MetroFocus: January 30, 2023

> TONIGHT, WHAT THE DEADLY POLICE BEATING OF TYRE NICHOLS SAYS ABOUT THE STATE OF POLICING IN AMERICA, HOW NEW YORKERS ARE DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY AND REMEMBERING NICHOLS FOR THE WAY HE LIVED AND NOT THE VIOLENT WAY HE WAS TAKEN.

'METROFOCUS' STARTS RIGHT NOW.

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> THIS IS 'METROFOCUS' WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

'METROFOCUS' IS MADE POSSIBLE BY SUE AND ED GUARD WAKENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANTZ COONEY FUND, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, AND BY -- ♪ ♪

> GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO 'METROFOCUS.'

I'M JENNA FLANAGAN.

THE VIDEO OF THE DEADLY POLICE BEATING OF TYRE NICHOLS HAS SPARKED AS MANY QUESTIONS AS THERE IS OUTRAGE OVER THE STATE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IN AMERICA AND THE ROLE OF RACE IN POLICING.

WE HERE AT 'METROFOCUS' HAVE DECIDED NOT TO AIR THE FOOTAGE BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW DISTURBING AND DIFFICULT IT IS TO WATCH.

THE VIDEO IS BEING CALLED WORSE THAN WHAT HAPPENED TO RODNEY KING, WITH THE NICHOLS' FAMILY ATTORNEY SAYING THIS IS A WATERSHED MOMENT FOR AMERICA.

IT HAS LED TO FIVE BLACK MEMPHIS POLICE OFFICERS BEING CHARGED WITH SECOND DEGREE MURDER IN THE DEATH OF NICHOLS, A FATHER AND SON WHO WAS ALSO BLACK.

HERE IN NEW YORK, PROTESTS WERE LARGELY PEACEFUL WITH THREE ARRESTS REPORTED OVER THE WEEKEND.

NOW, TONIGHT WE ARE DISCUSSING THESE COMPLEX ISSUES WITH TWO CITY LEADERS STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH THOUSANDS ACROSS THE NATION.

QUEENSBOROUGH PRESIDENT DONOVAN RICHARDS JOINS US JUST MOMENTS BEFORE HIS CANDLELIGHT VIGIL TONIGHT AT BOROUGH HALL TO DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE OFFICERS.

WE ARE ALSO JOINED BY BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT VANESSA GIBSON WHO PRAYS WE REMEMBER THE WAY TYRE NICHOLS LIVED AND NOT THE VIOLENT WAY HE WAS TAKEN FROM HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US ON 'METROFOCUS.'

THANK YOU.

ABSOLUTELY.

NOW, FIRST OFF, QUEENSBOROUGH PRESIDENT, I WANT TO START WITH JUST GETTING YOUR REACTION BECAUSE, UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN HERE AND YET IT SEEMS TO BE EVEN MORE OUTRAGEOUS THAN BEFORE.

SO JUST YOUR REACTION JUST TO WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED.

VERY EMOTIONAL WEEKEND, ESPECIALLY AS A BLACK MAN IN AMERICA.

I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THESE FANCY TITLES, BUT THIS HITS SO CLOSE TO HOME.

YOU KNOW, IT SORT OF MAKES YOU RELIVE TRAUMA THAT WE'VE ALL ENDURED, WHETHER IT IS THROUGH POLICE BRUTALITY OR POLICE STOPS THAT WE'VE ENCOUNTERED OURSELVES.

YOU KNOW, SEAN BELL WAS MY NEIGHBOR.

YOU KNOW, I WATCHED HIS GIRLS GROW UP.

YOU KNOW, NICOLE BELL, I HAVE WATCHED HER PUSH THROUGH SUCH A DIFFICULT TIME, SOMETHING SHE WILL NEVER FORGET AND THAT HER FAMILY HAS TO LIVE WITH.

YOU KNOW, I WAS A PUBLIC SAFETY CHAIRMAN DURING THE GEORGE FLOYD PROTEST.

SO WE KEEP SEEING THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN AMERICA, AND IT HITS HARDER EVERY SINGLE TIME.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN IN A TIME IN OUR COUNTRY WHERE SORT OF YOU STARTED TO HEAR THAT CRIME, CRIME, CRIME, THE WORDS CRIME, CRIME, CRIME, AND I KEPT SAYING, 'WE'RE LOSING SIGHT OF HOW WE MAKE COMMUNITIES SAFER.'

THAT'S THROUGH INVESTMENT.

THAT'S ALSO ENSURING THAT WE HAVE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY THAT ARE BEING RESPONSIVE AND PRACTICING WHAT THE NYPD HAS ON THE SIDE OF THEIR CAR, CPR, COURTESY, PROFESSIONALISM AND RESPECT.

