The murder of George Floyd is renewing difficult conversations about police brutality and racism in communities around the country and world — and Peoria is no exception.
Chris Duncan, president of Peoria Community Against Violence, said the video evidence of Floyd’s killing at the hands of police has forced people to confront the status quo.
“America is a white privilege nation. And if you’re black, you’re subject to anything — there’s no telling what could happen. If this wouldn’t have been caught on tape, it wouldn’t have happened. That’s what’s sad about it, it has to be physically seen.”
Even then, he said, people will try to refute the details of the case or insist that there’s more to the story.
Duncan, a veteran of the city police department and father to a current officer, said Floyd's death and the fall out afterwards is reinforcing the need to improve community relations.
He said it shouldn't be up to his organization and others to bridge the gap.
“PCAV has a good relationship with the police department, but we need the police department to have a good relationship with the community. It’s just not enough to have a relationship with us.”
The best time for law enforcement to get to know people in the community is before they get in trouble, Duncan said, adding it's important to work with people after they've been incarcerated.
“These guys that are locked up, they’re not going to be locked up forever,” he said. “They’re going to get out some day. And you’ve got to have that relationship with them where, when crazy things are happening in our city, we can talk to people who’ve been in the system and trust us and are willing to give us information.”
On the community side, Duncan said, those seeking justice for black men killed by police also have an obligation to do so peacefully. He said misplaced anger and trauma isn’t helping anyone.
“I’ve had enough trauma in this town and I’m not going out and trying to kick my neighbor’s door in, because of my past trauma,” he said. “I’m not trying to hurt anybody because of my trauma. I think that’s a cop out.”
He said it's also up to community members to speak up when they see something wrong, and trust that officers intend to do right by them.
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