Loretta Lynch Calls On Local Police To Help Race Relations

INDIANAPOLIS -- U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said during a speech in Indianapolis on Monday that the justice department will rely on local police to help develop trust between minorities and the criminal justice system.

The U.S. Justice Department is funding a nearly $5 million initiative aimed at improving relations between law enforcement and minority communities.

The National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice is starting in six pilot communities—which include Gary, Indiana.

During a keynote address at The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives’ annual training conference, Lynch said cooperation with local police is key to the program’s success.

“Those of you who patrol the streets know the troubled areas on which we need to focus. We will be relying on your voice, on your expertise, on your experience and your judgment as we build this initiative,” she said.

The justice department’s initiative comes after a series of controversial police shootings that have sparked a national conversation about race relations.

The other cities piloting the initiative are Birmingham, Alabama; Ft. Worth, Texas; Minneapolis, Minn.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Stockton, Calif.