Leave Guns & Badges Behind

These are not police bullet holes.....

This is the advice of a black youth as a way to promote better relations between police and the black community. He is right. If we want our police to be social workers, instead of law enforcement officers whose sole duty should be to protect society, then why should they needs guns. Of course I don't hear anything from these black youths about the black street gangs giving up their guns. Come on Chief Blair...let's send a message to all kids that you are are going to quit kissing ass and start kicking ass. We do have the Lekan Thomases in the black community but they are outnumbered by the Chanel Aulds & No Frillzs.


Cops under fire at black youth forum
Basketball games, barbecues don't cut it, police told
By IAN ROBERTSON, SUN MEDIA

Basketball games and barbecues will not reduce distrust between police and black youth, a forum aimed at improving relations was told.

Instead, a man who identified himself Wednesday at a U of T Scarborough campus session only as "No Frillz" said cops should have outreach programs to mingle with youth, and leave their badges and guns behind.

He told Toronto Police Staff-Supt. Peter Sloly that officers who simply approach a young stranger and ask for help during trouble or to find a suspect use "the wrong approach."

"They have a gun and power and automatically you feel threatened," he said at one of three sessions organized by the Black Community-Police Consultative Committee.

No Frillz said police-youth basketball games attract "a small group and it's competitive, so there's not much room for dialogue."

During the two-hour meeting attended by police, representatives of black community and student groups, plus about 60 mostly black Scarborough youths, several complained of harassment and rudeness and said they resented police asking for help without showing respect.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

But Lekan Thomas said young people need to take responsibility for sending bad signals.
"If you throw out a bad attitude" when approached, Thomas said, "it's going to take longer and there are going to be a lot of issues."

Chanel Auld, 18, said her brother should have been helped home after police decided he was not the suspect they sought one night. "He had no money and had to walk."

Sloly agreed "that never should have happened," adding in those circumstances police should arrange a ride.

He encouraged anyone who was mistreated to write or e-mail Toronto Police -- even Chief Bill Blair.

"We are here to listen, we're not here to challenge," Sloly said, promising comments from the session, and others in Jamestown and Malvern would be given to Blair.

The chief hopes to attend a wrap-up session following the three public meetings, he said.