AND FOR BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT GIBSON, SAME QUESTION.

CERTAINLY AS A BLACK WOMAN I AM JUST DEEPLY HEARTBROKEN.

I PERSONALLY CHOSE NOT TO WATCH THE VIDEO BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN PARTS OF MANY VIDEOS OF OUR BLACK MEN ARE KILLED AND BRUTALLY ASSAULTED AT THE HANDS OF POLICE VIOLENCE IN NEW YORK CITY AND ACROSS AMERICA.

I CHOSE NOT TO WATCH IT FOR MY HEART AND FOR MY SOUL AND REALLY FOR THE SAKE OF JUST MY OWN SANITY.

I HAVE A BLACK BROTHER, MY NEPHEW, AND I PRAY FOR MY BLACK MEN EVERY SINGLE DAY.

LIKE TYRE NICHOLS, OUR BLACK MEN JUST WANT TO GO HOME SAFELY, THE SAME WAY THEY LEFT.

SO TO ME THESE TRAGEDIES ARE ALWAYS A CALL TO ACTION.

IT REMINDS US THAT OUR WORK IS NOT DONE.

WE MUST CONTINUE TO HOLD POLICE OFFICERS ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THEY BREAK THE LAW, WHEN THEY ABUSE THEIR TRUST, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS AND WE REALLY FOCUS ON SUPPORTING OUR BLACK MEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE'VE COME A LONG WAY HERE IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, BUT EVERY TIME WE SEE CASES OF POLICE ASSAULT, POLICE BRUTALITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WHETHER IT IS MEMPHIS OR ANYWHERE ELSE, IT TEARS AT THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR SOCIETY.

IT REALLY FEELS THAT BLACK MEN ARE UNDER ATTACK AND THEY ARE THE WORST FEARED AND THE MOST, YOU KNOW, VIOLENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE CASE IT IS ALWAYS BLACK MEN.

IT IS EVEN MORE HEARTBREAKING TO KNOW THAT THE INDIVIDUALS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF TYRE NICHOLS ARE BLACK MEN THEMSELVES.

HOW COULD ANYONE DO THIS TO SOMEONE'S CHILD?

TYRE NICHOLS WAS A FATHER, A BROTHER, A SON, AN AVID SKATEBOARDER, A PHOTOGRAPHER, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER BLACK MEN THAT WE SUPPORT HERE IN OUR CITY.

SO IT HURTS, AND WE TAKE IT VERY PERSONAL.

SO WE ARE LIFTING UP HIS PARENTS, HIS FAMILY, HIS CHILD, HIS 4-YEAR-OLD SON, AND WE ARE PRAYING FOR THIS FAMILY BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY TYRE NICHOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AND AS I TWEETED OVER THE WEEKEND, I WANT TO REMEMBER TYRE NICHOLS THE WAY HE LIVED AND NOT THE VIOLENT WAY HE DIED.

HE SHOULD NOT BE A HASHTAG THAT GOES DOWN IN HISTORY BUT RATHER CELEBRATING HIS LIFE AND WHAT HE WAS ABLE TO GIVE TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS DURING THE 29 YEARS HE LIVED ON EARTH.

DONOVAN, I WANT TO GO BACK TO YOU AND JUST GET YOUR TAKE ON THE COMPLEXITIES, BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD AT LEAST FROM THE MEMPHIS POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS PERHAPS COULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF THE FACT THAT RACE NECESSARILY ISN'T PART OF THE ISSUE, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH WITH PEOPLE TRYING TO WRAP THEIR HEADS AROUND HOW DO WE FACTOR IN THE FACT THAT THESE WERE BLACK POLICE OFFICERS.

LISTEN, I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR ETHNICITY IS, YOU KNOW, IN THE DEPARTMENT.

EVERYBODY HAS TO BE HELD TO ONE STANDARD, AND WHETHER YOU ARE A BLACK COP, A WHITE COP, AN ASIAN COP, THAT'S BESIDES THE POINT.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, IT IS DEEPER THAN RACE.

YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BAKED IN SYSTEMATICALLY TO OPPRESS CERTAIN COMMUNITIES, TO OVER-POLICE CERTAIN COMMUNITIES.

LET ME BE CLEAR, SOME OF MY FIRST ENCOUNTERS AS A BLACK MEN WERE WITH OFFICERS OF COLOR, YOU KNOW, BEING STOPPED AND FRISKED ON MERRITT BOULEVARD.

