Pete Buttigieg responds: 'If we don't solve this problem it will sink America'

[left-of-center2012]

“Well, what I hope African-Americans watching this is that our city is facing it, not running away from it,” Buttigieg said. “This isn’t theoretical for us. This isn’t something being debated in Washington. It’s our problem as it is a problem in so many places. And we are on the front lines of it and we’re doing everything we know how and figuring out things we never thought of before to manage it.”

“This problem has to get solved in my lifetime. I don’t know of a person or a city that has solved it, but I know that if we do not solve it in my lifetime, it will sink America,” Buttigieg said. “And if nothing else, I hope people know that I am motivated, not out of some theoretical concern or some political imperative, but as somebody whose city is hurting. Seeing people I’ve known for years anguished, frustrated, upset, angry, angry at the city, angry at me, and I’m angry, too. And if nothing else, I hope people can see what it is like for a city to face up to the demons that racism has unleashed on the ability of any city, and certainly any police department to function.”

Buttigieg, who prides himself on being level-headed and calm, appeared agitated during the town hall and after. One member of the press remarked on it, saying that he seemed upset. “Of course I’m upset, a man died!” Buttigieg said.

“It’s my city and I have a relationship with everybody in this city who looks to the city to keep them safe,” he went on. “And when somebody loses their life because of a civilian or because of an officer — and it’s happening all over the country, but it’s happening here. Then I feel like it’s my job to face it.”

“I’m sick of these things being talked about in political terms, in theoretical terms like it’s a show,” Buttigieg said. “It’s people’s lives. And the good news is, if you can call it good news, there’s more propulsion, more momentum to deal with this than ever. So if there hasn’t been the will to take on the kind of steps, we need to figure out the kind of steps that should have happened by now.”

https://www.rawstory.com/2019/06/if-we-dont-solve-this-problem-it-will-sink-america-emotional-pete-buttigieg-responds-after-tense-town-hall/

[Hoyt]

1. Good to see someone expressing how upset he is. It is upsetting.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. He has my FULL support. I admire the way he's handling this crisis.

I'd like to see any Senator running for the Presidency doing any better.

Talk about experience--Pete has it, and he's getting more as he traverses this baptism by fire.

I'm so proud of him.

[democrank]

3. I respect and admire Pete Buttigieg's consistently reasoned approach to issues.

It’s a pleasure to listen to him process information and offer suggestions for his way forward.

[Blue_true]

4. The police officer that did the shooting had a history with Blacks,

and that history was not good. An effective police department that was well run would have had his ass out of uniform before he hurt or killed someone, yet the cop was a command officer, a Sargent, how did that happen?

[democrank]

6. The police department obviously has a problem....a very big one.

I trust that Pete Buttigieg has listened and learned and will do his best to take the necessary steps toward an effective correction. If I thought for a minute he wouldn’t try his hardest to correct this problem, I’d never consider voting for him.

[Blue_true]

10. He has been Mayor there for about 8 years.

The problems in the police department did not develop overnight. The city has paid out money on police abuse judgements, clearly Buttigieg would have had to sign off on those, should those payments been a red flag that sonething was wrong in the police department?

[democrank]

11. Yes....indeed

[ecstatic]

5. Agreed. Every candidate needs to have a police reform plan. Nt

[DallasNE]

7. First Thing You Need Is Data

* How many citizens have been killed by law enforcement in each of the last 50 years - you need a trend line.
* How many of those involve a deadly weapon on the person being apprehended.
* What is the breakout by race, gender, sexual orientation, age and other demographics of those being killed by law enforcement.
* What is the political affiliation of the police chief in each city. Are we making proper hiring decisions.
* Add your own.

Examine the training of the officers. Why do so many officers not stop firing their weapon until they have emptied the magazine. Are we hiring the right people into law enforcement; do they have the proper temperament for police work. Why is it so hard to weed out bad cops.

Only after you have captured the right data can plans be developed to fix the problem.

[Ron Green]

8. Senators and other D.C. people are lightweights in comparison

to mayors who have to, if they’re serious about their towns, solve difficult problems on the ground in real time.

