Whatever her cause of death, there was no cause for Sandra Bland to be treated the way she was treated in a routine traffic stop. The Constitution does not stop at a police officer's irritation.
Or it shouldn't.
I have worked with countless amazing police officers and have no doubt that the vast majority of officers are just that amazing and deserve way more credit than they get for the hard job they do every day, but many also share a professional culture that shields wrongdoers and there is far too much racial profiling going on all over this country. There need to be body cameras on all patrolling police officers, independent reviews of all incidents of alleged excessive force and civil rights violations and real consequences for police officers who abuse their positions. These are concrete steps that can be taken and that are needed.
I understand the need to band together and protect each other in dangerous, difficult, under-appreciated professions. It is understandable that officers feel the need to do that for each other. It is not acceptable, however, when it results in racial profiling, excessive force and the two-tiered justice system that we have in the United States.
I pray for peace and justice.
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