Plenty of people who live in impoverished communities feel like they get no respect from law enforcement. And police officers who patrol those places feel like they don't get any respect from those same community members. As a result, the two sides remain twirled in what seems to be a never-ending conflict. Activist Edwin Raymond explained the danger of toxic police and community relations, and why we desperately need change, on a recent episode of "Salon Talks."
Raymond, recipient of the Commanding Officer’s Award for exceptional duty, is a 15-year veteran of the New York Police Department. Known for his appearance in the Hulu documentary "Crime and Punishment," Raymond has become one of our nation’s leading voices on criminal justice reform, encouraging his fellow officers to put community first, emphasizing that the department would not exist without people to serve.
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While Raymond enjoyed success during his career, he eventually realized that his mere presence as a change advocate was not enough. This led to Raymond risking his life by publicly calling out the racist practices of the NYPD and becoming a whistleblower. Raymond did what was right, even though it cost him his career. Raymond's inspiring rise, fall and rebirth is documented in his memoir, "An Inconvenient Cop: My Fight to Change Policing in America."
You can watch my "Salon Talks" episode with Edwin...
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