(RNS) Los Angeles pastor Stephen “Cue” Jn-Marie is quick to point out the movement for Black lives and Black Lives Matter has been going on for eight years, but he believes it was “an act of God” that transformed it last year into the largest social movement in U.S. and world history.
“Who can articulate that, but a faith leader?” he added.
For Jn-Marie, who founded the Church Without Walls in Skid Row, the Black Lives Matter movement is valid without faith leaders but, he said, clergy help “people see God’s heart for the movement.”
One year ago, the death of George Floyd under the knee of a police officer galvanized the nation and eventually much of the world into months of historic protests against police brutality and systemic racism and in support of Black lives. Clergy were often front and center in these protests and their clarion call not only to politicians but also to religious leaders sparked a racial reckoning within churches, synagogues and m
For years, police personnel files in California and other states have been tightly protected under state laws making it nearly impossible for the public or another police department to uncover a police officer’s disciplinary record.
California lawmakers are attempting to pass legislation that would decertify police officers disciplined for serious misconduct so they cannot get rehired by another agency. Similar legislation failed to pass last year.
“We re only focused on officers that have been terminated, resigned due to misconduct so they can t go to another department. We think that agencies across the country need to know who they are. They need to know where they came from and to give them an opportunity to not rehire them,” said Southers, a former police officer and FBI agent.
By City News Service
May 18, 2021
LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The Los Angeles Police Department internally identified an employee who distributed a Valentine s Day-themed social media post mocking the death of George Floyd, and Chief Michel Moore said today that he has recommended the person be fired.
Moore told the city s Police Commission on Tuesday that identifying the employee responsible is prohibited by state law, but the person was referred to the department s Board of Rights, its disciplinary appeal board. He clarified to commissioners that when a person is referred to the Board of Rights, they re recommended to be fired.
Activists have been calling for the firing of any LAPD employee who created or circulated the post, which featured an image of Floyd who was killed on May 25, 2020 after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for over eight minutes that included the words “You take my breath away. The police union, the Floyd family attorney and various city lead