OPINION: U.S. signs George Floyd executive order 2 years too late

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President Biden signed an executive order Wednesday aimed at reforming policing practices on the second anniversary of the murder of George Floyd.

What will actually change?

Per CBS News, the order creates a national registry of officers fired for misconduct and encourages state and local police to tighten restrictions on chokeholds and so-called no-knock warrants. It also restricts the transfer of military equipment to law enforcement agencies and mandates all federal agents wear activated body cameras.

Biden had been pushing Congress to pass more comprehensive police reform legislation, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. But after the legislation failed to garner bipartisan support, the White House began crafting its own action last year. President Biden called again on Congress again to take action before signing the order.

Today, we’re acting. We’re showing that speaking out matters, being engaged matters, and that the work of our time, healing the soul of this nation, is ongoing and unfinished and requires all of us never to give up,” said Biden. “Always to keep the faith.”

President Biden delivers photo opp, speech, and signature, but will change come?

The family of Floyd, who died after he was pinned to the ground by a Minneapolis police officer, was at the White House for the signing. The families of other Black people killed by police in recent years — Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Amir Locke and Atatiana Jefferson — also attended, a senior administration official said.

Much like politicians this week who espouse fake sentiments over yet another school shooting, President Biden performatively waits until the 2nd anniversary of George Floyd’s murder to introduce these essential measures.

While there was no expectation for Pres. Trump to sign any such measure in 2020 because of his inherent racism, Biden campaigned heavily on police reform. Yet, what was stopping the Biden Administration from making this a Day 1 priority? Have Black people stopped being murdered by police? No, then why are we constantly fed crumbs and told to behave like we’re full?

Perhaps next year, they’ll get around to addressing qualified immunity though it’s highly doubtful. However, what is more predictable is that with the slow pace of change coming from the White House, incremental measures such as this executive order will not address the actual reason George Floyd was murdered.

Until the systemic racism is rooted out of the historically radicalized police departments of America, their pressed knee on our necks will continue to squeeze the breath out of us.