Former Boston, LA, NY Police Chief Discusses Police Reform

THERE ARE REMEDIES.

SOME OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE GEORGE FLOYD BILL, FOR EXAMPLE.

ONE OF THE ISSUES WE'RE WRESTLING WITH IS LACK OF TRUST IN OUR MINORITY COMMUNITIES.

THAT'S IRONIC IN THE SENSE THAT RECENT POLLING INDICATES THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC, THE LARGER PUBLIC IS ACTUALLY THE CONFIDENCE IN POLICE, SUPPORT FOR POLICE HAS ACTUALLY INCREASED FROM 61 TO 68% IN RECENT WEEKS AND MONTHS, WHICH IS I THINK REFLECTIVE OF THE FACT PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO GET SO FRIGHTENED ABOUT THE CRIME INCREASE, THERE'S A RENEWED UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE POLICE TO HELP DEAL WITH IT.

IT'S ALSO DOING TO TAKE POLITICAL LEADERSHIP, FUNDING AND SHARED RESPONSIBILITY WITH COMMUNITIES WORKING WITH THE POLICE.

BUT THAT'S WHERE THE DEVIL IS IN THE SOLUTION.

THAT IS THE IDEA OF REGAINING TRUST.

TO DO THAT, WE NEED MORE ACCOUNTABILITY, MORE TRANSPARENCY, WHICH FORTUNATELY WE'RE GETTING THROUGH ALL THE VIDEOS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

WE NEED BASICALLY SIGNIFICANT LEADERSHIP, TRYING TO FIND COMMON GROUND TO COME TOGETHER TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES THAT ARE CREATING THE MISTRUST.

THIS CAN BE DONE.

I DID IT IN LOS ANGELES FROM 2002 TO 2009, DEALING WITH THE TENSE RACIAL ISSUES THERE.

BOSTON DEALT WITH IT BACK IN THE '70s DURING DESEGREGATION.

NEW YORK FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS HAD BASICALLY BEEN DOING VERY WELL IN ALL THESE AREAS WITH THE REFORMS BEING PUT IN PLACE.

WE DON'T HAVE TO START ALL OVER.

THE PLACE THAT WE NEED TO START IS TO QUICKLY REGAIN THE TRUST THAT'S GOING TO BE SO ESSENTIAL.

THAT'S WHERE THE GEORGE FLOYD BILL IS IMPORTANT, BECAUSE PARTICULARLY THE MINORITY COMMUNITY, IF THAT BILL WERE NOT TO PASS, THAT WOULD SET BACK THAT TRUST NOT ONLY IN POLICE BUT IN LEADERSHIP IN THIS COUNTRY, SET IT BACK SIGNIFICANTLY.

YOU ALREADY SAID THAT THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD AT THE HANDS OF DEREK CHAUVIN SET BACK POLICE TRUST IN THIS COUNTRY DECADES.

50 YEARS.

SENATOR TIM SCOTT SAID IT WILL BE HARD TO REACH AN AGREEMENT BY JULY 4th.

WHAT ARE THE STICKING POINTS HERE IS THE ISSUE OF QUALIFIED IMMUNITY.

YOU ASSOCIATE IT WITH OTHER SORT OF HASHTAGS THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT BUT SOUNDS BETTER TO SAY OUT LOUD THAN DIGGING INTO THE DETAILS.

YOU FOCUS ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAWLESSNESS AND REASONABLENESS.

TALK ABOUT THAT.

IN THE BOOK I PURPOSELY WHEN WE PUT THE BOOK TOGETHER WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS ISSUE.

MOST PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT QUALIFIED IMMUNITY NEEDS.

IT'S LIKE THE DEFUND THE POLICE HASHTAG.

SOUNDS GOOD, LET'S JUMP ON IT.

I'D BE WILLING TO BET HALF THOSE POLITICIANS WORKING ON THAT BILL IN WASHINGTON DON'T HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS.

I THINK I PROBABLY DO ONE OF THE BEST JOBS EXPLAINING IT TO THE COMMON MAN IN MY BOOK.

IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO THE ELEMENT THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A FOURTH AMENDMENT VIOLATION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL