Real Reform Still Unfolding: "Although there is good work being done across the country and there is evidence that these efforts are succeeding, there still is much to do. For there to be widespread change, equity needs to be ingrained into all our systems and institutions. ... Although we are not where we had hoped to be after the [George] Floyd killing shook our country to its core, it never is too late to strive for a better America.".

• Author: Anthony, Clarence E.

TWO YEARS AGO, George Floyd's murder sparked national outrage, international uprisings, and demands for action around public safety, policing, and racial equity. While initial expectations that the tragedy would lead to sweeping reforms at the national level were high, those hopes have since faded. As we sit here today, two men of completely different backgrounds (one black and one white), we have come to the same conclusion: we must continue to push our country to achieve comprehensive and lasting change.

Although Floyd's death did not inspire bipartisan Federal action, change is occurring nonetheless. At least 33 of the 100 largest cities in the nation have implemented some form of police reform since 2020. Some of these reforms have been limited, such as banning chokeholds during confrontations, while others have been more comprehensive, including ending qualified immunity and requiring officers to undergo evaluations and take training sessions to address racial bias. Berkeley, Calif., and Brooklyn Center, Minn., even are working to remove police from traffic enforcement.

Many cities also are planning, implementing, and enhancing community response models to address mental health and substance misuse in therapeutic ways. Removing police from calls where other services are needed frees up officers to focus on criminal behavior, connects residents to the help they need faster, and reduces the chances of a situation escalating into a needless death.

A good example of this approach is the Denver STAR (Support Team Assisted Response) program, a mobile unit of mental health professionals who provide crisis response to members of the community who are dealing with issues such as depression, poverty, homelessness, substance abuse, or suicidal thoughts.

An example of racial healing involving restorative justice comes from Evanston, 111., which has become the first U.S. city to approve a reparations program for black residents. The initiative allows eligible households to collect $25,000 for home repairs or a down payment on a new home. The goal is to help build the wealth of black African-American residents, increase their homeownership rates, and improve the retention rate of black homeowners in the city.

As leaders of nonpartisan organizations, we also are working to do our part. At the National...