Trump Prays And Promises Better Policing At Dallas Church
By Stefan J. Bos, Special Correspondent Worthy News
(Worthy News) – U.S. President Donald Trump told Christian leaders on Thursday that he would sign an executive order for police to meet the best professional standards when using force as the nation faces civil unrest.
The president spoke after asking and thanking for prayers at an event on race and policing at the evangelical Gateway Church in Dallas, Texas. He attended the meeting with faith leaders while his administration confronts a violence-tainted uprising following the death of George Floyd, the unarmed black man who died in police custody.
While expressing his shock over “the tragedy,” President Donald Trump stressed he supports more professional policing, not less. And, he said, his administration would aggressively pursue economic development in minority communities and confront health care disparities in those areas to ease tensions.
“We have to work together to confront bigotry and prejudice wherever they appear,” Trump stressed. “But we’ll make no progress and heal no wounds by falsely labeling tens of millions of decent Americans as racist.”
He condemned politicians who he suggested sought to use Floyd’s death as an excuse to defund or even eliminate police departments, including in Minneapolis, where Floyd died killed. Trump also called it unacceptable that protesters barricaded and took over a part in Seattle that they call the ‘Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone. “That would not be possible here in Texas,” he added, drawing laughter and applause.
REJECTING CRITICISM
Trump rejected criticism of his earlier remarks about the need for law enforcement to dominate the streets amid the unrest.
“I’ll stick with that,” he stressed.
U.S. Attorney General William Barr was among those attending Thursday’s meeting at Gateway Church.
He said the sight of a Minneapolis police officer, who now faces a second-degree murder charge, holding his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly 9 minutes, was a “ghastly spectacle” that has galvanized the country.
Barr expressed hope that good would come out of evil. But, he warned that when it comes to the demands of some demonstrators to dismantle the U.S. law enforcement institutions, “we don’t need to tear them down.”
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