Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed an executive order appointing the state attorney general as a special prosecutor in cases where police kill civilians.
The order essentially strips local district attorneys of the power to prosecute police killings.
It only lasts for one year, but the governor says he's going to ask the state legislature to come up with a permanent solution, something the families of victims have been asking for.
"It's a crisis in this state, and it is a crisis nationwide. It is a crisis of confidence in the criminal justice system. It is a crisis of trust," Cuomo said.
"It doesn't answer all the questions, but it is a step in the right direction, and it is historical, because it hasn't been done in any other state," said Gwen Carr, Eric Garner's mother.
The order comes a week before the one-year mark since Eric Garner's death.
The Staten Island man died after being put in a chokehold by a police officer.