NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — As people across the country protest the violent arrest of Tyre Nichols, demonstrators are also calling on lawmakers to do more to reform policing.
Congressman Bobby Scott answered that call today. He's asking Republican lawmakers in Congress to work with Democrats to pass "critical" police reform legislation.
He said he is outraged by the newly released video showing the violent arrest of Nichols.
“The charges - the police police officers, five of them charged with murder - are appropriate," Scott said. "They’re entitled to a fair trial, they’re entitled to presumption of innocence, but the video speaks for itself.”
In a statement released Friday night, Scott said: “This is the latest in a lengthy and disturbing list of incidents of police brutality and we cannot let this kind of behavior continue to go unanswered.”
Scott noted today he’s voted twice for the police reform bill “George Floyd Justice in Policing Act” and he’s asking Republicans in Congress to "stop blocking" the legislation.
“There is a continuing drumbeat of these kinds of cases and everybody says: ‘Well something has to be done!’ Well we need to just do something," Scott said. “We need to make sure that bill gets revived so these incidences don’t happen again.”
Among other things the bill bans choke holds, and ends no-knock warrants in drug cases. It also provides more training to police officers.
“There are a lot of things it does," Scott said. "First of all making sure they get the appropriate training, and funding for training - particularly on implicit bias, and profiling.”
Scott said the legislation would lead to "real police accountability" and safer communities.