New federal program aims to build trust between police and communities

[alp227]

Source: LA Times

Amid the Justice Department's criminal investigation into last month's police shooting in Ferguson, Mo., Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. announced a federal initiative Thursday to study racial bias and build trust between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.

Holder cited growing divisions between police and residents as a topic of national importance since the protests in Ferguson, sparked by the slaying of Michael Brown, an unarmed black man who was shot by a white police officer. Holder said he hoped the program, supported by a $4.75-million grant in five pilot communities, would help defuse future confrontations.

"The events in Ferguson reminded us that we cannot allow tensions, which are present in so many neighborhoods across America, to go unresolved," Holder said.

"As law enforcement leaders, each of us has an essential obligation and a unique opportunity to ensure fairness, eliminate bias, and build community engagement," he said.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-holder-ferguson-20140919-story.html

[mountain grammy]

1. Back in the days in the South when white people were getting away with murder

as long as the victim was black, the Justice Department started prosecuting murderers for violating the civil right to life of the victim. Tried in federal courts instead of local courts, there were finally some convictions.

[msongs]

2. when the police unions purge their criminal members, then maybe things will change nt

[christx30]

3. Cut police budgets by 30%,

and ban civil forfeiture. Require charges and conviction before personal property is acquired by police departments. Say that it will be like that until militarization of police comes to an end, and the bad elements of the police force are rooted out.
That would get everyone working on the same goal.

[LeftyMom]

4. Better yet, send funds from seized assets to another program.

Then there's so incentive for abuse, if the auction proceeds go to schools or mental health care or animal shelters instead.

[blkmusclmachine]

5. About 30 years too late, yes?