On Wednesday, the Plano-based Institute for Law Enforcement Administration (ILEA) will host the first in a series of webinars on "The Policing of Black America: Examining Racial Disparities in Law Enforcement."
ILEA Director Gregory Smith said, "Our goal is to advance the dialogue to help resolve the serious issues that cause distrust of law enforcement among people in the Black community. We hope to generate more awareness, understanding and empathy at this pivotal time in order to move our country forward. There is a call for action and we want to help guide the discussion and strategy in a manner that all sides can embrace."
Smith said the topics discussed in the series will include Use of Force Policy, Racial Profiling and Racism in Policing; and Defunding vs. Reforming Policing. The panel will include Dallas County Sheriff Marian Brown and Collin County NAACP President June Jenkins.
The first two webinars are scheduled for 1 p.m. Aug. 26 and Sept. 2, with additional town halls planned. The events are free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required at theilea.org.
ILEA Director Smith discussed the upcoming events with KRLD's Chris Sommer.