Sergeant Heather Taylor On Ethics And Inequality In Policing

Det. Sgt. Heather Taylor joins us to talk about being a Black woman in law enforcement, the violence she’s experienced in her own life, and how that’s shaped her views and hopes for her career and country.

Guest

Det. Sgt. Heather Taylor, president of the Ethical Society of Police, which represents many Black officers in the St. Louis region. Night watch homicide sergeant with the St. Louis Metro Police Department. (@HthrTylr)

From The Reading List

Washington Post: “The duty and burden of the black police officer” — “David J. Thomas grew up in Detroit in the 1960s, two blocks from the headquarters of the 10th Precinct.”

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “Krewson reviews St. Louis police ‘use of force’ practices, Reed proposes new ordinance” — “Mayor Lyda Krewson and St. Louis police officials are reviewing use-of-force practices in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, which has spurred protests here and across the nation.”

Wall Street Journal: “Black Officers Say Discrimination Abounds, Complicating Reform Efforts” — “Detective Luther Hall was working undercover during protests that gripped St. Louis in 2017 following the police shooting of a black man, when several officers in riot gear rushed up to him.”

St. Louis Public Radio: “Black Police Union Wants St. Louis County To Address Systemic Racism In The Police Force” — “Members of the Ethical Society of Police expressed frustration with St. Louis County on Monday for its lack of urgency to acknowledge the police union and the racial discrimination its Black officers face.”

CBS This Morning: “St. Louis sergeant: There are white supremacists on the police force” — “A growing number of police departments in America’s largest cities told CBS News that they’ve added implicit bias training.”

This article was originally published on WBUR.org. [Copyright 2020 NPR]