Let Us Rebuild Trust between Police and Community

Dear Mr. Editor,

On behalf of my family, I would like to extend our sincere condolences to the family of the late Mr. Rudy Benjamin. As a community-spirited people, we must return to the basics of truly knowing our neighborhoods and the residents within them.

As a law-abiding citizen, I understand police protocols when a report is received that an individual is carrying a firearm. I also acknowledge that walking with a gun is against the law. However, the question remains whether the situation should first have been assessed and de-escalated before the use of deadly force. I wonder if the Community Police Officer for the district was contacted to assist in calming the situation. I wish I had been there to speak with Rudy and help de-escalate the encounter.

As one of the co-founders of the St. Peters Community Council in the early 1990s, alongside Mr. Rolando Tobias and Ms. Valerie Brazier, we once had a strong “Friends of the Community” relationship with the Police Department. Whenever something occurred in the district, communication went both ways between the community and police leadership. We need to return to active community policing within our districts.

The police must know the district, the young men on the block, and the residents who grew up together in these neighborhoods. It feels as though we are moving away from caring for one another and extending a helping hand within our community. Mr. Rudy Benjamin was a human being who did not have to lose his life in his own district. It is a very sad day for the community.

In closing, we must learn from the past and reconnect with our people. We cannot forget where we came from and the ties we share as one community. Let the justice system conduct its investigation, and I pray for a fair and transparent outcome for the family and friends of the late Rudy Benjamin. May his soul rest in peace.

Kind regards,
Maurice Lake

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