I HAVE SEEN OFFICERS OF COLOR DISENFRANCHISE CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS IN MY COMMUNITY GOING BACK TO MY DAYS LIVING SPECIFICALLY IN FAR ROCKAWAY.

SO IT IS BEYOND RACE WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH POLICE BRUTALITY.

IT IS A CULTURE THAT'S EMBEDDED WITHIN THE FABRIC OF POLICING IN THIS COUNTRY THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.

LET ME ALSO ADD THAT A LOT OF TIMES WHEN SOME OF US GET INTO THESE POSITIONS, WE THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING TO PROVE TO OTHER FOLKS.

YOU KNOW, I WANT TO ALSO JUST STOP AND SAY THAT THERE ARE MORE OFFICERS WHO ALSO, SUCH AS I THINK THE DEPUTY WHO HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED, ALSO BE CHARGED IN THIS CASE, THE INDIVIDUAL WHO TASED BROTHER TYRE NICHOLS AS WELL.

SO THERE IS A LOT MORE ACCOUNTABILITY THAT NEEDS TO BE HAPPENING HERE, BUT LET ME JUST ALSO SPEAK ABOUT THESE ROGUE UNITS.

YOU KNOW, THE S.C.O.R.P.I.O.N.

UNIT, WHATEVER NAME YOU WANT TO CALL IT AROUND THE COUNTRY, YOU HAVE THESE ROGUE PARTS OF THE DEPARTMENT THAT COME INTO COMMUNITIES LIKE GANGBUSTERS, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FOLKS, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, TO HEAR THE POLICE CHIEF SAY, 'I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE STOP WAS ABOUT,' YOU KNOW, YOU QUESTION EVEN IF THERE WAS A LEGITIMATE REASON TO PULL TYRE OVER, HOW CAN ANYBODY, I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE, YOU SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ASSAULTING AND MURDERING AN INNOCENT BLACK MAN WHO WAS JUST TRYING TO MAKE IT HOME, WHO SCREAMED OUT TO HIS MOTHER, MOM, MOM, MOM.

I MEAN HEART WRENCHING.

SO THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW.

LET'S NOT JUST LOOK AT THE OFFICERS HERE, THE EMTs WHO CAME ON THE SCENE AND DIDN'T EVEN THINK TO RENDER CPR OR ANYTHING TO HELP HIM ARE ALSO A PART OF THE SYSTEM AS WELL.

SO THIS SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE BROKEN DOWN.

UNTIL WE DO THAT, WE WILL BE BACK HERE AGAIN.

VANESSA, I WILL COME BACK TO YOU IN A SECOND BUT I JUST WANT TO GO BACK, DONOVAN, TO SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID WHEN YOU MENTIONED THAT SOMETIMES BLACK OFFICERS HAVE SOMETHING TO PROVE TO FOLKS.

WHEN YOU SAY SOMETHING TO PROVE TO FOLKS, EXACTLY WHO ARE YOU SPEAKING OF?

WELL, LISTEN, YOU LOOK AT THE SYSTEM AND, YOU KNOW, WE GET PUT INTO SOME OF THESE POSITIONS.

LET ME BE CLEAR, THERE'S BEEN A LARGE PUSH I KNOW GOING BACK TO THE DAYS OF BOROUGH PRESIDENT VANESSA GIBSON AS WELL, PUSHING FOR MORE OF US TO BE IN LEADERSHIP IN THESE DEPARTMENTS, PUSHING FOR MORE OF US TO END UP IN PLACES WHERE POLICIES AND BUDGETS ARE BEING DECIDED.

SO PEOPLE FOUGHT FOR THESE OFFICERS TO GET HERE.

WHEN I SAY OTHER FOLKS, I MEAN THE SYSTEM.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO PROVE TO THE SYSTEM AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD SAY MOST OF THE TIME IN LEADERSHIP IN THESE DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU HAVE A LOT OF WHITE FOLKS, WHITE SHIRTS, PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THESE POSITIONS WHO WE THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING TO PROVE SOMETHING TO.

I HAVE SOON THAT IN THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS BOROUGH PRESIDENT GIBSON SAID.

WE MADE PROGRESS, BUT STILL NOT ENOUGH PROGRESS WHEN WE SEE BLACK MEN BEING KILLED ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.

VANESSA, NOT THE SAME QUESTION, BUT WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO BUILD ON THAT IN TERMS OF THE WAY THAT THIS IS BEING LOOKED AT THROUGH AT LEAST THE LENS OF RACE?

