15 Unions Make Moves For Police Reform As Anniversary of George Floyd’s Death Approaches

15 unions that represent law enforcement officers from across the United States have endorsed a plan for policing that includes a shift in the way unions protect bad police officers. George Floyd’s death last year brought attention to the idea of ‘active bystanders’ a new concept in law enforcement which calls for officers to intervene when they see wrongdoing. Other industries and trade unions also developed programs aimed at achieving the goal which is teaching colleagues to intervene if they see someone behaving poorly or making mistakes.

On Friday a committee made up of the AFL-CIO, International Brotherhood of Teamsters and Service Employees International Union approved a plan that calls for law enforcement members and members of police-adjacent professions to intervene when they see something wrong. According to the document, the program will “empower local union members to speak up and take action if fellow members are violating their professional oath or abusing their power, and ultimately helps the union weed out wrong-doers from union membership.”