Peters Floor Remarks on Tragedy in St. Joseph, Michigan & National Criminal Justice Commission Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. -U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) spoke on the Senate Floor this afternoon in response to the tragedy in St. Joseph, Michigan yesterday. He also addressed recent events in Dallas, Texas, Falcon Heights, Minnesota and Baton Rouge, Louisiana and discussed his legislation to create a National Criminal Justice Commission to conduct a comprehensive review of the criminal justice system. Below is the text of his remarks as prepared for delivery:

“Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy heart to address devastating tragedies that have shaken communities in Michigan and across this country.

“Just yesterday, the community of St. Joseph, Michigan suffered a tragic shooting that cost the lives of two dedicated public servants and injured several others. I would like to extend my condolences to the families of Bailiffs Joseph Zangaro and Ronald Kienzle who were fatally shot yesterday in Berrien County, Michigan.

“Both Joseph and Ronald had distinguished careers as public safety officers prior to serving as bailiffs in the Berrien County Courthouse. Joseph Zangaro retired from the Michigan State Police as Post Commander of the Bridgman Post and had worked for the Berrien County Trial Court for over 10 years. Ronald Kienzle retired as a sergeant in road patrol with the Benton Charter Police Department in Benton Harbor, Michigan and was a veteran of the U.S. Army. I also want to wish Deputy James Atterbury and Kenya Ellis a speedy recovery for the wounds they received during the attack.

“Yesterday’s incident illustrated an important fact. Whether as a member of a local police department, a rapid transit officer, or a court bailiff – public safety officers risk their lives to keep our families and communities safe. That is a fact that we can never forget and a reality that confronts public safety officers and their families every day.

“Across Michigan, our hearts have been shattered by senseless violence like this, and I know the grief of my fellow Michiganders because I feel it in my own heart.

“This is, unfortunately, not the first tragedy to strike West Michigan this year. We are still reeling from the mass shooting in Kalamazoo in February where six people were killed and two were critically injured.

“Mr. President, we are facing a difficult time in our country’s history. And then we saw last week’s tragedies. Within just 48 hours – 48 hours – we saw two separate incidents where American citizens died at the hands of those who are sworn to protect them. Then, what started as a peaceful protest in response to those deaths, suddenly morphed into an unrelated and horrific attack on law enforcement – an attack on officers who died to protect the right of protesters to peacefully assemble.

“Let me be clear. Something is wrong when a hardworking and beloved cafeteria supervisor is killed during a routine traffic stop. Something is wrong when police officers honorably serving and protecting their communities are killed during a peaceful protest. Something is wrong when a salesman and father of four dies while selling CDs. Something is wrong when a police officer is ambushed and shot while responding to a 911 call for help.

“Too many precious lives are being lost—not just in Michigan—but in states across the country.

“I was heartbroken by the tragic shooting deaths of Alton Sterling in Louisiana and Philando Castile in Minnesota last week, only to wake up horrified on Fridaymorning to learn of the five Dallas police officers - including Michigan native Michael Krol—who were struck down in the line of duty.

“Mr. President, we have seen enough violence. Across the country, our communities are outraged and heartbroken at the number of lives lost. While the events of the last week are almost too much to bear - images from communities like Chicago, Staten Island, Ferguson and Baltimore have gripped the nation’s attention.

“We’ve seen tears of sadness, burning storefronts and confrontations between police and young people as well as peaceful protestors marching through the streets.

“It is clear that there is a persistent and deeply troubling problem in our country that is eroding away Americans’ faith in our justice system. With each troubling incident, it’s becoming clear that justice in this country is sometimes neither fair nor equal, and we must act now to address this inequity.

“This problem isn’t isolated to our African American communities or our law enforcement communities—these injustices undermine the very values our nation is built on.

“It is the responsibility of each and every one of us to acknowledge that too many Americans are needlessly dying and we must come together to stop it. More than ever, now is the time for us to unite as a country to encourage understanding and compassion for our fellow Americans.

“Now is the time for us to walk in another’s shoes and acknowledge the experiences that have shaped their views. Now is the time for this body to come together to offer solutions – the American people need us.

“It is crystal clear that the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve is strained and an overhaul of our criminal justice system is long overdue.

“On top of these strained relations, we are continuing to see rising prison populations and unsustainable costs as public budgets remain tight. We see too many at-risk youths being funneled out of our schools and into our prison systems, continuing a vicious cycle in many of our communities. And we see too many people who have served their time, only to find that once they get out of prison they can’t find a good job or a stable home.

“We need a better understanding of the causes of these concerning trends, and we need to identify solutions that will help ensure that we are administering justice in a fair and equitable way for every American—regardless of who they are, where they live or their income level.

“That’s why I introduced legislation with Republican Senators – Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John Cornyn of Texas – to create a National Criminal Justice Commission.

“The Commission will be made up of experts on law enforcement, victims’ rights, civil liberties and social services who will be charged with undertaking an 18-month review of our criminal justice system from top to bottom—something that hasn’t been done since 1965 – more than 50 years ago – during another very difficult time in our nation’s history.

“The goal of this Commission is to identify commonsense solutions to the serious issues facing our criminal justice system, promote fairness in our laws, build stronger relationships between law enforcement and our communities and strengthen faith in our criminal justice system. The Commission will focus on transparency, issuing recommendations to the President and Congress, and making reports on its findings available to the public and entities within the criminal justice system. It will take a comprehensive approach to reviewing the criminal justice system and will look at numerous issues in light of our current climate.

“When President Lyndon Johnson’s 1965 Commission last conducted a comprehensive review over 50 years ago, it was the first time that police, prosecution, defense, the courts and corrections were all examined as a whole. That commission made more than 200 recommendations to improve the criminal justice system, including creating the 9-1-1 emergency system that is so engrained in our society today.

“Our country has changed significantly over the last 50 years, and another top-to-bottom review of our criminal justice system is long overdue. In fact, the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, which was created after the troubling situation in Ferguson, strongly recommended the creation of a national commission to evaluate the criminal justice system.

“The National Criminal Justice Commission my legislation creates will shine a light on the whole scope of our criminal justice system including: police and community relations; our grand jury system; the right to counsel in misdemeanor cases; the lack of speedy trials; and the struggles ex-offenders face to find housing, employment and support services after leaving prison.

“This Commission is one critical piece of a larger puzzle – we must also take swift action on other aspects of our justice system like sentencing reform. The Commission also has the support of a wide range of groups, including the Fraternal Order of Police, NAACP, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the National Urban League.

“The National Criminal Justice Commission is vital to understanding the reforms and best practices we need to reduce crime, help law enforcement do their jobs safely and effectively, protect our communities and build a justice system that works for every American.

“These problems are not easy and there are no quick answers. It’s going to require all of us working together to make these vital changes a reality. But together, we can achieve the promise of this great country—justice for every American, no matter who you are, where you live or how much money you have in your pockets.”