Policing under review: discord among Americans on the nature of policing has law enforcement officials, community leaders and lawmakers searching for solutions.

• Author: Williams, Rich
• Position: Law Enforcement - Cover story

With a booming voice befitting his life's work as a pastor, the late South Carolina Senator Clementa Pinckney (D) invoked the biblical story of doubting Thomas during a speech last spring in support of police body cameras. The senator reminded his colleagues that Thomas had to see and feel Jesus' wounds for himself before he would believe he had risen from the dead.

Pinckney was moved to speak after Walter Scott--an unarmed black man--was unjustly shot and killed by police. A bystander captured the encounter on his cellphone, removing any doubt about how Scott had died. Pinckney's point was that without the hard evidence a video can provide, the debate surrounding Scott's death would have been mired in people's entrenched points of view and preconceived ideas based on their life experiences and personal biases.

For example, a dedicated officer may not believe a colleague with years of honorable service would ever be capable of losing control and shooting an unarmed person. Likewise, a young black man who has experienced unjust interactions with police, may have no problem believing that every officer is capable of taking an unprovoked and deadly action even in nonviolent situations.

These divergent perspectives illustrate how challenging it can be for Americans to find common ground on policing issues. The discord has grown in the last year as officer-involved deaths have sparked protests from Baltimore to Oakland, raising many questions that beg for answers.

In search of solutions, state, federal and local lawmakers are gathering information, listening to community leaders and reviewing police practices as they consider reforms. Through their nationwide efforts, two common goals have emerged: first, to increase transparency, trust and accountability in law enforcement; and second, to ensure that police practices are fair both to officers and to the public.

Opening Up Communication

In Maryland, Senate Majority Leader Catherine Pugh (D) is at the forefront of her state's efforts to address concerns over policing. She was there when protests and some riots erupted in the poorest parts of Baltimore after the death of Freddie Gray, who was fatally injured while in police custody.

"Police came in and had a quieting effect," she says, "but so did community leaders who took to the streets to keep the calm." The protests, rooted in discontent over Gray's death, resonated with Pugh. "By no means do we condone violence, but what happened does shine a light on the need for productive ways to share frustration and for improved economic development opportunities in long-neglected areas of Baltimore."

Pugh is co-chair of a legislative work group that is trying to determine why there's so much distrust of police officers in some communities. "I know that the police officers I come in personal contact with are there because they want to protect and serve, so where does that breakdown occur?" Pugh believes much can be discovered by listening. "Our last task force meeting was an opportunity for the community to...