Dec 12, 2014 4 min read

Peace in the aftermath of police killings of unarmed black men can only be realized with respect, forgiveness and communication, according to black community leaders.

“We have a choice,” said the Rev. Esther Scott of New Birth Ministries in California. “We can continue to be barbaric, with one culture trying to take over another culture, or we can accept each other’s differences and try to live in as much peace as we can.”

Protests arose throughout the country after a grand jury recently chose not to indict Officer Darren Wilson for killing unarmed black teen Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. The spark of protests became a wildfire after a Staten Island grand jury chose not to indict officer Daniel Pantaleo after a chokehold led to the death of Eric Garner.

Garner’s death was caught on a video, which was released publicly.

“When the man said ‘I can’t breathe,’ someone should have paid attention to that and stopped it,” Scott said.

But Scott said violent protests only fuel the fire.

She referenced Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., saying all people should respect differences and recognize no person is inferior to another for any reason.

Establishing a meaningful dialogue instead of making assumptions based on stereotypes is key to establishing peace, she said.

Washington NAACP chapter President Robert Griffin said communication between police and the community must be established by minority representation on the city of Washington police force, which has not hired a black officer in 28 years. The last black officer retired about six years ago, said police Chief Chris Luppino.

“I am very open to working with the NAACP to get more minorities on the force,” he said. “But it’s easier said than done.”

He said before an applicant can become a city officer, they must go through the police academy and pass a civil service test. In the last 15 years, only two minorities took the test. One failed the physical portion of the test, and one failed the background check.

After the applicant passes the test, the state requires veterans receive preference.

“I cannot target a specific race and recruit them,” Luppino said.

Luppino said he thinks this procedure is unfair because it makes it difficult to establish a diverse force.

He said he discussed the procedure with state officials, but does not foresee a change.

“Something needs to be done,” he said.

He plans to be more active in advocating for new recruits from the black community, handing out pamphlets to the NAACP and churches.

Ideally, he said the force would be more representative of the 20 to 25 percent black population in the city.

Still, he thinks the police force represents the community because about half the officers are from Washington.

“You have to be proud of that,” he said. “I disagree that we don’t know how to relate to the community, because our department is the community.”

Griffin said hiring minorities would rebuild a “breakdown of trust.” He said while distrust may be based on either real or perceived threats, the tensions are real.

“Most police officers are good police officers and hold up their ideals of protecting and serving the community,” he said. “But it’s been a very strained relationship between police officers and the black community.”

He said he has three sons, and he tells them to respect police and comply with orders, even if they feel they are being wronged.

“When you see black men dying at the hands of officers, there has been some kind of conflict,” he said, “Live to fight another day or to have your side heard in the legal venue in the courts.”

He said he participated in his share of protests.

“I understand protests. They have their place,” he said. “If they’re peaceful.”

But it is more important to focus on long-term solutions instead of igniting a flame that may soon die out, he said.

Scott said while the deaths of Brown and Garner were tragedies, relationships can only be improved by forgiving and moving ahead.

“People have got to move on,” she said. “The things that happened to us, sure, it hurts. But none of us is exempt from trouble. You have to be positive, focus on the future and move on.”