Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist spoke about forthcoming legislation that could impose significant reforms on the state’s criminal justice system during a virtual Juneteenth event on Friday.

The Detroit Action Juneteenth celebration video was broadcast on Zoom and Facebook, during which speakers discussed the “racist roots” of policing, a job created to protect capitalists, organizer Jennifer Disla said.

Gilchrist referenced similarities in reform proposals to executive orders Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued to reduce jail populations during the coronavirus pandemic. The order required judges to free inmates being jailed prior to their trials, “people that were in jail for traffic offenses of for driving without a license, which is like half of the people who are in jail in Michigan, but also people who were there for any type of nonviolent offenses … ” the lieutenant governor said.