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“We’ve got to protect the community but in a way that builds trust within the community,” says Don Leeth who is running for District Attorney in Monroe County, PA this Fall, beginning with the Democratic primary election which takes place on May 16. In December of 2020, Monroe County was the scene of a fatal altercation between Pennsylvania state troopers and a young man named Christian Hall. Don and Michael discuss the case and the issues it raises about the need for transparency and external investigations in cases involving police. The incident was the impetus for Don’s decision to run for DA and highlights the erosion of trust between the police department and the community–particularly communities of color–and a mentality of “them versus us.” This trust must be rebuilt by addressing issues of substance abuse, juvenile reform and mental health among others. In addition to diversifying the police force, it is crucial, Don argues, to match the right professionals–such as social workers as substance abuse counselors–to the right tasks, as police are not trained for many of the challenges they are put on the front lines to face.
Racial inequality is a systemic issue–not just an issue of a few bad apples, Don says. Part of making justice more equal is eliminating sanctions put in place which disproportionately affect Black and Latino communities. This includes veering away from punishing low-level drug abuse and incentivizing drug treatment programs, and reforming bail practices. Don describes the difference in the conversations he has with his own son about how to interact with the police, and the conversations his sister has with her own sons who are of mixed race. Michael explains why he keeps a “Ferguson” camera in his car in the event he is pulled over by police.
The issues facing Monroe County are issues facing counties and communities across the nation. Today’s discussion expands upon the one which took place in Episode 41 of Cuckoo 4 Politics titled “Why?” which touched upon issues regarding gun control in America and its connection to race relations.
“Business as usual is the continued policies in regards to an adversarial process, in regard to our criminal justice system, where you're willing to do whatever it takes in regards to getting another notch in the belt in regards to winning a case. We have to move away from just the idea of being tough on crime and really take a look at it in regards to the societal effect.” (20:07-20:31 | Don)
“When I get pulled over by a police officer, I make sure I let them know that they're on camera, just so they know. It’s to protect them and protect me as well. And it's unfortunate I, as a Black motorist, have to do that…So that's the extra precaution that I have to take because unfortunately, statistics are not on my side, and I have to do these things. So Driving While Black is a real thing.” (26:57-27:35 | Michael)
“I don't remember who said it, but our system is based on power, not justice.” (47:01-47:06 | Don)
Links
Connect with Donald Leeth:
https://www.instagram.com/cuckoo_4_politics/
https://www.facebook.com/Cuckoo-4-Politics-104093938102793
