Recently, and prior to Baltimore's torching, I was for asked my thoughts and opinion on the growing number of police-fueled controversies crowding American media. Each controversy began during a seemingly routine "policing response" to a violation of a law. Quickly, however, each escalated beyond the capacity, training and qualification level of the responding officer(s).
Unnecessarily taking an individual's life, in and of itself, is inherently wrong and should be addressed with the "full arm of justice." Any service providers, being EMS, military, fire or police, failing to respond appropriately to those most challenging, complex and dangerous of situations creates fear and distrust, particularly in the most important of contexts, the communities they serve.
Capt. Francisco M. Hernandez
Photo Credit: Courtesy
Address these issues: Police are lacking the training and skills to effectively "serve and protect" in ethnically and culturally diverse communities, where they (police) may find themselves the minority population. Youth from marginalized communities (i.e., poor neighborhoods), or minority populations, must "want to be" part of the next generation's law enforcement providers. Provide solutions to those issues.
Communities: Train your police to ensure they understand your cultures, backgrounds, needs and wants. Be a part of the solution, not an escalation of the problem. Your sons and daughters need to see the intrinsic value of serving and protecting their own communities, not in burning the communities down. Educate your young so they can take their place on those council seats, oversee those departments and make effective policy changes.
Police: Learn your communities and be a part of their family. You serve and protect us. If you cannot, we will protect ourselves. Help me to help you. If children do not want to grow up to be like you, you are failing your community. You are trained in the proper use and escalation of force; if you are not, quit, or demand better training. Everyone looks up to you, or is watching you. Your actions determine which.
Internal to federal justice department investigations may find evidence that "racially motivated policing" contributed to subsequent responding actions of law enforcement personnel. However, the underlying issues that led to those failures by our law enforcement providers cannot continue to be overlooked. Doing so puts the next community, which may be our own, at risk to violent protest and reactions in a case of "questionable" police response.
A good person who lost a loved one tragically during Operation Iraqi Freedom once told me, "Our family will always mourn the loss of our loved one and nothing can take away that hurt." I respected their words, and likewise, they respected mine, "The memory of your loved one is not merely about the tragedy of their death, but is about growing their legacy and having positive impacts on the lives of others through their continuing deeds and works."
Will the names of these men, whose recent deaths at the hands of police, justified or not, be remembered only for sparking violent protest leading to destruction in city streets, or better, will their names be associated with helping ignite change within our police forces, so they are better trained and capable of serving and protecting our communities?
Editor's note: Capt. Francisco Hernandez is a former non-commissioned officer and Airborne Ranger whose multiple deployments include Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and the SOUTHCOM AOR. He is a Civil Affairs officer serving as a Training With Industry Fellow in Washington, D.C.
