Northeast Ohio Congresswoman Emilia Sykes has re-introduced a bill that attempts to make it easier for police departments to participate in trainings.
The Law Enforcement Scenario-Based Training for Safety and De-escalation Act asks the U.S. Department of Justice to use existing funding to offer trainings on topics including de-escalation, community policing, situational awareness and crisis intervention.
The bill is co-sponsored by Maryland Democratic Rep. Glenn Ivey and two Republicans - Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Don Bacon of Nebraska.
“This legislation calls on, essentially, more funding to be made available. It’s just some resources that already exist with the DOJ, to make sure there is a larger, more robust program,” Sykes told Ideastream Public Media Tuesday.
Sykes represents Ohio’s 13th Congressional District, which includes all of Summit County and parts of Stark and Portage counties.
The legislation was inspired by two police-involved deaths in her district: Jayland Walker, who was fatally shot by Akron Police in 2022, and Frank Tyson, who died as Canton police were trying to arrest him in 2024, Sykes said.
In 2023, a special grand jury declined to indict the eight officers who shot Walker. The two officers involved in Tyson’s death were charged with reckless homicide and pleaded not guilty earlier this year.
Canton Police recently participated in similar trainings in the aftermath of Tyson’s death, Sykes added.
“Many people in the community [were] requesting the police department spend more time de-escalating situations, so that everyone can go home at the end of the night,” Sykes said.
If passed, the legislation would also create a grant program for smaller, more rural departments to receive the training.
“Some smaller departments don’t have the resources to cover the costs, or to not do the most robust training, and we want to make sure this is available to every police department that wants it,” Sykes said.
The legislation calls on the DOJ to create scenario-based trainings with input from local communities. The program does not require new funding; rather, it would use unspent funds leftover from already allocated Department of Justice grants, Sykes said.
“Often, agencies don’t spend all that was appropriated, so rather than adding more money, we’re just asking them to shift the resources to this very successful existing program,” Sykes said.
The legislation has been endorsed by the Akron NAACP and the national Fraternal Order of Police, according to a Tuesday news release.
Sykes first introduced the bill in June 2024. Sykes is hoping the bill could be tacked on to another appropriations bill, with potential passage in the coming months.
