New York’s City Council has passed a series of bills and resolutions designed to reform the way policing is done in the city, from an end to qualified immunity to a more powerful Civilian Complaint Review Board.

But what about reforming policing at the state level? 

State Senator Kevin Parker has been at the forefront of the police reform movement. 

For years he has introduced bills to the State Senate that would change police behaviors and make the state’s police departments more transparent and accountable. His latest bill would make it illegal for a police officer to place his knee on the neck of any person in police custody. 

State Senator Parker joined In Focus to talk about what happens now that the Derek Chauvin verdict is in. While recognizing that this verdict was a step forward, he talks about the work that has yet to be done. 

Parker also talked about the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act which faces challenges and compromises in the U.S. Senate, but, he says, still doesn’t go far enough in protecting people of color in their interactions with police. He says hard work needs to be done at the state and local level in order to bring forth real justice.