Trinity Kings World Leadership Services

October 25, 2016, 03:32 pm

Family Franchise Systems data solvesDisplacement and disenfranchisementproblems that contribute to police tensionsBy Clarence Anthony, contributor 0

Getty Images

If the presidential candidates won't talk about the state of race relations and the tensionbetween police and the communities they serve, those of us who deal with this crisis on adaily basis wiII have to step up to the task

That's my conclusion now that the presidential debates are over and the election of the nextPresident is practically around the corner. The most important public statement on thisissue in recent days was made not by a politician, but by the president of the InternationalAssociation of Police Chiefs, Terrence Cunningham, who issued a formal apolory for ther'historical mistreatment" of racial minorities.

Speaking before the group's annual conference in San Diego, Cunningham, the chief of theWelleslev Police Department, said that law enforcement officers have been the'6face ofoppression for far too many of our fellow citizens." He called mistrust between police andminorities the o'fundamental issue" facing police today.

I agree. Each time a city is ripped apart by a police shooting of an African American, I'masked for a quote as a spokesman for the nation's cities. Itos a task I find difficult because I- like many Americans - want to move beyond the rhetoric and find real solutions to thesedeep-seated challenges. But, I know that until we can strengthen trust between minoritycommunities and the institutions that are supposed to serve them, we will continue to haveunrest.

City leaders have an important role to play. They can start by having conversations withcommunities to foster understanding. It begins with creating a place that everyone can call"home." Think about what the concept of home means to you. It's a place where you canwave to your neighbors, have a well-paying job and send your kids to good schools. Theremay be a park or a library down the street, and stores that are welcoming, clean and safe.The police are seen as part of the community, and you certainly don't tense up when theypass you on the street.

Now, imagine that's all gone. How invested would you be in a place where you don't feellike you belong? You don't own or rent a decent place to lay your head, there are nosustainable jobs and public facilities are neglected. No one you know owns a small business,not even a neighborhood store. Hardly anyone who looks like you is on the school board, onthe housing authority or on the public services commission.

If a community is underrepresented, and its needs not served, then its residents wiII not bevested in the city as a whole - it won't feel like home. When the tragic events occurred inCharlotte, Ferguson and Baltimore, it's not hard to see why the tension boiled over. Thesecities have people who feel that they are not part of a community; that they are not "real"citizens with a voice in government.

This is a dangerous misapprehension that city leaders have the power to change. We canrespond to racial tensions in our communities and identiff the systemic barriers thatsustain racial injustice in our nation's cities by applying a racial equity lens to a wide rangeof policies, initiatives, programs and budgets-and not just high-profile flashpoints likepolice departments, public safety and the courts.

In this way, city leaders can be more thoughtful about the power, influence andresponsibility they have to build inclusive communities. Elected officials have aresponsibility to communicate across cultures, to convene difficult conversations and tolead in new directions. Sometimes this energy comes down from the convening power ofleadership. Sometimes it bubbles up from the most elemental levels of local government.

For example, cities should examine the appointment process for city advisory boards andcouncils. From parks and recreation departments to tourist development councils, everypolicy board that advises elected leadership should represent the diversity of that city.

Local leaders should also review their ordinances and policies to make sure they areinclusive, not discriminatory. Recently, the Fairfax, Virginia County Board of Supervisorsadopted the One Fairfax Resolution, directing the development of a racial and social equity

policy at the core of all publicly delivered services. And in Pittsburgh, Police ChiefCameron Mclay issued a public apology for the o6horrible, unjust" history between policeand communities of color and implemented a training program to teach, in his words,6(ethical decision-making as the predominant decision-making model within theorganization."

The change we need will not occur overnight; it will take patience and time to build thetrust that our cities deserve. We need to reach a level of trust and understanding necessaryfor city leaders to take action against the injustices, the inequality and the creation ofopportunities for aII of their citizens.

If we can rise to that challenge, we'll have more people in our communities saying,'oThis isour neighborhood; we own this." We have to create cities that all cittzens can call home.

Anthony is the executive director of the National Leagae of Cities. He served as the mayor ofSouth Bay, Flfor 24 years. Follow him on Twilter @ceqnthonvSh.

Trinity Kings World Leadership Services(Genesis 17:6 "Kings Will Come from You!")Families of Wisdom Ministry to Families(Genesis 12:3 "Til all Families of the Earth are Blessed")Vision: To Train Equip Families to be Good Stewards of God'sKingdom.

*FAMILY FRANCHISING SYSTEMS: ''A PROACTIVE WAYOF ENTERING INTO RELATIONSHIPS''

"A Proactive Way of Solving Problems In The Family, Education,Religion, Business, Government, Arts & Entertainment, And MediaSystems."(The Branches of Societies, Nations, & World)

"A Proactive way of Solving Problems In The Family, church,Community, Country & World"(The Foundations, Roots,& Systemsof Societies, Nations, & World) Like A Tree...

*Invest in people by training, equipping, and empo\ryering...And theprofits will follow..."We can do this for families"

"'we have to be more Proactive in Protecting our Families"

*Franchising Fatherhoodo Grandfatherhood, Great-Grandfatherhood*Franchising Motherhood, Grandmotherhood, Great-Grandmotherhood*Human Capital Industry is where all the Wealth is...*Where Faith & Culture Meet*Created by Air Force Veterans...*Good People Business drives Good Business...

*Just like Coach in sports, you can look at your stat sheet and seewhere you and your family members need training, improVement, &adjustments that need to be made to improve your life game.

contact 7 24 252 517 4...email : familyfranchise 1 @aol. corn