100 Blacks in Law Enforcement

Amadou Diallo

Early in my career as a police officer there is one situation that I always remembered. While I was off duty and in civilian clothes, an Asian male screamed and shouted he was just robbed.  I approached him and identified myself as a police officer. He then pointed out his assailants who were in flight.  With my gun drawn and police shield displayed I pursued the suspects.  While running through the dark alleys of Chinatown in civilian attire an unsettling fear came over me.  This fear was based upon a recent statement made at the police station by a male white police officer concerning his predispositions.  He stated that when he sees a white male with a gun he takes precautions for both himself and the unknown white male because the white male may be a law enforcement officer, however when he sees a black male with a gun he takes precaution for himself only.

Unfortunately, this is the attitude taken by far to many members of the law enforcement community.  That attitude and or predisposition is the central theme surrounding the shooting of Amadou Diallo.  When you combine that attitude with the perpetual demonization of Black men through the media, as well as, the entertainment industry, it becomes apparent that the officers involved in the Diallo case had already demonized Diallo without the benefit of knowing his background.  As a civilized multi-cultural society this predisposition on the part of those who enforce our laws, especially within our cities, cannot be tolerated.

All of society should be brutally honest and acknowledge that Amadou Diallo was shot, solely, because he was a Black man.  Tragedies of this magnitude do not occur in white communities involving white males.  I recognize that this view is inpleasant to accept however, Black and Latino citizens including Black and Latino law enforcement officers are very much aware of this reality.  Many of our nation’s police officers are policing communities of color with antiquated, stereotypical views.  They do not appreciate that even in high crime areas the overwhelming number of residents are hard working law abiding citizens that carry cell phones, beepers, wallets, and keys.  African-Americans and Latino males know all to well to be afraid when approached at night by strangers in civilian clothes and driving non police vehicles, whether or not they are police officers.  The law enforcement community and society as a whole has been glacially slow in addressing this constantly, reoccurring problem surrounding police shootings such as Diallo.  This is one of the primary reasons why members of 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement have dedicated their private time toward educating young Black and Latino males on how to respond when approached by police officers.  It has also been necessary for 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement to conduct training seminars for other black police officers across the country on how they should respond when approached by their white counterparts while off duty.

The true tragedy is that as we enter the 21^st century Latino and African American families have a different set of instructions and rules for their children than their white counterparts concerning their interaction with police.  

                                                                                                3/25/00

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