MDP Statement on Viral Police Shooting Videos

“We don’t have all the facts, but what we do know is that another video of an American citizen killed by a police officer has gone viral. This time, heart-wrenching footage was streamed live, in real time for all to see. The latest video comes a day after another highly-publicized killing in Baton Rouge. From routine traffic stops, to interactions outside storefronts and gas stations, too many of these incidents caught on camera escalate and end in tragedy. These killings undermine trust between law enforcement and the communities they are sworn to serve and protect. 

Body cameras and cell phone footage alone cannot solve this crisis. Real change begins when we expand our political imagination beyond what we believe is inevitable and strive for a better approach to policing both here in Maryland and across our country. That includes training, improved community relations and a hard look at biases that inform how certain communities are policed. Every day, well-trained officers interact with the public and demonstrate best practices without using deadly force. This should be the standard that is modeled in all of our communities.”