The murder of Michael Brown, an unarmed African-American teenager who was fatally shot by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, in August 2014, sparked a string of national protests and an ongoing discussion about race in America. Although the cop was not indicted for the shooting, the incident led to a number of police reform measures across the county.

Lawmakers in almost every state have proposed to improve police and community relations since Brown's death. As a result, 24 states have passed at least 40 new initiatives, which include the implementation of cops wearing body cameras, race training programs, the use of independent investigations when police use force and new limits military equipment in local law enforcement agencies, according to an analysis by The Associated Press.

Although civil rights leaders have praised these steps, they also argue more change is needed to solve the racial tensions between police and communities of color.

"What we have right now in the country is an emerging consensus as to the need to act," NAACP President Cornell William Brooks said. "What we don't have is a consensus as to how to act, what to act on and how to do this in some kind of priority order."

The AP review also found far more proposals have either been stalled or completely failed, in spite of the changes made.

Meanwhile, pro-police groups and unions have urged lawmakers to use caution when altering laws in police institutions. They also stress officers involved in shootings deserve fair investigations, and cops need a surplus of military equipment for defensive purposes.

According to Jim Pasco, the executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police, all measures inspired by Brown's death should focus on training police commanders to make better decisions on when and how to use their officers and equipment.

Pasco added police find the tone in the national debate on police accountability to be frustrating.

"While we're trying to save lives, politicians are trying to save their jobs," he said.