Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese immigrant from Michigan, was pulled over for driving a car with licence plates that did not match the vehicle, according to police. However, a white police officer fatally shot a Black man. Lyoya’s family has spoken out for the first time today
The vast majority of American police departments do not require that officers have a college degree. But the recent deaths of Black men and women while in police custody have refocused attention on police training and education
Recent protests on the streets of Portland, Oregon featured confrontations between demonstrators and federal agents deployed to the city by the Trump administration. Deborah Bloom reports, the departure of federal forces has de-escalated tensions and allowed protesters to refocus their message on demanding racial justice in America.
The death of African American George Floyd in May while in the custody of Minneapolis police has renewed conversations about whether having more women in law enforcement may lower the use of excessive force. “Women in Blue,” a recent documentary by Deidre Fishel showcases de- escalation skills by female police officers at the Minneapolis police department. It also presents challenges for women in a male dominated field
A large mural dedicated to the Black Lives Matter movement is being completed in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood. The mural will become part of the famous 125th Street in the heart of the historically Africa-American district. There are plans for similar works of art celebrating racial justice to appear in each of NYC’s five boroughs
Hundreds of protesters continue to camp out at New York’s City Hall demanding massive budget cuts to the police department. The movement to “defund the police” was ignited by the death of George Floyd in police custody. Floyd‘s death has become a flash point in a larger debate about policing and race
A month after George Floyd, an African American man, died in police custody in Minnesota, protests against police brutality and for wider racial justice have spread not only across the U.S. but throughout the world
“Defund the Police” has become the slogan shouted out by Black Lives Matter demonstrators over the last few weeks in the U.S. But how or even whether to implement that demand is stirring debate and controversy. In Camden, New Jersey, the police department was dismantled and re-structured seven years ago to more closely involve the community
The death of African American George Floyd in the custody of police officers have spurred calls to reform law enforcement practices in the United States. VOA’s Marsha James and Gabrielle Weiss spoke to a retired police officer in Laurel, Maryland about her views of racism in the ranks
More than 40 people died in 2018 after being shocked by Tasers in the United States. To end those needless deaths, some police departments are trying BolaWrap – a new non-lethal device. Genia Dulot has the story