As massive waves of protesters in communities across the U.S. call for fundamental changes in American policing, former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter told Cheddar the nation must find a balance between good policing and civilian safety.

“Black people, and just about everyone else I think, want some kind of law enforcement, keepers of the pace, in their community,” he said. “People want to be safe, but they don’t want to be abused while they’re being supposedly made safe.”

The death of George Floyd at the hands of police kicked off a movement that continues to gain traction. Lawmakers in some major U.S. cities, including New York Los Angeles and Minneapolis, are discussing plans to reallocate portions of police funding to go to programs that improve community relations and quality of life ⁠— an idea Nutter supports.

“Budgets should be scrupulously reviewed,” he said. “They should be scrutinized first by, in many instances, the mayor putting it forward in any city and certainly the city council…should go through that budget.”

As a two-term black mayor, Nutter has a rare perspective on maintaining community and police relations amid tragic killings. He said both sides of the issue are equally as difficult to address. Nutter said he made efforts at community reconciliation by addressing community members to help them understand the dangers of policing as well as helping officers understand that civilians “want to be treated like you would treat a family member.” 

Still, Nutter hopes Floyd’s death, while devastatingly tragic, comes with reinforcing change.

“His legacy very well could be a significant, if not massive, change in policing in the United States of America and possibly other parts of the world,” he said.

Nutter echoed a familiar message in cities with embattled police departments: community and law enforcement relations can move forward once the people see real change.

Share:
More In Culture
Will The Texas Grid Fail Again? ERCOT Says They Are 'Ready For This Storm'
Although this week's weather is predicted to be less severe than the 2021 storm, Texans are preparing for the worst - stocking up on supplies and emptying shelves in grocery stores, once again. Some Texans still have not recovered from last year's tragedy, and are heading into the next few weeks with anxiety for what's to come. Leslie Beyer, CEO of the Houston-based energy workforce & technology council, joins Cheddar News to discuss if the Texas grid will fail again.
The Black Student Debt Crisis and the Racial Wealth Gap Divide
Student loan debt continues to be a major concern for tens of millions of Americans who collectively owe about $1.7 trillion. Black college students often take on larger amounts of student debt in order to pay for a higher education. In turn, they are more likely to struggle post-graduation with repaying their debt, creating a racial wealth gap divide. Andre Perry, senior fellow at Brookings Institution joined All Hands to help break down the black student debt crisis.
American Red Cross Calls for Donors Amid Worst Blood Shortage in Over a Decade
The American Red Cross has declared its first-ever "national blood crisis" in the United States. Since COVID hit the U.S. in March 2020, blood donations have declined by 10 percent. American Red Cross Medical Director, Dr. Baia Lasky joined Cheddar News to discuss the country facing the worst blood shortage in over a decade. Dr. Lasky noted that as much as 40 percent of Americans are eligible to donate blood but only about 4 percent do so. "This is going to be ongoing," she said. "This is not an acute shortage. We really do need the commitment of people to come out and donate and donate again." Appointments to donate can be made by using the Red Cross Donor App, at RedCrossBlood.org, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
'Soil' Funding for Black Female Founders; Bringing West African Culture to Grocery Stores
On this episode of ChedHER: Co-Founder of VC firm CaJE breaks down how she's creating a new era of venture capital and empowering Black women with 'soil' funding to start and grow their businesses; AYO Foods Co-Founder discusses how the brand is bringing West African cuisine to the frozen food industry and building a grocery aisle her daughters can be proud of; Chief Marketing & Customer Experience Officer at Chase Auto talks her experience being a woman of color in the auto industry, and why transportation is so important to financial freedom.
How Transportation Can be Key to Financial Freedom
Renée Horne, chief marketing and customer experience officer at Chase Auto, joins ChedHER to discuss her experience being a woman of color in the auto industry and why transportation is so important to financial freedom.
Load More