Los Angeles Times, August 2020
After days of protests over police brutality in Los Angeles County, a young sheriff’s deputy on the front lines reached out to her commander, reeling.
As a Black woman, she wanted to show solidarity with her community in grieving the brutal police killing of George Floyd. But as a law enforcement officer, she feared backlash from her peers if she were to take a knee.
“My comment to her was, if it’s genuine, if that’s how you feel, we’re not going to criticize you,” said Cmdr. April Tardy, who also is Black. That personal conflict highlights the delicate duality of being a Black police officer in America during this moment of unrest.
