Last week, New York City Police Officer Omar J. Edwards, a Black 25 year-old father of two infant sons, was shot and killed by a White fellow police officer, Andrew P. Dutton. With gun drawn and wearing civilian clothes, Officer Edwards was shot while he was chasing a man who had just broken into his car in East Harlem. Three other White police officers witnessed the chase, but it was Officer Dutton, a graduate of Siena College, who fired the fatal shot. He is reportedly devastated by his horrible mistake.Police officials and criminal justice experts are now searching for answers to explain how this mistake could happen and prevent it from happening again. Some point to the need for enhanced training that will equip officers with techniques to effectively handle their instincts. Others are suggesting ways to more clearly define police procedures regarding police chases and confrontations such as this one.
Another concern raised is that such mistakes may be grounded in race and the negative stereotyping of Black males, in particular. Because prevailing stereotypes portray Black males as dangerous and criminal, they are often put at risk of discrimination and other harmful forms of treatment. These young men are especially vulnerable to inappropriate arrests, convictions, incarceration, and police stops on streets and in cars. In others words, racial profiling.
Armed with such insidious stereotypes, it becomes easy to understand police reaction in the Edwards’ case. When a police officer sees a civilian-clad Black male with a gun chasing someone, the stereotypes and images of Black males could come quickly into play. That male will most likely be perceived as a criminal suspect rather than a police officer. Although such police mistakes are rare, police officers of color are at greater risk and much more likely to be killed by police fire than Whites. Black police officers never kill a White officer by mistake.
Negative stereotypes of Black males have a long and sordid history in America. In large measure, they are perpetuated by mainstream media’s portrayal of young Black males. Our television sets and newspapers overflow with harmful images and stories. Rarely do we see them portrayed in a positive and constructive manner.
To examine this phenomenon, last year, a Siena College sociology class reviewed two years of local newspaper coverage of urban youth. They found that “76% of the articles pertaining to youth were negative,” referring to them often n the context of crime, violence and gangs. Most of the youth portrayed in this negative light were young people of color.
As a result of this student project, the Center for Law & Justice and the Albany Boys and Girls Club are developing a program entitled, Black Male Initiative that is designed to uplift the self-esteem of young males harmed by deadly stereotypes. That Project was given a lift with the election of Barack Obama as President. Hopefully these efforts will help destroy the harmful stereotypes and save lives of young men.
Is it not ironic that the impetus for this positive project came out of a study done by students from Siena, Police Officer Andrew Dutton’s alma mater.