In a speech at the Congressional Black Caucus’s annual convention, President Obama said the widespread mistrust of police officers is corroding America — not just its black communities but everywhere else.
Many believe this mistrust was exposed after an unarmed black teenager was fatally shot by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri.
Obama added that these suspicions against police only harm the same communities that need protection the most, because most residents and folks end up afraid to see police officers.
“It makes folks who are victimized by crime and need strong policing reluctant to go to the police because they may not trust them,” Obama said.
He also added that it leads to unnecessary fear among children, who are taught to feel apprehensive about people who do not look like them.
He further stressed that this kind of society is not the one we want and is definitely not the kind of society that children deserve.
The fatal shooting of 18-year-old Ferguson resident Michael Brown sparked days of racial unrest and violent protest in the predominantly black town.
Obama opened his speech by praising Attorney General Eric Holder, who resigned just days before from his office as the country’s chief law enforcement officer. Holder was also present during the event and received a standing ovation. He will stay in office until the Senate chooses someone to take his place.
Holder paid a visit to Ferguson after the shooting to help alleviate tensions, while the Justice Department continues to investigate the case to determine if Brown’s civil rights were violated.
Apart from this issue, Obama also announced that he is expanding the project My Brother’s Keeper. This is a public-private partnership that was launched earlier this year and is meant to better the lives of young minority men.