Communities, officers must work together to keep their streets safe

As someone who has handled criminal cases ranging from misdemeanors to federal proceedings, I have had clients avoid capture by the authorities by hiding out with friends, family and associates.

In my federal case, my client did everything he could to avoid being caught: He stayed in Sanford. Some will argue that authorities should have found him quickly in that area, but he was not found for six months. And he made the mistake of visiting his mother.

Mind you, he was being hunted by federal marshals and local law enforcement. They pressed everyone in his circle — including his attorney — for his whereabouts. But I never knew where he was, and every time he called me, it was from a blocked phone number.

However, here is the thing that struck me: I didn’t know he was still in Sanford until the authorities caught him. When I asked his family or his friends if they knew where he was, they all said no. I don’t doubt that most of them did not know where he was, but someone did.

The initial reaction is that law enforcement did not do enough to find him. But if the number of officers is limited, along with their time and resources — obviously, this wasn’t their only active case — and witnesses are less than forthright, how do officers find a suspect when no one is willing to provide clues?

Do we want the police to break down the doors, and harass those who really have nothing to do with the case? How do officers determine whether a person is telling the truth or lying about a suspect’s location?

Since Monday’s tragic shooting of Orlando Police Master Sgt. Debra Clayton, I have heard people blame law-enforcement officers because the suspect in her death, Markeith Loyd, was not arrested in the shooting death last month of his pregnant ex-girlfriend. People believe Loyd’s earlier arrest could have spared Clayton and also Orange County Deputy Norman Lewis, who died in an accident during the search for Loyd.

I believe it’s unfair to blame the officers. Yes, law enforcement has issues, and sometimes urban communities are the victims of these issues, but if we are going to speak the truth about unjust police practices, then we must speak the truth about the faults of our own communities.

Loyd, just like my federal client, felt comfortable enough to stay within a two-mile radius of where his ex-girlfriend was killed without fear of being turned in. The fact is, no one who is accused of a crime — especially murder — should feel comfortable in the environment where the crimes were committed, unless the community is shielding him from persecution.

What really bothers me about these tragic deaths is that these officers were part of the community. Clayton was very much involved with her community. Her public service went beyond the requirements of her badge. She participated in workshops and volunteered her time and energy when she never had to. She was active in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., and she never allowed her current title to take her away from the community that needed her the most.

The ripple effects of her passing could be twofold. Not only has the public lost a valued community spirit and advocate, but there is potential for an officer who is frustrated by her and Lewis’ deaths to rough up or brutalize someone who does not deserve it.

All of our actions create a reaction in the world around us. What happens today has a profound effect on tomorrow. Our world is symbiotic like that. If we want officers to respect us and treat us fairly, then we must respect the job of law enforcement and not create an environment where a murder suspect can walk the streets.

Nationally, within the conversation about the relationship between law enforcement and the African-American community — under the subtext of the Black Lives Matter movement — we have learned the importance of trust.

Those conversations have been fruitful. However, I think if people care about the Black Lives Matter movement, then conceivably they should care that a known murder suspect is hanging out in a community of predominantly African-Americans. Everyone’s lives are at risk.

My prayers are for the families of the deceased. Be blessed, and be safe.