Advertisement

Police, Bias And Communities Of Color

28:59
Download Audio
Resume
Police officers talk with a community activist in New York on May 24, following deaths of black men in encounters with police in Minnesota, Louisiana and across the country, and the sniper killing of five Dallas officers. (Seth Wenig/AP)
Police officers talk with a community activist in New York on May 24, following deaths of black men in encounters with police in Minnesota, Louisiana and across the country, and the sniper killing of five Dallas officers. (Seth Wenig/AP)

Wellesley Police Chief Terrence Cunningham surprised many last month when he stood before a crowd of his peers and made a brief statement about policing and communities of color.

He spoke about the nobility of the police profession, but also its dark history as a force of oppression for communities of color, enforcing discriminatory laws.

Chief Cunningham then spoke about how to move beyond the mistrust:

For our part, the first step in this process is for law enforcement profession and the IACP to acknowledge and apologize for the actions of the past and the role that our profession has played in society’s historical mistreatment of communities of color," he said. "At the same time, those who denounce the police must also acknowledge that today's officers are not to blame for the injustices of the past.

Chief Cunningham made the remarks a week before leaving his post as president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Guest

Terrence Cunningham, Wellesley police chief and most recent president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He tweets @wellesleychief.

This segment aired on November 15, 2016.

Related:

Headshot of Kathleen McNerney

Kathleen McNerney Senior Producer / Editor, Edify
Kathleen McNerney was the senior producer/editor of Edify.

More…

Headshot of Meghna Chakrabarti

Meghna Chakrabarti Host, On Point
Meghna Chakrabarti is the host of On Point.

More…

Advertisement

More from Radio Boston

Listen Live
Close