(Part 5 - the end....I think)...So now I come back around to the police situation in Ferguson. I do not know exactly what the Ferguson Police Department has done lately. I have heard a lot about how they mistreat black people in general and black youth in particular through racial profiling and DWB (driving while black) - meaning that just because an African-American has a nice car, he/she is stopped as if he/she is stealing something). Statistics that I saw today from the State of Missouris police database indicate that even though Ferguson is 67% black, they make us 86% of the traffic stops. This has to change! Also, there needs to be an increase in the # of black officers. Somehow, as cash strapped as Ferguson may be, they have to find a way to increase the pay so that the good officers (of whatever ethnic group) will stay here. Also, I dont know if Ferguson PD still does this, but I remember when the Ferguson and Normandy police departments used to come to my elementary school, Bermuda elementary, during school festivals and DARE program days and talk to us about what police and firefighters do. They would let the kids sit in the police cars and press the buttons that would release that familiar siren with the red and blue lights flashing. Same thing with the fire trucks. We kids got to know the police officers as PEOPLE who talked to us, respected us and truly protected us. Today, too many black youth see the police as nothing but a person hiding behind a badge and a gun. That has to change people! How are we going to build the trust between the police and its citizens if there is not positive interaction? As I said, I do not know what Ferguson P.D. does not in terms of reaching out to the community. But they need to do more of that, especially now, so as to regain the trust of the residents. And with the more inclusiveness, businesses will want to be a part of a city where its diverse residents work together. Families will want to move into a district that cares enough about its students to pass a bond issue. And hopefully, more young people with some financial means and ambitions will want to stay here and help this city rebuild. But if they want to go, that is fine. I am not mad at them. And yes, the issues of redlining housing, giving black home owner aspirants a higher interest rate than other groups despite the same credit score kind of discrimination has to end in order to attract businesses that will want to move to Ferguson....(I though I was done, but I lied...On to part 6!)...
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 01:45:09 +0000
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