WASHINGTON – “While the nation is still reeling from the police murder of Daunte Wright and awaiting a crucial jury verdict in the police murder of George Floyd, Chicago authorities have released a horrific video, which shows the final moments of 13-year-old Adam Toledo’s life before he, too, was murdered by police. The pattern is clear: systemic racism runs so deep within our policing system that no one is truly safe, not even our children, from police brutality.

“Black communities are tired of living in constant fear of arrest, incarceration, and deadly police violence. We are tired of seeing our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and family members senselessly murdered. Chicago city leadership has failed to meet the moment because of their lack of transparency and knee-jerk reaction to defend the Chicago Police Department. This is reminiscent of the handling of the 2014 shooting of Laquan McDonald.

“The issue with racist police violence however, is bigger than one officer. The entire system is to blame. And while police departments continue to adopt piecemeal reforms that have failed to address police violence or create any accountability, we need real, systemic change if we ever expect it to end. Additional training, body-worn cameras, and civilian oversight are not enough to protect Black and Brown lives. We need to divest from police, invest in our communities, and fundamentally reimagine public safety in America.”

This post was originally published on Radio Free.