NOBLE Recognizes the 5th Anniversary of the Events in Ferguson, MO

August 9, 2019 

The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) Recognizes the 5th Anniversary of the Events in Ferguson, Missouri

[New Orleans, LA] Today, Vera Bumpers, President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), issued the following statement recognizing the fifth anniversary of the events in Ferguson, Missouri:

 

"The events in the summer of 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri highlighted how police use of force incidents are not isolated to big cities. If it can happen in Ferguson, it can happen anywhere else. At any given point in time, an officer or deputy can be involved in an incident that could potentially fracture a community. By embracing that reality, police leaders can proactively implement policies, trainings, and strategies to reduce the chances of future incidents before something tragic occurs in their own backyard."

 

"While we know all future incidents cannot be prevented, we can do our part to limit the tragedy by taking heed of the lessons learned over the past five years. We understand that building trust between law enforcement and the community is key. Community-oriented policing means proactively reaching out to the community to discuss public safety concerns including conversations around race relations. When instances of use of force do occur, it is imperative that law enforcement leaders inform the public and remain as transparent as possible in the hours, minutes and seconds that follow. At NOBLE, we believe transparency and accountability are key to building trust with the community.  

 

"Ferguson also taught us that protesters have the right to be heard and treated fairly.  The community has a voice and law enforcement has to be open to listening.   At our 43rd Annual Training Conference and Exhibit this week, we hope to educate law enforcement leaders and agencies on how to effectively use 21st century policing strategies to build positive, lasting relationships between police officers and the communities they serve." 

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About the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives 

Since 1976, The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) has served as the conscience of law enforcement by being committed to justice by action. NOBLE represents over 3,000 members internationally, who are primarily African-American chief executive officers of law enforcement agencies at federal, state, county and municipal levels, other law enforcement administrators, and criminal justice practitioners. For more information, visit http://www.noblenational.org.