Tensions rise in policing talks as negotiations hit a delicate phase By Jessica Dean and Manu Raju, CNN High-stakes talks over a major revamp of policing laws are at a precarious state, with influential law enforcement groups divided, lawmakers struggling to bridge a gap on long-standing sticking points and skepticism among many congressional Republicans about the need for legislation at a time of rising crime in the United States. The complicated dynamic comes at a crucial time: After blowing past two deadlines, lawmakers say they need to make a decision by August on whether they can reach a deal or pull the plug. And now it’s anyone’s guess whether a deal can be reached, a sharp shift from just weeks ago when the talks were seen as the most likely to produce a bipartisan accord amid high-profile episodes of deadly police violence.