National
Video Shows 4 Black Officers Held at Gunpoint by Police
(AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Leigh Higgins, THE JOURNAL NEWS via USA TODAY
RAMAPO, N.Y. (USA Today) — Four black parole officers on official business were held at gunpoint and detained by police last year, videos recently obtained by The Journal News show.
Black law enforcement leaders are criticizing Ramapo police for the incident last April, saying it highlights a larger problem with how police treat members of the black community.
“If these guys aren’t safe, imagine what a young black man feels about interacting with the police,” said Damon Jones, the New York representative of Blacks in Law Enforcement of America. “They have no chance.”
The state parole officers have a federal lawsuit pending against the town, its police department and others, alleging racial profiling and civil rights violations. Jones said Ramapo police need to explain “why they held the parole officers after they were identified.” Town officials maintain police did nothing wrong.
###
