Bloomberg Law
Oct. 19, 2020, 3:38 PM

George Floyd’s Death Reverberates in Ballot Questions on Police

Ayanna Alexander
Ayanna Alexander
Reporter

The deaths of George Floyd and others inspired protests demanding changes in how officers interact with suspects. In more than a dozen cities and counties, the protests led to the ballot box.

Now voters are deciding whether to revamp police practices and add more oversight.

The local initiatives propose new investigative powers for police review panels, mandatory public release of body-cam footage after use-of-force incidents, a ban on stop-and-frisk practices, and more.

“Activists who are pushing these efforts are smart to strategically focus their resources on local government,” said Paul Butler, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center. “That’s where ...