My people, the proof is in the legislation. How many more Black Lives shall be lost before our Politicians enact meaningful legislation on police reform accountability? NYS, under former Gov. Cuomo, every municipality does a police review and forwards it to the NYS Attorney General, and we haven’t heard anything! No analysis of the reports or final recommendations.
Let me be clear, as a Black Law Enforcement Professional of 32 years, those cops in Memphis should be under the jail. Any Black Officer that commits crimes against their people is in question of thier Blackness because they should know better! Our elders in Black Law Enforcement have sacrificed and struggled for Black even to take the test and have the opportunity to have a job in Law Enforcement that advanced them into the middle class and, in most cases, upper middle class! We need independent thinkers to protect our community, not enslaved people in Blue uniforms!
However, families in New York State whose loved ones were victims of police crimes have yet to hear back from The NYS Attorney General Tish James after sending a letter for a review of many questionable police shooting in NY. She instead rather talk about Trump than act on the request of these families.
There are Democratic Cities that Black people vote for that have refused to legislate an effective Civilian Complaint Review Board. It’s not just the training; it’s the mindset! Our politicians (especially our Black Politicians) are coconspirators to the ongoing local and national problem with policing the Black community.
It’s political hypocrisy and a direct insult to families who lost loved ones in Westchester for Westchester Politicians to rally and march. At the same time, every large police department in Westchester County has had a history of police brutality and abuse of power against Black people.
This disrespects people’s emotions when the politicians that have rallied in Westchester have no record of legislation or policy change themselves.
Unfortunately, for Black people, the outcome is the usual; rallies and forums until the next national news story come or something new about Trump, and there will be no change, and the cycle will begin again when the next black man gets killed. Families grieve while the usual protest profiteers get paid!
The question is, when do we learn?
Damon K. Jones, Blacks In Law Enforcement of America
