Washington, DC
United States
~ Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Remarks as prepared for delivery
Thank you, President [Wayne] Frederick, for that warm
introduction and for welcoming me to Howard University this afternoon. Thank you, Dr. [Elsie] Scott, for helping to
organize today’s event. I also want to
recognize my colleague Ron Davis, director of the Justice Department’s Office
of Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS Office, for his tireless work
to build stronger relationships between law enforcement officers and the people
we serve. His team in the COPS Office
have worked extremely hard to make National Community Policing Week a success
and I want to thank them for their efforts planning this and so many other
events throughout the week. And of
course, I want to thank the many law enforcement officers, community leaders
and students for bringing your ideas, your perspectives and your commitment to
this vital gathering.
As you know, the COPS Office and Howard are hosting this
meeting as part of National Community Policing Week. Since Monday, the Department of Justice and
our partners have been hosting events nationwide designed to encourage
conversation, foster dialogue and help police officers and citizens set aside
stereotypes and find common ground.
That’s what each of you is doing here today. Director Davis and Dr. Scott have told me about
the work that you’ve done so far and it sounds like you have had a truly
productive meeting – discussing everything from how young adults perceive law
enforcement, to the role that young people can play in building the law
enforcement agencies of the 21st century.
Obviously, it will take more than one day to address all of the issues
before us, but conversations like this one are a crucial start. I hope that by taking the time to listen to
one another in a supportive setting, each of you – officers and students alike
– have deepened your understanding of and your respect for one another and I
want to commend you once again for your participation.
I know that it is especially difficult to have these
conversations in light of recent events.
This summer, we were all shaken by tragic deaths of Alton Sterling and
Philando Castile, which were then followed so closely by the appalling murders
of five police officers in Dallas, Texas and three other officers in Baton
Rouge, Louisiana. And of course, we have
endured additional pain in recent weeks, as we added the names of Terrence
Crutcher, Keith Scott and Alfred Olango to the sobering list of those who have
died in officer-involved incidents – a list that brings pain not just to
individual communities, but to our entire nation. These events have left all of us with
feelings of helplessness, uncertainty and fear.
But I strongly believe that we cannot let those feelings divide us. I strongly believe that we must acknowledge
our shared pain and rededicate ourselves to repairing the fabric of our
society. And if we can muster the
strength to come together, I strongly believe that we can emerge from these
trying times stronger and more united than ever.
I believe in our ability to move forward because I have seen
it happen. Earlier this week, I was in
Dallas, a city that has been in a lot of pain since they lost five officers in
July. But Dallas is a city that has also
been at the forefront of community policing for a long time and they weren’t
about to let tragedy undo all of their hard work. After that devastating incident, the chief
of police there issued a statement inviting people to apply to his force, to
come serve their communities and to “be a part of the solution.” That is exactly what happened; applications
to the Dallas Police Department tripled in the wake of those terrible
shootings. What a tremendous response to
an unthinkable event. And what a
challenge for the rest of us, a call to ask ourselves how we can be part of the
solution in our own communities.
I am proud to say that at the Department of Justice, we are
committed to being a part of the solution in a number of ways. Our COPS Office has joined with the Walters
Center here at Howard to engage more millennials – especially young people of
color – in law enforcement. Our Civil
Rights Division is working with a number of departments around the country to
implement constitutional policing practices and ensure that every citizen’s
basic rights are protected. In times of
tension and conflict, members of our Community Relations Service serve as
on-the-ground mediators, helping to forge peaceful and productive
resolutions. And through our Office of
Justice Programs, we’re promoting and implementing the latest evidence-based
strategies for community policing.
Earlier today, as part of these efforts, I was proud to
announce more than $3 million in grants to prevent gender bias in law
enforcement’s response to sexual assault and domestic violence. These awards will help officers serve the
survivors of these awful crimes with sensitivity and respect, leading to deeper
trust and to more effective investigations.
Also this morning, the Civil Rights Division released a report on
promoting diversity in law enforcement.
The report includes innovative and promising practices for recruiting,
hiring and retaining a diverse workforce – which, as you have discussed today,
is a key to building strong bonds of trust between police and the communities
they serve – especially communities of color.
These are just a few of the ways that we are working to help
build stronger, safer and more united communities. I truly believe that this is one of the
defining endeavors of our time, which is why I have made it such a personal
priority. And it is why I want to thank
each of you for being here today. By
taking the time to listen, to learn and to share, you are doing the hard work
of closing rifts and healing divides.
Rather than shrugging your shoulders or turning a blind eye to the work
at hand, you are choosing to bend your shoulders to the wheel. And because of your efforts – because of your
commitment – we are making progress. It
is happening today – right here in this room – because of you. And so I want to thank you for your
dedication to this vital effort. I want
you to know that you will continue to have a staunch ally in the Department of
Justice. And I look forward to all that
we will achieve together in the days to come.
Thank you.
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