I already liked your post, but this is SO right on. Think back a few months to the Sam Montgomery traffic stop, for instance. I have also had black male friends talk about how police officers treat them, and it's almost worse if they drive a nice car--because then they get asked questions that suggest they stole it. As a teacher, I know that building a relationship with ALL of my students is the key to successful teaching. Law enforcement officers would be well-served to observe some effective teachers, coaches, doctors, and nurses (for starters) to see how to actually build a relationship with the people you serve. That's what police officers are supposed to do--just like teachers, healthcare professionals, fire fighters... If they took the role of public servant to heart, they might try to get to know and understand the people with whom they work. It might go a long way in the way the public perceives officers.
Easier said than done, I'm afraid. And it has to work both ways. The hostility level directed towards the police contributes to police bad attitudes. 50 cops get killed making arrests every year and they are very sensitive about being targets themselves.
