Obama creates policing task force after Ferguson and Garner protests

President Barack Obama signs an executive order on December 18, 2014, creating the Task Force on 21st Century Policing. The order follows national protests after police killings and non-indictments in Ferguson and New York. The task force is charged with recommending ways to build trust, improve accountability, and reduce crime while protecting civil rights. Its 2015 report addresses use of force, data collection, community policing, and officer training. The federal government responds to racial justice protests by creating a national policing reform agenda.