[freindship 7]

9. a day late and a dollar short

I saw the peoples anger and they have every right to be I like Mayor Pete and I think he is one of the brightest candidates that we have however before he continues to run he should solve this problem.
his response is lip service and someone has to make this right Trump and every other right wing figure will use this against him not to mention the other candidates its just low hanging fruit that will cry out to be picked.
All police officers should use body cams and they should always be active when interacting with a suspect or the public.
His African American public are demanding justice and He should give it to them and this problem was ongoing before he ran and he had no business pursuing the presidency when he has not yet satisfactorily addressed this issue.
I wish him luck but the grenade has gone off and it will stain his campaign unless he gives a better answer and render justice and a policy that will put this issue to rest I wish him luck America needs a leader but this man has to step up and either take one for team U.S.A or find a remedy that will knock this out of the park

[emmaverybo]

12. How does he give them justice? He can not give justice on the spot. He can listen, oversee a

thorough investigation, and he can fire yet another police chief. He has listened, been present to the protestors, and I have no doubt will oversee an honest investigation.

Something is rotten in the department. He can not fix it overnight.

One thing that should be happening is strong recruitment of black police officers and for black police brass.

I am guessing, however, that the positions are not appealing to folks all over the country.
As to officer positions, for heaven’s sake. Be the change you want to see.

It would be very tough to work in a department with racists, but there is that—get thee to community college, take the courses in the justice programs, do your stint in campus police, and apply to the academy.

[dalton99a]

13. Buttigieg has been mayor since 2011.

He could have exercised leadership by getting rid of the bad cops - like Aaron Knepper - and diversifying the police force, which is currently 95% white.

The Board of Public Safety and the police chief are under his control.

[emmaverybo]

14. Definitely agree on what he could have done in the past. As far as diversifying, he should. So

are young non-whites applying?

[Celerity]

15. It is not diverse enough, but it is not 95% white

https://www.southbendtribune.com/news/opinion/our_opinion/our-opinion-recruiting-minority-police-officers-must-remain-a-priority/article_4e0dcf06-2898-5d95-bf67-b2c6585df4d5.html

Recruiting more minorities to the South Bend Police Department continues to be a tough task despite efforts city officials are undertaking to improve the numbers. In 2017, the department was made up of 7 percent African American, 5 percent Hispanic and 86 percent white officers. And though changes in the recruiting process have been made, diversity got slightly worse the following year. In 2018, there were 5 percent African American, 5 percent Hispanic and 88 percent white officers on the department.

“You want and need your police department to reflect the community that they serve,” said Operations Division Chief Jeff Rynearson. But that hasn’t been the case in South Bend, where roughly 63 percent of the population is white, 26 percent African American and 14 percent Hispanic. Recruiting minorities to serve has always been difficult. Qualified candidates can find more lucrative careers in other areas of law enforcement such as the FBI or CIA. Minorities also have traditionally not had the connection with local police, leaving many potential candidates feeling like outsiders. But South Bend is trying to change that by better guiding potential recruits through the entire process.

Making applications available online has increased the total pool of applicants. Unfortunately, those applicants often don’t follow through, especially when it comes to taking the physical test, the first part of becoming an officer. The department now offers a practice physical test about three weeks prior to the official test so applicants can hone their physical skills before the real test comes around. The department has made improvements to the application process, and that will still be a focus in the coming year, which is encouraging.

There’s also a role for the community to play if it wants a police department more reflective of the community. People must encourage young men and women to consider law enforcement as a career. And the police department can help itself by making sure its officers live up to the responsibility of their role in the community, especially when their actions are under a microscope now more than ever. Yes, the department must continue reaching out to find new ways to connect with minorities using every available tool. But the entire community has a stake in this issue. A police department that more closely represents the racial and gender makeup of a community stands a better chance of building trust between officers and the public they serve.

snip

[femmedem]

16. Only the Board of Public Safety can fire a police officer by state statute.

Last edited Mon Jun 24, 2019, 05:48 PM - Edit history (1)

And although the Board of Public Safety is made up of people he's appointed, I don't think it is fair to say that after he's appointed them, they are under his control. Three members of the Board of Public Safety are black, with another of five-seat board currently vacant.

[dalton99a]

17. They are his political appointees and can be replaced at will.