The mayor of Phoenix, Arizona has apologized for an incident in which police violently accosted a family over their 4-year-old child's alleged shoplifting of a doll from a local dollar store. The confrontation was caught on video.
Joining Boston Public Radio to weigh in on "All Revved Up" were Reverend Irene Monroeand Reverend Emmett G.Price III. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist and the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail, as well as a visiting researcher in the Religion and Conflict Transformation Program at Boston University School of Theology. Price is the Professor of Worship, Church & Culture and Founding Executive Director of the Institute for the Study of the Black Christian Experience at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
Officers appear on video kicking the father and shouting profanities at the family in front of their children.
"We're talking about a ... four year old who stole a doll from the Dollar Store. Talk about excessive force. That's ridiculous," Monroe said.
The city's police chief has reportedly asked that the officers involved be placed on desk duty.But Price said that bumping the officers down to desk duty implies the city is not serious enough about holding them accountable.
"For these officers, with all the footage, they're on desk duty. I mean, come on," Price said. "What does that say?"
