Last week, I had the pleasure of serving as the Master of Ceremonies for a symposium, “And Justice For All,” which was sponsored by the Oakland Police Department. Yes, the Oakland Police Department! With leadership that recognizes the need to heal from the distrust between law enforcement and Oakland’s communities of color, this two-day symposium explored the over-representation of youth of color along the justice continuum. WIth help from the W. Haywood Burns Institute and other criminal justice experts in the Bay Area, the Oakland Police Department convened more than 200 law enforcement agencies, probation, government agencies, educators, non-profit service providers, and concerned citizens in a conversation about Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC). Packed into the symposium was an overview of data, which offered a peak into what could be causing the disparities, an interesting presentation on the role of implicit bias in decision-making, and a description of what is needed to develop creative, effective, culturally-competent and gender-responsive solutions toward reducing DMC in Oakland and Alameda County.

While we all recognize that a symposium is but only a first step toward reducing racial disparities, it was great to be a part of this initial phase. Led by officers and law enforcement executives who understand that the discretion they hold is one of the most powerful and key indicators of disparity in the justice system, this effort could go a long way. Law enforcement decisions on who gets issued a warning or who gets arrested, where officers are dispatched, who gets asked to stop, and who gets searched, among others, are all important to determining who enters the justice system, and who doesn’t. As such, law enforcement agencies are key partners in any quest for equal justice.

And with a history tainted by abuse and misconduct, and a contentious relationship with the communities of color in Oakland, it took special courage for Oakland’s Police Department to step out and say, “we can do better.” But they are not alone. Just as DMC is not caused by one entity, it takes more than one entity to reverse the pattern.

A lot more must be done to achieve “Justice for All,” but Oakland’s Police Department and their partners should not give up the good fight. This is a step in the right direction and I, for one, am glad they took it.

Copyright 2009 Monique W. Morris

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