Mistrust and detachment between Black males in America and the police officers in their communities has become so ingrained that sweeping change needs to be had. Black males are more likely to be arrested than whites, and they are disproportionately targeted, stopped, frisked, and searched through the practice of racial profiling. Black men end up in prison more often, receive longer sentences than similarly situated white men, and are more likely to be killed during police encounters than white men. Black males in America are also policed like no other demographic. They are policed on the street, in the mall, in school, in their homes, and on social media. If we expect any meaningful change in the relationship between Black males and law enforcement, we have to help police resist the false narratives of Black males as violent and aggressive and work to develop their faith in law enforcement. Do we need police in schools? Should officers have mandatory training on adolescent development and implicit bias? Should the long-standing standards of policing in America be reformed? Positive interactions between Black males in America and the police are possible. But, without universal massive change, the unfair policing of Black males will continue.