I AGREE WITH BAR PRESIDENT RICHARDS THAT RACE AND ETHNICITY SHOULD NEVER MATTER, BUT I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY AND THE PATTERN OF SYSTEMIC RACISM IN AMERICA THAT WE CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH, MOST OF THE VICTIMS HAVE BEEN AFRICAN AMERICAN AND THE PERPETRATORS AND SUSPECTS HAVE BEEN WHITE POLICE OFFICERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND SO MANY CASES OF POLICE ABUSE.

IT IS PARTICULARLY HARMFUL WHEN YOU SEE BLACK-ON-BLACK VIOLENCE PERPETUATED BY POLICE OFFICERS WHO ARE SWORN TO UPHOLD THE LAW.

AS DONOVAN HAS SAID, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN WE GET IN THESE POSITIONS WE HAVE SO MUCH TO PROVE THAT WE'VE BECOME A VICTIM OF THE SAME SOCIETY WE ARE TRYING TO CHANGE, AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM, RIGHT.

I OFTEN SAY ALL SKIN FOLK AIN'T KIN FOLK.

SOMETIMES THEY MAY LOOK LIKE US BUT THEY DON'T REPRESENT US.

THESE AFRICAN AMERICAN POLICE OFFICERS, FORMER OFFICERS FROM MEMPHIS, DO NOT REPRESENT AFRICAN AMERICAN POLICE OFFICERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT WAKE UP EVERY DAY TO SERVE WITH HONOR AND INTEGRITY AND WOULD NEVER ASSAULT A CIVILIAN IN THE WAY THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE DONE.

IT IS HURTFUL BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WE ARE OUT PROTESTING WHEN IT IS WHITE OFFICERS THAT ARE BRUTALIZING BLACK PEOPLE, AND SO WE SHOULD HAVE THE SAME OUTRAGE WHEN IT IS BLACK OFFICERS BRUTALIZING OUR OWN PEOPLE, TOO.

THERE SHOULD BE NO DIFFERENCE.

THIS YOUNG MAN HAD SO MUCH PROMISE AND POTENTIAL, AND ALL HE WANTED TO DO WAS GO HOME.

IT IS SO PAINFUL TO HEAR HIS MOM AND DAD TALK ABOUT VISITING HIM IN THE HOSPITAL WITH TUBES IN HIS BODY.

IT IS PAINFUL.

WE ALL CRIED THIS WEEKEND.

WE CONTINUE TO CRY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT TYRE NICHOLS IS OUR BROTHER, AND AS EASILY AS IT IS HIS PARENTS IT COULD BE US AS WELL.

WE COULD BE THE ONES VISITING OUR LOVED ONE IN A MORGUE.

THAT'S WHY THIS HURTS SO MUCH.

EVEN WITHIN ALL OF OUR PAIN WE WILL ALWAYS FIND PURPOSE, AND WE HAVE TO TAKE THIS AS A PURPOSEFUL MOMENT IN HISTORY AND DO BETTER AND SHOW OUR BLACK BOYS THAT ARE GROWING UP RIGHT NOW, OUR TEENAGERS, SHOWING THEM BETTER, THAT THIS IS NOT THE WAY SOCIETY SHOULD EVER TREAT BLACK BOYS.

THIS IS NOT THE WAY COPS SHOULD TREAT OUR BLACK MEN, AND WE HAVE TO SHOW THEM BETTER AND DO BETTER BY OUR NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS.

YOU KNOW, BUILDING ON WHAT YOU ARE SAYING THAT THIS IS NOT THE WAY SPECIFICALLY THAT COPS SHOULD BE TREATING BLACK MEN IN AMERICA, THERE'S ALREADY SOME TALK THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE, YOU KNOW, FILL IN THE BLACK HERE.

YET AT THE SAME TIME THERE ARE PEOPLE PUSHING BACK AT THIS POINT SAYING, YOU CAN'T REFORM THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN THE SYSTEM DELIVER THIS RESULT TOO MANY TIMES.

SO AS BOROUGH PRESIDENTS I WANT TO ASK BOTH OF YOU, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU SEE AS DOES IT NEED MORE TRAINING, PERHAPS SENSITIVITY SOMETHING, OR DOES THERE NEED TO BE A COMPLETE REWORKING OF POLICING IN AMERICA.

BOROUGH PRESIDENT RICHARDS, I WILL START WITH YOU.

I MEAN HOW DO YOU TRAIN SOMEBODY NOT TO PEPPER SPRAY SOMEBODY WHO IS HANDCUFFED?

HOW DO YOU TRAIN SOMEBODY NOT TO BRUTALLY BEAT SOMEBODY WHO IS HANDCUFFED?

HOW DO YOU TRAIN SOMEBODY TO TREAT THEIR BROTHER IN A HUMANE FASHION.

