Earlier this week, the Missouri Senate passed SB 53, a bill to prevent police misconduct and violence by requiring transparency surrounding officer-involved deaths. This comes amid continued police violence throughout the state. Reports show there have been at least four people shot by police this month, two fatally.

While SB 53 is a good first step by the Missouri legislature toward increased police transparency and accountability, the House Crime Prevention Committee simultaneously advanced SB 26, a bill to discourage investigations into police misconduct by imposing arbitrary restrictions on misconduct investigations, undermining transparency and police accountability and even subjecting local governments and law enforcement agencies to the threat of lawsuits and associated fees costs.

It is essential that law enforcement agencies adopt meaningful use of force policies, which encourage de-escalation, utilize early intervention systems, and ensure that officers who act in a manner that is criminally negligent can be held accountable.

Research suggests that implementing specific use-of-force policies can save lives. In an average year, 28 people are shot and killed by police in Missouri.