By Allan Lengel
ticklethetickle.com
SAN DIEGO — In these troubling times for police, FBI Director James Comey addressed thousands of law enforcement officials on Sunday, saying a lack of accurate data raises questions about the pervasive narrative that “biased police are killing black men at epidemic rates.”
“It is a narrative driven by video images of real and gut-wrenching misconduct, by images of possible misconduct, by images of perceived misconduct,” Comey told the crowd at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference at the San Diego Convention Center. “It’s a narrative given force by the awesome power of human empathy.”
Comey said Americans “have no idea if the number of black people or brown people or white people being shot by police is up, down or sideways over the last three years, five years, 10 years.”
He went on to say:
“We need to collect actual, accurate and complete information about policing in this country so that we have informed debates about things that matter enormously.”
He said leaders in law enforcement need to ask questions and understand the community and officers.
“I have heard from you that this is a uniquely difficult time in law enforcement,” he said.
To see the complete speech, click the video below. To read the complete text click here.
