A former police department leader who has vast personal and professional experience with race relations spoke to 草莓传媒 about what鈥檚 needed to create systemic societal change and ways to revamp police departments.
Former Alexandria Police Chief Earl Cook, who became the first African American to lead the city鈥檚 law enforcement, was also part of T.C. Williams High School鈥檚 first integrated football team in 1971 depicted in the 2000 movie 鈥淩emember the Titans.鈥�
Cook reflected on the lessons learned during that time as a teenager, admitting it was forced upon them but said they began to talk about the issues and real change with a common purpose and goal as a team.
鈥淲e first had to be people getting along together,鈥� Cook told 草莓传媒. 鈥淎nd our race was secondary.鈥�
Looking over the past several decades, Cook said violence against African Americans, like the lynchings of the 1950s, 鈥渉as lessened, but the fierceness of that violence 鈥� is the same鈥�
As far as change for a better future, Cook senses the key is with young people
鈥淸They] have a little bit less difficulty assimilating if they鈥檙e allowed to,鈥� said Cooke. 鈥淭he influence of adults is tremendous.鈥�
Cook disagrees with calls to dismantle police departments but does favor reforms that should be led at the federal level.
One example has to do with chokeholds. Cook wonders how many African Americans have to die before the police tactic is universally outlawed.
鈥淗ow many is too many?,鈥� Cook said. 鈥�10? 50? Maybe 1,500.鈥�
Cook weighed in on D.C.鈥檚 imposing and enforcing of a Districtwide curfew during the height of the protesting last week.
Cook said cops were 鈥渋mmediately overwhelmed鈥� after the death of George Floyd and the subsequent protesting, getting 鈥渁 little heavy-handed鈥� but credits D.C. Police Chief Peter 草莓传媒ham and Mayor Muriel Bowser for being flexible as the situation warranted.
D.C. eventually dropped the curfew after three days.
Cook believes the District realized this 鈥渉as to be allowed to happen legally鈥� calling it 鈥済ood government and management鈥�
