Senator Brian Williams (D-14) stressed his respect for law enforcement as well as his suggestions on how to re-imagine public safety at the Dec. 5 Holiday Zoom. Williams is the first Black in 20 years to serve in the Missouri Senate and will be Assistant Minority Floor Leader.

See the video of his remarks and the lengthy Q&A below. He was introduced by Sue Williams (no relation).

Williams' comprehensive plan has 12 points.

1)  Eliminate no-knock warrants for any civil or nonviolent offense.

2)  Prohibit the use of chokeholds. Law enforcement agencies must report each use of such restraint to the attorney general, as well as other complaints of excessive use of force.

3)  Require law enforcement agencies to have a written policy regarding the investigation of an officer-involved death.

4)  Reform use-of-force statutes and require officers to complete a minimum amount of training in regards to de-escalation tactics.

5)  Develop regulations for the use of tear gas by law enforcement agencies.

6)  Require law enforcement officers to intervene when other officers are inappropriately using physical force.

7)  Prohibit law enforcement agencies from receiving certain military surplus equipment from the federal government.

8)  Law enforcement officers who used force to make an arrest will no longer be eligible to receive attorneys’ fees, even if they can justify the use of such force.

9)  Eliminate citizen’s arrest. Require individuals to justify the use of physical force in self defense or defense of property, as well as prove why it was necessary to detain an aggressor until law enforcement arrives at the scene.

10)  Ban sexual conduct between law enforcement and an inmate or offender while in custody.

11)  Establish a uniform definition of a law enforcement officer to distinguish them from security personnel.

12)  Create the offense of aggravated strangulation in the first degree and aggravated strangulation in the second degree.