YOU CAN'T TRAIN ANYBODY ON THAT.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE EMBEDDED IN YOU FROM THE TIME YOU ARE BROUGHT UP IN SOCIETY THERE'S NO TRAINING THAT COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS.

THESE MEN WERE HELL BENT ON MAKING AN EXAMPLE OF TYRE NICHOLS AND THEY MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

WHAT I WILL SAY IS I'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT NOT SIMPLY DOING A LOT OF RHETORIC.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO PUSH ON THESE REFORMS.

WE DON'T NEED RHETORIC AT THIS MOMENT.

WE NEED THE GEORGE FLOYD ACT TO PASS.

WE NEED TO END QUALIFIED IMMUNITY.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVEN IN NEW YORK AS WE SPEAK THE POLICE COMMISSIONER, WHO I HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF RESPECT FOR, A FEW WEEKS AGO ANNOUNCED SHE IS GOING TO DECREASE PENALTIES AND SOMETHING THAT I PASSED LEGISLATION ON IN THE CITY COUNCIL, SOMETHING CALLED THE DISCIPLINE MATRIX WHICH STANDARDIZED DISCIPLINE.

IT SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE DURING A TIME WE ARE CONTINUING TO SEE BLACK MEN KILLED IN THIS COUNTRY, TO BE HERE IN NEW YORK TO HEAR THE POLICE COMMISSIONER, A BLACK WOMAN WHO COMES FROM OUR COMMUNITIES, TALKING ABOUT WEAKENING THE STANDARDS OF DISCIPLINE.

THAT IS NOT THE DIRECTION WE NEED TO GO.

I'M INFURIATED BY IT, BY THE WAY.

AS THE FATHER OF A YOUNG BLACK BOY, 7 YEARS OLD, I WILL TELL YOU, I HELD HIM A LOT TIGHTER THIS WEEKEND.

EACH AND EVERY TIME WE SEE THIS I THINK OF HIM BECAUSE I WANT HIM TO GROW UP IN A FUTURE, IN A CITY AND IN A COUNTRY WHERE HE WON'T BE JUDGED SOLELY ON THE CONTENTS OF HIS SKIN COLOR BUT OF HIS CHARACTER AS DR. KING SO ELOQUENTLY PUT IT.

WE HAVE WORK TO DO.

YOU CAN'T TRAIN FOLKS TO TREAT PEOPLE HUMANELY.

THERE'S NO TRAINING.

WE NEED TO BLOW THIS SYSTEM UP AND START FROM FRESH.

MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS ARE HAPPENING.

YES, ENSURING MORE DIVERSITY AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE TWO WORDS I KEPT COMING BACK TO AT THE TIME OF MY SAFETY CHAIR AND EVEN AS THE BOROUGH PRESIDENT, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

UNTIL YOU HAVE THOSE TWO THINGS WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE HERE.

ALSO TO BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN TRAIN PEOPLE OUT OF?

NO, I THINK IT IS EMBEDDED IN THE SYSTEM.

SYSTEMIC RACISM HAS BEEN AROUND FOR GENERATIONS FOR A REASON AND I DON'T THINK YOU CAN TRAIN ANY INDIVIDUAL ON COMMON SENSE, LOGIC AND, MOST OF ALL, HUMAN DECENCY.

VALUING LIFE, VALUING SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO GET RID OF THE BAD APPLES THAT EXIST IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE SHOULD NOT BE REACTIONARY AND WAIT UNTIL AFTER SOMEONE IS ASSAULTED OR MURDERED, BUT WE HAVE TO DO PREVENTIVE WORK.

THAT IS SOMETHING I BELIEVE THE COMMISSIONER HERE AT THE NYPD IS ATTEMPTING TO DO WITH A LOT OF THE EFFORTS SHE HAS EMBARKED ON, MAKING THE DEPARTMENT MORE TRANSPARENT, HOLDING BAD OFFICERS ACCOUNTABLE, MAKING SURE THAT WE REALLY ADHERE TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF CCRB, AND IT HAS REAL TANGIBLE RESULTS.

REALLY MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE HOPE.

PEOPLE HAVE LOST HOPE AND FAITH IN THE SYSTEM FOR A REASON.

THEY HAVE GIVEN UP ON GOVERNMENT.

THEY DON'T THINK WE ARE HERE TO CORRECT THE SYSTEM WHETHER IT IS CORRECTIONS, PAROLE OR THE SYSTEM.

EVERY TIME WE HAVE THESE ACTS OF VIOLENCE PERPETUATED AGAINST BLACK AMERICANS THAT TAKE THE LIVES OF OUR BROTHERS AND OUR SISTERS, IT SETS US BACK.

