All across the nation, the trust gap between police and many of our communities of color has reached a crisis state. In Ferguson, Mo., a police officer shoots unarmed, 18-year-old Michael Brown. In New York, unarmed, 43-year-old Eric Garner dies as a result of a struggle with police. Cleveland police officers shoot and kill 12-year-old Tamir Rice who is armed with a toy gun. The list goes on.
The uncomfortable common thread, of course, is the officers are white and the victims are black. Police and the criminal justice system in this country are facing a crisis of confidence.
Here in Chattanooga, we too have had our incidents, and the public trust is in jeopardy. If the police regain legitimacy, they must assure those calling for change that you hear and understand them, and are committed to police accountability.
Some of those calling for police accountability locally say they are not being heard. There has been a chorus calling for the officer involved in the Leon Ford incident to be placed on administrative duties pending completion of the U.S. Department of Justice investigation. Some perceive the unwillingness to do so as evidence of corruption of accountability.
The assassination of two officers in New York now has many extremely concerned about the potential for similar violence and for the safety of our officers. The incidents in Ferguson and New York highlight how tragic the outcomes can become when police lose legitimacy and the public trust becomes too badly damaged.
Many marches, and rallies of protest have taken place here in our community. Lives are suffocating and it is time for everyone to breathe.
Demetres Coonrod