NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Mike Osborne) -- Gov. Bill Lee has launched what he’s calling the first steps toward police reform in Tennessee.
Gov. Lee announced the changes Thursday backed by the state’s top law enforcement officers.
The governor is asking police departments statewide to review their use of force policies, and officer duty to intervene policies, within 60 days. He’s also expanding police officer training to include more hours and mandatory instruction in de-escalation techniques.
Lee stressed his support for law enforcement repeatedly during the presentation. He also referred to recent calls to defund police departments “meaningless.”
However, the governor didtie his recommended changesdirectly to recent, widely reported cases of police misconduct. Lee concluded the incidents have “challenged us all to confront the difference between law enforcement and police brutality.”
