mental illness, but also for training on how to deescalate tense situations. At one time, various police officers have informed me they were taught that the best way to defuse a situation was to exert authority. It seems that sometimes exacerbates situations. So, they need to know alternative approaches.
The other bill I authored this year would have provided funding for training police in the use of physical force instead of using guns immediately. Retired officers tell me that they used to receive repetitive training in the use of hand to hand combat tactics, and that most officers no longer receive this. If officers are not trained repetitively on how to react physically in all situations, it is not part of their instincts and they don't know what to do except use their gun. I was once a good enough baseball player to get offers from the Twins and a few other teams, but having not pitched a baseball or swung a bat in decades I know I'd probably be worse than a grade school kid at it now. The same need for "repetitiveness until it becomes instinct" applies to officers and use of force.
I believe that if there is a special session of the legislature, efforts should be made to accomplish these two agenda items, along with any other good ideas for solving this extremely important issue. Deaths are happening too often to just "kick the can down the road" to next year or later. I will make every effort to see that we start necessary training right away.