Amid reform movement, some GOP states give police more power

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — After a year of protests over police brutality, some Republican-controlled states have ignored or blocked police-reform proposals and moved instead in the other direction. Lawmakers have granted greater powers to officers, made it harder to discipline them, and expanded their authority to crack down on demonstrations. The states include Arizona, Iowa, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Wyoming.

The bill sponsors acted in the wake of the nationwide protests that followed George Floyd’s death. They often cited the disturbances and destruction that spread last summer through Portland, New York, Minneapolis, and other cities. About half of states have embraced at least some reforms.