Poll: Most blacks say police treated them unfairly

August 6, 2015 6:15 pm

By: Rebecca Turco
Email: rturco@abc6.com

PROVIDENCE – Half of African-Americans across the nation feel targeted by police, according to a recent Associated Press-NORC Poll.

More than 60 percent say they or a family member have experienced being treated unfairly by the police, and their race is the reason.

Lt. Charles Wilson, chairman of the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers, is not surprised by those statistics. He says this has been an ongoing issue that many people are afraid to admit. “Get real people – it does happen,” he told ABC6 News.

It even happens in Rhode Island, says Jim Vincent, president of the NAACP Providence Branch. Though Vincent acknowledges that the ocean state fares better than others, he says there is still work to be done. “Not everybody in the [black] community has a favorable view of police,” he said.

One possible solution: hire more black officers. “There’s going to be more community trust with people that they feel understands their community,” Vincent said. “It just makes sense.

He is also upset that so few officers hold high-ranking positions. Currently, lieutenant is the highest rank held by a black state police trooper, and sergeant is the highest rank held by a black Providence police officer.

State Police Col. Steven O’Donnell says he has been trying to address this disparity, but it all depends on his applicant pool. “There’s always room for improvement for everything we do in law enforcement,” he added.

While there is no cookie cutter solution to fixing race relations, Wilson says recognizing the problem is a good start. “The community has to understand that they need to embrace us,” he said.

In the meantime, Vincent has been reaching out to people of color at midnight basketball, churches, and on social media, trying to encourage them to apply to become an officer.