IT IS REMINDER WE HAVE WORK TO DO.

WE ALWAYS CALL ATTENTION TO WHAT THE CITY OF NEW YORK IS DOING.

EVEN IN MEMPHIS AND ATLANTA AND EVERYWHERE ELSE, WHAT IS NEW YORK CITY DOING?

WHATEVER WE DO IN NEW YORK CITY WE NORMALLY HAVE OTHERS FOLLOW US.

SO TO ME I STILL HAVE HOPE.

I AM FULL OF OPTIMISM.

I WILL NEVER GIVE UP BECAUSE OUR CHILDREN NEED US.

OUR CHILDREN NEED TO HOPE SOMETHING WILL GET BETTER, THAT WE WILL NOT LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE THEY ARE ATTACKED JUST BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN AND WHERE THEY LIVE, THE ZIP CODE THEY LIVE IN, THE BLOCK THEY REPRESENT.

WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

LIKE I SAID, I BELIEVE WE HAVE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS.

WE ARE NOT COMPLACENT.

WE ARE NOT SITTING BACK.

WE WILL KEEP DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY AND CLOSE RIKERS ISLAND, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO, BECAUSE IT IS ANYONE FOR ANYONE WHO GOES ON RIKERS ISLAND TO THE DETAINEES TO THE WORKFORCE.

WE NEED TO CLOSE RIKERS ISLAND AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS SO MUCH WITHIN OUR SYSTEM HERE IN NEW YORK CITY SO WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER TYRE NICHOLS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY OR IN OUR CITY.

SOMETHING ELSE I HAVE BEEN HEARING PEOPLE REFERENCE A LOT AND SEEING A LOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA THIS WEEKEND IS, OF COURSE, THE QUOTE FROM THE HARLEM POET, JAMES BALDWIN, WHO BASICALLY IS ASKING THE VERY REAL QUESTION, 'HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR YOUR PROGRESS.'

SO TO QUEENS BOROUGH PRESIDENT, I WANT TO ASK YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A YOUNG PERSON WHO IS JUST LIKE, WE'VE BEEN HERE?

IF YOU ARE A GEN-Z OR A MILLENNIAL, YOU HAVE BEEN SEEING THIS YOUR WHOLE LIFE AND IT FEELS LIKE NOTHING IS CHANGING.

WELL, FREDERICK DOUGLASS ALSO SAID WITHOUT STRUGGLE THERE CAN BE NO PROGRESS.

THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY TO YOUNG PEOPLE, THAT WE -- THIS STRUGGLE IS GOING TO BE A LIFETIME STRUGGLE.

AS LONG AS WE HAVE BEEN IN AMERICA, OVER 400 YEARS OF SYSTEMATIC RACISM HAS EXISTED IN AMERICA.

YOU KNOW, WE NEED YOU TO BECOME A PART OF THE SOLUTION.

IT IS ONE OF THE REASONS, YES, WE ARE PUSHING TO HAVE MORE OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ON COMMUNITY BOARDS.

YES, MORE OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE NEED TO GET ENGAGED IN POLICY MAKING.

YES, OUR OFFICERS NEED TO BE REFLECTIVE OF THAT DIVERSITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES SO WE CAN BE THE CHANGE WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR, AS PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS SAID.

I OFTEN SAY WHEN YOU POINT THE FINGER AT SOMEBODY ELSE YOU HAVE ONE FINGER AT SOMEBODY -- YOU HAVE FOUR FINGERS POINTING BACK AT YOURSELF.

WE ALL HAVE TO GET OUT HERE AND DO OUR PARTS, WHETHER THAT'S ADDRESSING VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WHETHER IT IS BRUTALITY.

ONCE AGAIN, WHETHER IT IS GETTING INVOLVED IN THESE DIFFERENT HALLS, FACETS OF GOVERNMENT.

EVERYBODY DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL BUT EVERYBODY CAN DO THEIR PART.

REALLY, THIS IS ABOUT ENSURING THAT WE OPEN THESE DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY.

I JUST HOSTED 20 YOUNG BLACK MEN IN MY OTHER JUST FRIDAY, YOUNG BLACK MEN IN HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS SOUTHEAST QUEENS.

THEIR FIRST TIME SEEING THE FIRST BLACK MAN AS A BOROUGH PRESIDENT.

THEY GOT TO JUST OPEN AND ASK QUESTIONS.

WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT POLICING.

WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE DO IN THIS OFFICE.

