Being a person of color has never been a piece of cake. We do not only deal with discrimination from people who are not of color but sometimes it’s our own families and friends. The policing situation in Baltimore City has been atrocious, and the department can definitely do better. One of the big cases we have heard about concerning police brutality would be, of course, the Freddie Gray case.
Many police officers around the country have been abusing their powers and killing young African Americans, but this one hits home. Freddie Gray fell into a coma while in custody of the police department. He died from a spinal cord injury, but none of the officers were convicted in his death. He never got his justice.
Stephen J.K. Walters’ commentary (“More police and more efficient policing key to stemming Baltimore violence,” Jan. 2) is not talking about why the department needs change. It is sad that every time a conversation comes up about the police department it is never about “why,” it’s always, “oh, we need less defiance so let’s be friendly.” Instead of saying we need justice for the fallen, the author turns around and puts it on the people who died over a police officer being an idiot. Do not put people who died over minor law at fault, teach your police officers not to kill, but to protect.
Colleen Cooper, Columbia