President of the United States

“ More broadly, numerous aspects of our criminal justice system are still shaped by race or ethnicity. It is time that we acknowledge the legacy of systemic racism in our criminal justice system and work together to eliminate the racial disparities that endure to this day. Doing so serves all Americans. ”

“ We must commit to new practices in law enforcement recruitment, hiring, promotion, and retention, as well as training, oversight, and accountability. Insufficient resources, including those dedicated to support officer wellness — needed more than ever as officers confront rising crime and the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic — jeopardize the law enforcement community’s ability to build and retain a highly qualified and diverse professional workforce. ”

“ Many law enforcement agencies across the country — including at the Federal, State, Tribal, local, and territorial level — have already undertaken important efforts to modernize policing and make our broader criminal justice system more effective and more equitable. ”

“ Since early 2020, communities around the country have faced rising rates of violent crime, requiring law enforcement engagement at a time when law enforcement agencies are already confronting the challenges of staffing shortages and low morale. Strengthening community trust is more critical now than ever, as a community’s cooperation with the police to report crimes and assist investigations is essential for deterring violence and holding perpetrators accountable. ”

“ Individuals who have been involved in the criminal justice system face many barriers in transitioning back into society, including limited access to housing, public benefits, health care, trauma-informed services and support, education, nutrition, employment and occupational licensing, credit, the ballot, and other critical opportunities. ”

“ The heads of all Federal LEAs shall assess whether any of their respective agency’s policies or procedures cause unwarranted delay in investigations of Federal law enforcement officers for incidents involving the use of deadly force or deaths in custody, including delays in interagency jurisdictional determinations and subject and witness interviews, and shall, without abrogating any collective bargaining obligations, make changes as appropriate to ensure the integrity and effectiveness of such investigations. ”

“ The interagency working group shall consist of the heads of Federal LEAs and shall consult with other stakeholders, such as law enforcement organizations. The interagency working group shall, to the extent possible, coordinate on the development of a set of core policies and best practices to be used across all Federal LEAs regarding recruitment, hiring, promotion, and retention, while also identifying any agency-specific unique recruitment, hiring, promotion, and retention challenges. ”

“ We must work together to ensure that law enforcement agencies have the resources they need as well as the capacity to attract, hire, and retain the best personnel, including resources to institute screening mechanisms to identify unqualified applicants and to support officers in meeting the stresses and challenges of the job. We must also ensure that law enforcement agencies reflect the communities they serve, protect all community members equally, and offer comprehensive training and development opportunities to line officers and supervisors alike. ”

“ It is also the policy of my Administration to ensure that conditions of confinement are safe and humane, and that those who are incarcerated are not subjected to unnecessary or excessive uses of force, are free from prolonged segregation, and have access to quality health care, including substance use disorder care and mental health care. We must provide people who are incarcerated with meaningful opportunities for rehabilitation and the tools and support they need to transition successfully back to society. ”

“ The heads of Federal LEAs shall, as soon as practicable but no later than 90 days from the date of this order, ensure that their respective agencies issue policies with requirements that reflect principles of valuing and preserving human life and that are equivalent to, or exceed, the requirements of the policy issued by the DOJ on May 20, 2022, which establishes standards and obligations for the use of force. ”

“ It includes ending discriminatory pretextual stops and offering support for evidence-informed, innovative responses to people with substance use disorders; people with mental health needs; veterans; people with disabilities; vulnerable youth; people who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or trafficking; and people experiencing homelessness or living in poverty. ”