BOSTON – As the death of George Floyd began to galvanize Beacon Hill around the idea of
joining the majority of other states that certify police officers, a group of Black and Latino
lawmakers began meeting with police union leaders in mid-June to discuss a path forward.
Those talks led to a joint statement signed by the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus and
the Massachusetts Law Enforcement Policy Group in which both sides committed to a set
of “building blocks” for future legislation, including “equal representation” for both law
enforcement and civilians on any independent body created to implement police licensing
and other reforms.
