WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08), a member of the Congressional Black Caucus leadership and House Judiciary Committee, was selected to participate in a House task force on police-community relations, a group that will examine police accountability, aggression towards law enforcement, and public safety concerns related to these issues. The bipartisan working group will hold a series of roundtables, starting with a private roundtable in Washington, D.C., to candidly discuss the issues fueling excessive force used by law enforcement and attacks against police officers and will invite outside leaders on this issue to meet with the working group.

Rep. Jeffries said: “The relationship between the police and communities of color throughout America have reached a breaking point and are in desperate need of repair. I look forward to working in a bipartisan manner with the distinguished members of this group to find a solution to this problem. The formation of this group is a strong step in the right direction.”

Other members include Keith Ellison (D-MN), Cedric Richmond (D-LA), Trey Gowdy (R-SC), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Susan Brooks (R-IND), G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), Dave Reichert (R-WA), Doug Collins (R-GA) and Will Hurd (R-TX). The group’s first private roundtable will be held on Thursday, July 14, 2016. It has invited Reverend Doctor DeForest B. Suares, Jr., the Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, New Jersey, and Deborah A. Ramirez, the Executive Director for Partnering for Prevention and Community Safety Initiative and Professor of Law at Northeastern University School of Law, to participate.

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