Former NFL star and activist Colin Kaepernick recently announced a new initiative to aide the families whose loved ones suffered police-related death. The Autopsy Initiative was created to give free, second autopsies to victims of police violence. The autopsies will be conducted by a group of five Board-Certified pathologists.
In the wake of the tragic death of George Floyd, we witnessed an outpouring of grief and support. We have also begun a long-overdue conversation about police & community interaction, most notably concerning the use of violence by police officers towards people of color. As an African American man and a former Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, I welcome this conversation and believe that much good can arise from this discussion.
Los Angeles transplant William Scott was recently sworn in as San Francisco’s newest police chief at city hall. His appointment to the position was announced in December, in the wake of SF’s former chief, Greg Suhr’s resignation last spring. Suhr stepped down amidst racial scandals within the department in addition to a rash of officer involved shootings.