Alabama lawmakers on Wednesday approved enhanced legal protections for po
lice officers, changes that R
epublicans said show support for law enforcement but Democrats called “a green light to kill Black folks.”
The Alabama Le
gislature gave final approval to the legislation that sets legal standards f
or the use of force and provides for an immunity hearing. The bi
ll states that an officer “shall be justified” in the use of physical force as long
as it is not constitutionally excessive force or “recklessly” outside of the officer’s discretionary authority.
Republicans, who called the legislation the “Back The Blue” bill said it is needed to provide a clear legal framework and s
how support for law enforcement officers faced with making split-second decisions.
“We ask them to take care of us, keep us safe in our homes as we sleep at night. This bill will give them the assurances that
we back them and back the blue,” Sen. Lance Bell, a fo
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rmer deputy sheriff, said. Bell said officers who act improperly can still be prosecuted.
The approval came after an emotional debate in which Black lawmakers
read the names of Black people who have been killed by police and described their own encounters with law enforcement.
“HB 202 is a license to kill Black people. That’s what it is,” Sen. Rodger Smitherman, a Black Democrat from Birmingham, said.
Smitherman said departments have very good officers, but they also have offic
ers who are “racist against Black people” or will make impulsive decisions because they are scared.