The last time Isaiah Crowell had anything to say publicly about police, he was apologizing for posting a drawing on Instagram depicting an officer getting his throat slit. No matter how you feel about the matter of police violence, it was obviously a step too far. Luckily, not every police officer responded with more animus. One reached out, formed a bond, and changed Isaiah’s view on the issue forever.
"What happened after the outrage cycle ended & everyone moved on to the next thing? 2 human beings connected in a real way…" pic.twitter.com/sPBIVc0j3y
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 6, 2016
For Crowell to go from posting threatening images online to donating a game check to a fallen officer’s fund and texting a sergeant frequently speaks to the power of communication. It’s the lack of communication and trust between police officers and the communities they serve that so often precipitates unnecessary escalation of police encounters. The contrast between Sergeant Pennie’s response — to reach out and educate — and that of Stephen Loomis, President of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association — to threaten to boycott Browns games — speaks volumes to the different ways police can deal with such forces as the Black Lives Matter movement.
(Via Cleveland.com)
