Julián Castro focuses on police reform in his latest policy outline


Former Housing Secretary and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro is a policy machine.
Castro, who remains a longshot for the nomination, released his third major policy proposal in recent months on Monday with an outline tackling issues related to police reform. He has already unveiled sweeping plans focused on immigration and education.
Castro's "people first" policing platform is divided up into three major categories: ending over-aggressive and racially discriminatory policing, transparency and accountability, and initiating the healing process between law enforcement and communities. Most of the points presented are fairly straightforward; for example, Castro wants to hold police to a nationwide minimum standard that restricts the use of deadly force, save for unavoidable scenarios, and he supports the establishment of more civilian oversight boards to improve community oversight of police departments.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
He also wants to establish a public national database that tracks all police officers who have been decertified in any state or locality in the country and collect — and make public — disaggregated data on all detentions, stops, frisks, searches, summons, and arrests. Read Castro's full plan on his campaign website.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Escape to the Scottish countryside at Dunkeld House Hotel
The Week Recommends Roam, revive and relax at this luxury hotel in a wooded riverside Perthshire estate
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US
-
Liverpool's Anfield redemption: how did they do it?
Talking Point Arne Slot's blueprint and standout player performances guide the Reds to record 20th league title
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK
-
Codeword: April 29, 2025
The Week's daily codeword puzzle
By The Week Staff
-
Suspect charged after 11 die in Vancouver car attack
Speed Read Kai-Ji Adam Lo drove an SUV into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Day festival
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Kenya arrests alleged ant smugglers
speed read Two young Belgians have been charged for attempting to smuggle ants out of the country to exotic pet buyers
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Judge ends Eric Adams case, Trump leverage
Speed Read Federal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams were dismissed, as requested by Trump's Justice Department
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Texas arrests midwife on felony abortion charges
Speed Read Maria Margarita Rojas and an employee at one of her clinics are the first to be criminally charged under Texas' near-total abortion ban
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
South Carolina to execute prisoner by firing squad
speed read Death row inmate Brad Sigmon prefers the squad over the electric chair or lethal injection, his lawyer said
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Mexico extradites 29 cartel figures amid US tariff threat
Speed Read The extradited suspects include Rafael Caro Quintero, long sought after killing a US narcotics agent
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
The Met police's stop and search overhaul
The Explainer More than 8,500 Londoners have helped put together a new charter for the controversial practice
By Felicity Capon
-
Leonard Peltier released from prison
Speed Read The Native American activist convicted of killing two FBI agents had his life sentence commuted by former President Joe Biden
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US