Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

There is another attempt to find common ground by concerned Louisiana citizens with legislators and associates in the law enforcement community, where the goal is to have meaningful discussions on race/police issues. There are at least two pressing issues around the nation that need special attention: domestic terrorism and police accountability. Perhaps, with the images of "mob insurrectionists" storming the Capitol that resulted in death/destruction and the apprehension of dozens of perpetrators, political leaders that care about the nation will deal with those individuals who want their style of government. The more pressing issue facing millions of Black/Brown citizens is what happens to them when they have an encounter with law enforcement. Whether an individual is stopped by the police just driving or walking, or a reprimand sparked by a call from a "Karen" who has it in for Black people, there are pressing concerns for people of color. There are still those among us that believe that every time a Black person is seriously injured or killed, it is always that Black individual's fault. It doesn't seem to matter what a body cam will show, that in case after case, a concerted effort is made to shift the burden of proof of misconduct from the police to the individual despite what the evidence may show. There have been several incidents in this area where alleged police misconduct has been proven, but only after extensive coverage from the media and the ability to get information through FOIA, the Freedom of Information Act. If there is to be true reform in the police department, it must come through the legislative process. Community participation in the form of task forces is a necessary step, if only to get the conversation started. Legislators in the Louisiana House and Senate will have an opportunity to show the nation that it is willing to initiate true police reform by acting on a series of proposals from a task force headed by Rep. Cleo Fields(D) of Baton Rouge. There is, as it has been, opposition from White legislators who will say in so many words that it is "law enforcement being attacked". Where were these legislators when the investigation of Ronald Greene showed that he was beaten to death by police and that a Louisiana State Trooper was found to have participated in the beating? Does racism exist in the police department? The Capitol attack has shown us that some of those in the mob were law enforcement officers, something that maybe our legislators and law enforcement officials will address when/if serious talks about police reform will take place. The upcoming legislative session will have police issues on the table, where we will see just how far some legislators are willing to go "to bring trust" back into an organization from a segment of the community that wants to trust it. Rep. Fields was quoted in the media as saying that hopefully, we(task force) "can get something meaningful passed", which has been the goal of other task forces. As previously been written in the Monroe Dispatch, true change won't happen until people's hearts/minds/attitudes change. That change will have to come from those who write the law and from those who enforce the law. We have seen some state legislators and law enforcement officers present at the Capitol after listening to an ex-president encouraging them to stop an electoral process. "Qualified immunity" extended to police officers is a legislative matter, but mayors must do their part to make sure that there will not be "out of control" police departments under their watch. Governors have to their part also. Unless hearts/minds/attitudes are changed, it won't make any difference. Religious leaders must do their part when it comes to moral issues of the heart. Love of God and love and respect for fellow man must be front and center. The law in society is there for a reason. It's just not there "for Peter and not for John." We have a ways to go.