Former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey draws on his own experiences while tackling the question of where America goes in the wake of deadly police shootings in Charlotte and Tulsa in a Op-Ed piece for the New York Times.
"We need to focus on developing a national standard for how information such as police videos is released, and how prosecutors, politicians and law enforcement work together in a consistent and fair way," wrote Ramsey. "No one can be seen to be hiding information, or to try to cover up unflattering truth.
"We also have to face the fact that while many of us encounter violence in our communities, it occurs disproportionately in poorer communities, which unfortunately happen often to be minority communities."
Ramsey said he happened to be in Charlotte last week when violent protests broke out in response to shooting death of Keith Scott during an encounter with Charlotte officers.
"People are angry," wrote Ramsey. "A lot of the anger is directed toward the police, though a lot of what causes that frustration and anger does not lie solely at the feet of the police."
Ramsey, who since retiring has served as co-chairman of President Barack Obama’s 21st century policing task force, drew on his experience leading the Philadelphia Police Department in suggesting that officers work with communities and get to the know they people they are tasked to protect. [[385949981, C]]
"As police commissioner in Philadelphia, I sent recruits fresh from the police academy into the most challenging neighborhoods on foot patrol for six months to a year," he wrote. "They learned how to talk to people, something you’re never going to get driving down the street at 40 miles per hour in a police cruiser. I wanted the young officers and the neighborhood folks to actually 'see' one another. At the end of the day, officers and citizens who interact on the streets should both be able to go home safe...
"Police officers carry a lot of baggage. They have not always been on the right side of justice as we define justice today. In some cases, they were enforcing unjust laws of a different era. When I went into the Chicago Police Department in the late 1960s, it wasn’t the most popular thing a young black kid could do.
"There are consequences to that difficult history that will take time to repair. But this challenging moment is also a tremendous opportunity to make real improvements. I hope none of us squander it."
Read Ramsey’s entire opinion piece on the New York Times.
