Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 1 April 1999 — Page 14

The Muncie Times, April 1,1999, Page 14

TO BE EQUAL

Police, minorities need to strengthen trust

Public safety and civil liberty and peacefully co-exist in America’s and Hispanic communities. Not only can they co-exist, but they must co-exist if the social peace of American society is to be preserved. That is why in recent weeks a national movement involving many black and Hispanic leadership organizations, other civil rights groups and ordinary citizens has coalesced to stop the “racial profiling,” low-grade abuse— and unjustified violence—the law-abiding among America’s people of color too often endure from some white police officers. The immediate causes are the horrific police shooting deaths of two African Americans and a West African immigrant from Guinea in, respectively, Riverside, Calif., in Pittsburgh, Pa., and in New York City, which have occurred since December. But it will not do to pretend these are “isolated” incidents. In fact the issue of police misconduct has been simmering

for years among AsianAmericans, African Americans and Hispanic Americans. It can no longer be ignored. That point was expressed in varying words, but with equally impressive passion by civil rights leaders representing the African-American, Jewish, Asian and Hispanic communities of America, as well as prominent business persons and other influential figures at a news conference the National Urban League held recently in Washington, D.C. Our purpose was to support the effective policing of black and Hispanic neighborhoods and the protection of these

residents—and to condemn the pernicious idea some seem to favor that it’s a fantrade if we people of color give up some of our civil liberties in order to produce the sharp declines in crime American society is enjoying. Instead, we urged President Clinton to become directly involved in resolving these issues and defusing this crisis. In his March 13 weekly radio address the president responded to the words of our partners and the voices rising from all parts of the nation, and to an open letter their National Urban League had sent him proposing specific action.

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The president promised, among other things, that the U.S. Justice Department will vigorously investigate and prosecute law enforcement officials who are suspected of excessive use of force or outright brutality. He said that Attorney General Janet Reno will hold hearings around the country to examine how proven crime-reduction methods which do not compromise civil liberties can be successfully implemented in other communities. He added that the federal government will help fund efforts to make police forces more racially and ethnically diverse and better trained and educated. These initiatives represent an encouraging start. Some are contained in the administration’s $1.3-billion 21st Century Policing initiative he said he will soon send to Congress. We are encouraged by them and by Mr. Clinton’s stated determination to “strengthen the bond of trust between police officers and the communities they serve... to build bonds of understanding and trust between police and citizens.” However, for all the good dedicated police officers, often working with dedicated community activists, have done to reduce crime, much work on “building trust” remains to be done at the state and local levels. That was dramatically underscored by the response of Jim Pasco, the executive director of the national Fraternal Order of Police, to a News day reporter’s inquiry about the controversy. “I’m not sure we have to do anything with respect to our relations with members of these communities,” Pasco is quoted as saying, “but it’s

clear we have a problem will leaders of their organizations A few anecdotes isn’t a trend it’s an illusion.” That’s the kind of commen many Southern law official! made in the 1960s when civi' rights demonstrations startec in their communities—tc their later regret. The stories of abusive en counters with police, which have poured forth from ordinary citizens in recent weeks are not “illusions,” as more whites themselves are seeing and saying. Richard Cohen, a Washington Post columnist, wrote recently that, “When blacks oi Hispanics are disproportionately stopped, it defies logic to claim that it’s for any reason other than race oi ethnicity. Cops who deny it are profiling in more ways than one. They think we’re all dumb.” The issue of police misconduct is not going to go away Its political ramifications, ir New Jersey, New York City Pittsburgh, Riverside, Calif, and elsewhere intensify with each passing day. “When you grow up as a black person in the Unitec States, you’re used to unequal justice” Dr. Elsie Scott, a tog official of the National Orga nization for Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), told a New York Times reporter recently. Scott, a former New York City deputy police commissioner, knows the reality ol policing and the sentiments ol America’s citizens as well as anyone. Her point in saying that was the same as ours ir writing our letter to the president: It was to warn that Americc must make that truism obsolete. Hugh B. Price is president of the National Urbar League.