I’m about to head back to NJ after a day in DC at the Capitol, but before I do, I want to give you a quick recap on a conversation I just had with local mayors and law enforcement leaders on police reform. (thread)

It’s been two weeks since we’ve passed the Justice in Policing Act. Senate Republicans may have forgotten about this bill, but a lot of us haven’t. It needs to be debated. But solutions aren’t just going to come from the Capitol. They need to come from our communities.

What I heard from our community leaders is that we need to bring our law enforcement closer to our communities, especially communities of color. The first interaction a young Black person has with law enforcement needs to be a positive one.

I heard about the need to improve training, and weed out bad apples from the recruitment phase. And I heard over and over about the need to change the culture which is so essential.

But one line stuck with me: “we know what the problems are. What we need is the courage and commitment to solve them”. I couldn't agree more. I'm going to keep working with our local leaders to elevate these issues and find solutions that make an impact in our communities (end)