Black Cops React to Violence Toward and by Police

It all comes on the heels of recent high profile deaths of black men, women and children at the hands of the police over the past few years

For African-American police officers in the U.S., being both black and "blue" can mean being caught in the midst of a cultural crossfire.

America is reeling after two black men were fatally shot by police near St. Paul, Minnesota and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the subsequent killing of five officers in Dallas during a peaceful rally in response to those slayings.

The events occurred after a spate of high profile deaths of black men, women and children at the hands of the police over the past few years, which has given rise to the "Black Lives Matter" movement and stirred public debate about the need for policing reforms.

"I've been black a long time," said Dallas Police Chief David Brown, who's black, responding to a reporter's question about bridging the gap between the community and police. "It's not so much of a 'bridge' for me, it's everyday living. I grew up here in Texas ... it's my normal to live in this society that had a long history of racial strife ... we have much work to do, particularly in our profession and leaders in my position need to put their careers on the line to make sure we do things right."

Contact Us