(Article by Eddie Scarry republished from WashingtonExaminer.com)
How about we extend that same courtesy to the police? They patrol every town in America every day and yet shoot fewer than four dozen unarmed people each year. And less than a quarter of those people are black.
Each time a black person dies while interacting with a cop, cable news and the major newspapers might include something in their coverage, such as: "The vast majority of encounters with the police were unremarkable that day.”
According to Department of Justice statistics, about 20% of the U.S. population above the age of 16 reported having interacted with police in 2015, the year with the most recent available data. About half of those people said that it was the police who initiated the contact.
Looking just at blacks, majorities who were in contact with police during traffic stops say they believe the officers behaved properly, whether it resulted in a warning (92%), a ticket (85%), or shockingly, even a search or arrest (69%).
Here’s another interesting one: Among blacks who were stopped on the street, just half said they believed that they were stopped for a legitimate reason. But even of the half that don't think they were stopped for a legitimate reason, 60% said the police behaved properly.
Among blacks who had interacted with police, just 3% said they experienced a threat or non-fatal use of force.
Among blacks who had initiated the contact with police, 91% said the officer(s) behaved properly, and 92% said they were just as likely or more likely to contact the police again.
Is none of that context important when we talk about policing and racism?
Of course it is. The vast majority of protesters are peaceful, sure. And so are the vast majority of police officers.
Read more at: WashingtonExaminer.com
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