EACH ONE TEACH ONE, AND HOW DO WE OPEN THESE OPPORTUNITIES EVEN AS WE ARE CREATING A YOUTH COUNCIL AS WE JUST ANNOUNCED WITHIN ANY OTHER, HOW DO WE CREATE A FRAMEWORK THAT GETS THEM ENGAGED SO, YES, THEY CAN BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION.

SO WE ALL HAVE TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION.

OTHERWISE WE ARE A PART OF THE PROBLEM.

BOROUGH PRESIDENT GIBSON, SAME QUESTION.

I MEAN FOR ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO, LIKE I SAID, HAVE BEEN WATCHING THIS AT A FREQUENCY PERHAPS WE HADN'T SEEN BEFORE, AND JUST IT SOMETIMES SEEMS AS IF THE VIOLENCE IS EVEN ESCALATING, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM?

I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH EVERYTHING MY COLLEAGUE HAS SAID, AND JUST ADDING ON, YES, UPLIFTING THE VOICES OF YOUNG PEOPLE, GIVING THEM A SPACE AND AN OUTLET FOR EXPRESSION, OPENING UP COMMUNITY CENTERS, RECREATION CENTERS, SATURDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, EXPANDING ON SUMMER YOUTH AND SO MANY OTHER PROGRAMS THAT LIFT UP YOUNG PEOPLE, THAT GIVE THEM A REAL CHANCE TO BE SUCCESS STORIES AND NOT STATISTICS.

OFTEN IS THE CASE, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE CLOSEST TO THE PROBLEM ARE CLOSER TO THE SOLUTION AS WELL.

WE NEED TO ENGAGE YOUNG PEOPLE IN A REAL, TANGIBLE, COMPREHENSIVE WAY.

WE ARE ALSO ROLLING OUT A YOUTH COUNCIL IN OUR OTHER.

INITIATIVES LIKE MY BROTHER'S KEEPER, WE NOW HAVE MY SISTER'S KEEPER, A MENTORING PROGRAM THROUGH THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, BECAUSE WE WANT TO LIFT UP OUR YOUNG BLACK MEN AND OUR YOUNG BLACK GIRLS BECAUSE THEY NEED SPACES.

WE NEED TO LOVE ON THEM AND ENCOURAGE THEM AND MOTIVATE THEM.

UNFORTUNATELY, IF YOU WATCH THE NEWS YOU ONLY HEAR THE NEGATIVE STORIES.

I OFTEN SAY WE HAVE TO RETELL THE STORY.

WE HAVE TO TELL THE NARRATIVE IN A DIFFERENT WAY BECAUSE ALL YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT ON A PATHWAY TO MASS INCARCERATION.

THE SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE.

WE HAVE TO CREATE THE PATHWAYS TO COLLEGE AND CAREERS.

IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO COLLEGE, YOU NEED A PATHWAY TO A CAREER, APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, VOCATION, YOU KNOW, CTE, GETTING BACK TO BASICS, RIGHT.

THIS HAS TO BE AN ALL-HANDS-ON APPROACH BECAUSE WE HAVE TO LET YOUNG PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY ARE THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS.

ALL THEY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO IS SOCIAL MEDIA AND NEGATIVITY, THE SHOOTINGS, THE VIOLENCE, THE CREWS, THE GANGS.

SO MUCH OF WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED BUT JUST AT A MUCH LARGER SCALE, AND THAT'S NOT THE ONLY ANSWER.

VIOLENCE IS NEVER THE ANSWER, BUT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE CRYING OUT FOR ATTENTION.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY STRUGGLE WITH AT HOME AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH IN THEIR TRAVELS TO SCHOOL.

WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF WEAPONS BEING BROUGHT TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

IT IS NOT THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE NOT SAFE, THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE NOT SAFE.

THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE 13 AND 14 YEAR OLDS BRINGING WEAPONS TO SCHOOLS.

THAT IS A PROBLEM AND THAT IS OUR PROBLEM, THAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

YES, THE NYPD IS A COMPONENT, BUT THEY ARE NOT THE ONLY ANSWER.

WE HAVE GOT TO STOP RELYING ON POLICE FOR ANY AND EVERYTHING IN OUR SOCIETY, FROM HOMELESSNESS TO MENTAL ILLNESS TO LACK OF OPPORTUNITY TO POVERTY.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEEN THE CHALLENGE OVER THE YEARS.

WE HAVE ASKED POLICE TO DO MUCH MORE THAN WE ARE DOING OURSELVES.

WHAT ARE WE WILLING TO DO?

HOW ARE WE WILLING TO STEP UP?

