Striking a Balance — Allowing Police to Do Their Job Appropriately and Removing Officers Who Cause Harm in Their Communities

The news about the tragic incident in Memphis, Tennessee, is everywhere. Five former police officers were charged with second-degree murder in the death of Tyre Nichols. During a traffic stop, the five police officers, who are black, beat Nichols, a black man. He died in the hospital. A sixth police officer, who is white, has been relieved of duty.

Even in these sad circumstances, violence against the police is not the answer.

Star lost her publishing business after the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles in 1992, so she knows about chaos in the streets. She spoke about destructive riots and attacks on the cops.

“What we’re seeing now is unleashing of violence all across our country, making headlines for far too many years.” Star said that she started her organization, the Center for Urban Renewal and Education, “to change the destructive realities that were taking our distressed zip codes hostage and our the whole nation.”

The country was going in the wrong direction, and Star wanted the destruction to stop. But it’s still going on.

“In order for communities to thrive, it is vital that there be [a] reasonable level of trust and cooperation between the residents and the public officials who serve and protect them,” Star said. But trust and cooperation have broken down, she added, and perhaps things are just too big and unmanageable in our cities.

Police who abuse their power are dangerous to communities. Star said we need to strike a balance that enables cops to act appropriately and to protect the public and defend themselves.

“But we also need better processes to identify and remove those who cause harm in their communities.”

Watch the brief clip below or at Straight Arrow News.