Question: As an African-American, following the Diallo incident, I am deathly afraid of the police. What do you plan to do about police accountability for killing unarmed people?
Submitted from Van of Chesapeake, Virginia through MSNBC.com (10/09/00)
Answer from George W. Bush:
Reaction To Amadou Diallo
Van, I understand your reaction, and I agree that the Amadou Diallo killing was a tragic incident...
...for New York and for the family of Mr. Diallo, whom all agree was a good and decent man who came to America to take part in the American dream. At a time when racial reconciliation was beginning to make positive strides, an incident like this immediately halts that progress.
I know that law enforcement officers have an incredibly difficult task, and we should all keep in mind that they put their lives on the line daily, and deserve our support. But, at the same time, allegations of law enforcement misconduct, especially with racial overtones, are deeply disturbing and undermine confidence in the fairness of our justice system. I believe that law enforcement should always be fair and colorblind, and that no law-abiding American should have reason to fear the police.
The federal government and the states must be vigilant in combating discrimination in all its forms, and must make every effort to ensure that law enforcement is fair and race neutral. As President and the nation's chief law enforcement officer, you have my commitment that I will insist on unbiased and evenhanded justice.
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