ALL OF THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE EMBARKING ON, 16 YEAR OLDS JOINING THE COMMUNITY BOARD, BEING A PART OF YOUR TENANTS' ASSOCIATION, ADOPTING A BLOCK, ADOPTING YOUR LOCAL PARK, BECOMING AN ADVOCATE.

IT HAS TO START SOMEWHERE, AND I THINK FOR US IN THESE SPACES AS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE, YOU KNOW, ELECTED BOROUGH PRESIDENT, IN QUEENS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN AND FEMALE IN THE BRONX, WE ARE SETTING THE EXAMPLE, RIGHT.

WE ARE SHOWING YOUNG PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT US AND SEE YOURSELF, YOU CAN SEE YOUR DREAMS, YOUR HOPES, YOUR ASPIRATIONS.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO THINK THAT YOUR BLOCK WILL BLOCK YOUR BLESSING OR YOUR ZIP CODE SHOULD DENY YOUR DESTINY, BUT YOU HAVE TO REALIZE YOU ARE DESTINED FOR GREAT SUCCESS.

BUT GUESS WHAT?

JUST LIKE DOORS WERE OPENED FOR DONOVAN AND I, WE NOW HAVE THE ABILITY TO OPEN UP DOORS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.

THAT'S WHAT WE DO EVERY SINGLE DAY IN THESE SPACES.

I WILL NEVER FORGET WHERE I HAVE COME FROM.

THIS TITLE DOESN'T MAKE ME WHO I AM.

IT DOESN'T MAKE DONOVAN WHO HE IS.

WE DEFINE THE TITLE AND DEFINE THE ROLE AND MAKE IT WHAT IT IS TO BUILD A BETTER QUEENS, TO BUILD A BETTER BRONX, TO BUILD A BETTER CITY OF NEW YORK.

WELL, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALMOST OUT OF TOWN AND HAVE A MINUTE LEFT.

LISTENING TO WHAT THE TWO OF YOU ARE SAYING AT THE VERY END OF THE ANSWER TO YOUR LAST QUESTIONS.

SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE PERHAPS SUGGESTING A REALLOCATION OF FUNDS, PERHAPS A REINVESTMENT IN COMMUNITY.

I WON'T GO WITH OTHER PHRASES THAT HAVE BEEN TIED TO MOVEMENTS LIKE THIS, BUT IT SOUNDS KIND OF LIKE THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE TOUCHING ON.

SO VERY QUICKLY, SORT OF YES OR NO TO BOTH OF YOU, IS THAT REALLY WHERE YOU SEE REAL CHANGE COMING FROM, A REALLOCATION OF FUNDS BEING PUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, QUEENS BOROUGH PRESIDENT RICHARDS?

ABSOLUTELY.

YOU CAN'T CRIMINALIZE YOUR WAY OUT OF POVERTY.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHERE CRIME IS CENTRAL, IT IS REALLY COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN DISINVESTED, BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WHEN INVESTING IN MENTAL HEALTH, HOUSING, COMMUNITY CENTERS, HOSPITALS, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS, OUR SCHOOLS, YOU HAVE TO SEE THE DISINVESTMENT IN SOME OF THE SCHOOLS IN SOUTHEAST QUEENS AS I GET AROUND.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE INVESTING UP FRONT OR, GUESS WHAT, YOU WILL CONTINUE TO SEE PLAGUE PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES AND, YES, MORE INTERACTION WITH POLICE MEANS YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A NEGATIVE.

TEN SECONDS LEFT FOR YOU, BRONX PRESIDENT GIBSON?

ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE.

MORE PREVENTION AND LESS DETENTION, FOCUSING ON JOBS AND NOT JAILS, AND REAL INVESTMENTS IN YOUNG PEOPLE, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES.

SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE TALENTED.

THEY'RE POETS, THEY'RE ARTISTS, THEY'RE DESIGNERS, THEY'RE ARCHITECTS, THEY'RE ENGINEERS BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN A DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY.

WE NEED TO OPEN UP THESE SPACES.

COMMUNITY CENTERS, SCHOOLS, ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS, GETTING BACK TO BASICS AND ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSE OF WHY YOUNG PEOPLE ENGAGE IN VIOLENCE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

WITH THAT, THAT'S HOPEFULLY THE POSITIVE NOTE WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE THIS ON.

I WANT TO THANK BOTH THE QUEENS BOROUGH PRESIDENT DONOVAN RICHARDS AND THE BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT VANESSA GIBSON.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON THIS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION ON 'METROFOCUS.'

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

ABSOLUTELY.

YES.

REST IN PEACE, TYRE NICK OTHER.

♪ ♪ BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A. AND SIMON B. POYTA FOUNDATION.

THE THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND.

BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, JANET AND BY --