THIS is the question The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast Balitang America asked its viewers, amid nationwide protests denouncing two separate grand jury decisions in Ferguson, Mo. and another in Staten Island, NY, not to prosecute two white police officers in the killing of two unarmed black men.
Law enforcement officials and their supporters contend the police officers in these two cases were just doing their job, and were defending themselves — an explanation many people of color and human rights advocates are no longer accepting.
They allege that the issue here goes beyond police brutality.
“The biggest issue that we want to highlight, is the issue of racism and systematic racism,” Bernadette Ellorin of BAYAN USA told Balitang America. “If it can happen to a young person of color like Mike Brown, it can happen to any young person of color including Filipino youth.”
Indeed news reports such as these just fuel the growing sense of mistrust many Americans feel about police officers and the justice system in the country.
According to a poll conducted by Huffington Post/YouGov after the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson last August, nearly half — 45 percent — of Americans say they don’t trust the justice system to investigate police shootings properly, while 37 percent do. The remaining 19 percent were reported to be undecided.
Separately, 43 percent reportedly said the police use lethal force too frequently, while 32 percent said they do not.
This is a sentiment that is not new to Filipinos who grew up in the Philippines. Fil-Ams, however, seem to still trust police officers. According to the results of a Balitang America poll, a majority — 58 percent — of the viewers who voted say they feel safe and protected when they see police officers. 42 percent answered they feel threatened by police officers.
But as the police is an integral part of law enforcement and peace and order in the community, it is of paramount importance to restore back the faith of the people in the police.
In San Francisco, Rudy Corpuz Jr. – founder of United Playaz, which has a violence prevention and youth mentorship program – says he disagrees with the destruction but understands the message. Unfortunately, ohers have resorted to torching cars, looting, and other destructive behavior during protest actions.
“People are angry and you can’t blame how they are feeling,” Corpuz told Correspondent Rommel Conclara on Balitang America. “What comes with anger, comes destruction sometimes.”
It is important to note that Corpuz was a former gangster and drug dealer.
He says the reason there is some distrust between minorities and the police is because there is no relationship between the two.
“I think a lot of officers need to be trained in the lifestyles of people living in these communities in the inner cities,” said Corpuz.
Corpuz said that the first step into fixing the justice system is better communication.
“Until I started meeting good officers and having [a] dialogue and realizing where they come from and what their job is – they have one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet – I started understanding and building relationships,” said the youth program leader.
As part of his advocacy, Corpuz uses his past to teach children in one of the toughest neighbors in San Francisco on how to avoid possible confrontation with the police.
“When I have the police come through the doors, and they see me interact with them in a way we’re respectful and cool, I’m sure they start saying, ‘Rudy does it. Why can’t I do it?” said Corpuz.
Corpuz says that the relationship that he has built between his program and the San Francisco Police Department has helped the community in dealing with recent issues in the justice system.
“We’re here always, talking about that issue, [it’s] nothing new,” said Corpuz. “We had the cops here and they talk to kids. They have good relationships with the kids.”
Perhaps this is something that they can also do In New York. Following the death of Eric Garner, police officers are being re-trained. Such training consists of de-escalation tactics and using less force when possible. The New York Police Department will also begin to test body cameras on officers this week.
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
