May 25, 2021
Carson
City, NV
– Today, Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford held a press conference to
commemorate the one-year anniversary of the killing of George Floyd and the
progress that has been made with regard to criminal justice and policing since
then. Earlier today, Governor Steve Sisolak signed AG Ford’s criminal justice-focused
bills, Assembly Bill 58 and Senate Bill 50, into law. Both bills passed
unanimously in the Legislative Session:
“One
year ago today, we watched a man murder another man,” said AG Ford. “He
took his time to commit this murder and did it in full view of the public,
without concern for any consequences because he knew he would use his badge as
an excuse to get away with murder. My feelings of sadness and disgust while
watching the murder of George Floyd took on a new dynamic now that I, too, wear
a badge. To use our badge to take the life of a Black man was so deeply
insulting. I know many of my fellow law enforcement officers felt that pain.”
“In my office, our unofficial motto is “Our
Job is Justice,” AG Ford continued. “Immediately after this incident, my
office got to work on legislation, because change must begin with the law. Earlier
today, Governor Sisolak signed two pathways for change into law: Assembly Bill
58 and Senate Bill 50. Both of these bills really stem from the killing of George
Floyd and the other instances of police brutality that have sparked outrage and
protests all over the country.”
“Today is a day of mourning. Today we mourn
for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Duante Wright,
Atatiana Jefferson, Stephon Clark, Philando Castile, Freddie Gray, Tamir Rice,
Ronald Green, and the countless other Black lives that have been lost not just
today but every day. But it is also a day for hope. It is a day to
recognize that the pursuit of justice must be made consciously and
continuously. And today we took one more step towards justice.”
Assembly Bill 58:
This bill will offer more transparency and accountability
regarding Nevada’s law enforcement agencies. The bill gives the Attorney
General’s Office the authority to conduct pattern-or-practice investigations
and work with police agencies to reform patterns of unlawful policing.
Senate Bill 50:
This bill will create a framework that drastically limits no-knock
warrants and ensures they are used safely and only when absolutely necessary.
As we have seen over recent years, no-knock warrants are becoming an increasing
issue, with their use often resulting in injury or death.
The Office of the Nevada Attorney General is grateful to all of
its stakeholders for their assistance and support in the passage of these
bills, including: the Nevada District Attorney’s Association, the Nevada
Sheriffs and Chiefs Association, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department,
the Reno Police Department, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Managers and
Supervisors Association, the Nevada Police Union, the Nevada State Law
Enforcement Officers Association, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, the
American Civil Liberties Union, the Nevada Criminal Justice Association, the Washoe
County Public Defender’s Office, and the Clark County Public Defender’s Office.
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