Racism and policing: 1o simple solutions Rural Ramblings
Racism is in the news again, hopefully, long enough for there to be some significant change, but I wouldn’t guarantee it before something else steals the headlines. One can make and change regulations, one can, for various reasons, come out and make brave and noble speeches and demonstrate. However, the one thing that is most difficult to change of all is how people think. It is possible to make people accountable and hopefully, that will change actions and policies, especially if the perpetrators of racism are under the spotlight. Yet, I fear the underlying attitude will prevail and fester.
For over 400 years, black people have struggled to be free, equal and be cared about in the U.S. and they are not the only ones and it is not just the U.S. I believe that in some aspect virtually everyone is racist or at least tribalist in their beliefs and actions. This can be seen in attitudes against minorities and not just white on black, I’ve seen it work multiple ways and been on the wrong end of some of it, white on white, myself. Then we have partisanship, in politics, sports teams, relgions and more. Racism can be seen almost anywhere in the world where there are minorities. At its most extreme it can manifest itself in genocide, we haven’t heard much about that. I also noticed that I haven’t seen any reference either to modern day slavery, which I understand, from 2018 estimates, amounts to over 40 million people worldwide, most of them women.
I never understood why people are deified via statues. I don’t think that we should or even can judge history or people by modern day standards. By all means put statues in a museum with explanations. Keep films and TV programs, books and whatever else uncensored with explanatory notes. Should history be covered up, edited for political correctness? I don’t think so. How far do we take it? The Egyptian pyramids and other ancient wonders were built by slaves, do we take them down too? At least the Romans didn’t appear racist in their attitude to slavery, they took anyone.
Now for policing in Canada. I find it odd that two police commissioners can first of all say that there is no systemic racism in their forces then flip flop and say there is. The signals I get from this is that either they knew there is but didn’t want to admit it, or, they didn’t want to consider the possibility and deny it, or, they honestly didn’t know because they were out of touch with the front line. I suspect if may be a combination of all three. In a corporate or government position I think they would be, or others would be for them, considering their positions really hard.
Policing is a hard, dangerous and often thankless job. I have some experience of this as a Special Constable out on patrol in rural areas in the UK back in the 1980s. Officers see the worst of everyone and everything on a daily basis it is no wonder that they become hardened, cynical and yes, sometimes violent. I’ve also seen the effect that wearing a uniform, in the worse possible way, can have on some people. Now, thanks to technology we are seeing it on video.
Over a period of decades, I’ve seen policing become increasingly remote from the communities they serve, for reasons of efficiency, budget, whatever. When I was growing up my parents advised me that if I was lost, I should ask a policeman. Sadly, I do not think that is advice that I would give to my grandchildren. Trust has been eroded. In court we can expect law, not justice. There is a difference.
So, what to do? Here’s a few suggestions, I think officers, like any other citizen, should be accountable all the way up the command chain for their actions. Reasonable force is one thing applied in the last resort, but it appears that unreasonable force is being applied by some officers in the first instance. Perhaps recruiting older people with life experience and the ability to talk down a situation could be more employed. Don’t send police officers to wellbeing checks, leave this to mental health professionals and social workers. Provide back up if requested, yes. I would like to see officers in the community, not barricaded in buildings that look like forts. I’m sure there are other strategies that could be employed.
I’m going to sign off with a conundrum that some will find uncomfortable. In nations where the law-abiding general populace has little access to firearms and the police, except for specialists, are unarmed too, then police shootings are rare. If an officer attends a situation where the likelihood is that the suspect is armed won’t this increase the possibility of deadly force being employed? What are people willing to give up and or, what is the government willing to take away?