WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) today joins the nation in mourning the loss of George Floyd on the first anniversary of his death at the hands of police and reiterates its call for meaningful police reform.
“Despite the global outcry over the death of Mr. Floyd and the fact that a police officer has been found guilty of killing him, incidents of unarmed people of color dying while in police custody continue, as evidenced by the tragic death of George Green at the hands of Louisiana police officers,” said NASW CEO Angelo McClain, PhD, LICSW.
We applaud the U.S. House for passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which among other things would ban chokeholds, prohibit the use of no-knock warrants in drug cases, end legal protections for law enforcement against civil lawsuits and create national standards for policing. We urge the Senatee to approve the measure, which is a meaningful step forward in reform.
“For decades, NASW and social workers have been on the forefront of addressing racism and racial violence in our nation but there is still much more work to be done,” NASW President Mit Joyner, DPS, MSW, LCSW, said. “Today, as we remember George Floyd, we want to assure you that NASW is committed making communities safe for all."