ST. LOUIS — The Ethical Society of Police, a group formed to address racial discrimination in police departments, held a news conference Wednesday to echo some of the same claims of racism outlined Monday in the city prosecutor’s lawsuit.
In response to the city’s statement calling St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner’s lawsuit without merit, Sgt. Heather Taylor, president of the group, cited a growing number of lawsuits from black officers and black citizens accusing the police department and city of racism. She also noted claims of institutional racism within the police department that the group has brought up and pointed out cases of black officers being shot and beaten by other officers.
Taylor said turmoil involving the mayor’s office, police department and circuit attorney results in a lack of trust from the community.
“It would be a powerful move if we ever heard the police association come out and state that protesters, activists, Milton Green, Luther Hall and some of the issues that African American officers face are valid, and are accurate, and that they’re going to stand with us,” Taylor said.
In Wednesday’s news conference, Taylor said most of the group’s suggestions to the police department to improve the quality of the department, which she called common-sense practices backed by data, have been ignored.