Here & Now

Humphrey Reflects On Officer-Involved Shooting In Minnesota

UNSPEAKABLE VIOLENCE IN DALLAS THURSDAY NIGHT, AS SNIPER FIRE DURING A PROTEST OVER RECENT POLICE SHOOTINGS LEAVES FIVE POLICE OFFICERS DEAD. THE SHOOTING HAPPENED IN THE MIDST OF A PROTEST OVER AN OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING IN LOUISIANA AND ALSO ONE IN A SUBURB OF ST. PAUL, WHERE THE MINNESOTA GOVERNOR PROMISES JUSTICE. THE GOVERNOR CALLING THE SHOOTING DEATH OF PHILANDO CASTILE DURING A TRAFFIC STOP QUOTE APPALLING AT ALL LEVELS AND ALSO SAYING THE MAN WOULD BE ALIVE IF HE WERE WHITE. CASTILE WAS REPORTEDLY PULLED OVER FOR A BROKEN TAILLIGHT, TOLD THE OFFICER HE HAD A LICENSED GUN, AND WHEN HE REACHED FOR HIS DRIVER’S LICENSE, WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY THE OFFICER. OF COURSE, WISCONSIN HAS HAD ITS OWN OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTINGS WITH ATTENDANT PROTESTS AND CALLS FOR JUSTICE. BUT HOW DOES WHAT HAPPENED OVERNIGHT IN DALLAS CHANGE THINGS? TONIGHT WE ARE JOINED BY NORMAN, OKLAHOMA POLICE CHIEF KEITH HUMPHREY, WHO IS REGIONAL PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL BLACK POLICE ASSOCIATION. THE REGION INCLUDES MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN. CHIEF, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

KEITH HUMPHREY:

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

FIRST, WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO WHAT HAPPENED IN DALLAS?

KEITH HUMPHREY:

IT’S LEFT ME SPEECHLESS. AS A CHIEF EXECUTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, IT’S A NIGHTMARE OR INCIDENTS THAT NONE OF US WANT TO ENCOUNTER. AND MY HEART AND MY THOUGHTS GO OUT TO CHIEF BROWN AND THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT. IT’S JUST TRAGIC. AND NO ONE WANTS TO GO THROUGH THAT SITUATION.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

YOU’RE FROM DALLAS ORIGINALLY, WORKED NEARBY AS A POLICE OFFICER IN FORT WORTH. YOU KNOW THESE PEOPLE.

KEITH HUMPHREY:

ABSOLUTELY. I KNOW THE DALLAS/FORT WORTH AREA LIKE ANY OTHER METROPOLITAN AREA, ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WORK TOGETHER. WE FORM A BOND, A FRIENDSHIP. AND SO, YES, WE ALL KNOW EACH OTHER, AND THAT’S WHAT MAKES THIS VERY DIFFICULT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

THE POLICE CHIEF THERE SAYS THE SHOOTING SUSPECT TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO KILL WHITE OFFICERS. HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE WORK TO BUILD TRUST BETWEEN POLICE AND COMMUNITIES GOING FORWARD?

KEITH HUMPHREY:

WELL, I THINK IT’S A CONCERN. I THINK THAT OFFICERS THINK ABOUT THIS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I KNOW THEY DO. I’VE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH MY OFFICERS. I THINK THE MOST FRIGHTENING PART IS THAT YOU’RE SELECTING SPECIFIC OFFICERS TO TARGET. AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THAT’S JUST DISTURBING. NOW, DOES THAT PUT A CONCERN — DOES THAT HAVE A POSSIBILITY TO PUT — TO SPLIT COMMUNITIES? ABSOLUTELY. BUT AS A POLICE CHIEF, YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE TO REMIND YOUR OFFICERS WHAT OUR PURPOSE AND OUR FOCUSES ARE AND THAT’S TO PROTECT EVERYONE WITHIN THAT CITY. PEOPLE RESPECT THE POLICE. THERE’S A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE COMMUNITIES, OF THE NATION, THAT HAS A PROBLEM WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT RIGHT NOW. AND SO WE JUST HAVE TO REMIND OUR GUYS THAT WE ARE HERE TO PROTECT EVERYONE AND NOT EVERYONE IS AGAINST US.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SPECIFIC TO ONE OF THE OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTINGS PROMPTING PROTESTS ACROSS THE NATION AND IN DALLAS, WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THE SHOOTING IN MINNESOTA?

KEITH HUMPHREY:

WELL, JUST FROM WHAT I KNOW, YOU KNOW, IT’S STILL EARLY IN THE INVESTIGATION, BUT FROM WHAT I SAW, IT WAS DISTURBING. YOU KNOW, I FEEL FOR THE FAMILY. IF I MAY, I HAVE A STATEMENT FROM OUR LOCAL NBPA CHAPTER REGARDING THE INCIDENT. BUT IT WAS VERY DISTURBING, TO SEE A DECEASED PERSON SITTING NEXT TO A LOVED ONE AND REALIZE THERE WAS A CHILD IN THE BACK SEAT. I WISH THAT ON NO ONE. THAT’S AN INCIDENT THAT WE DON’T TRAIN FOR. THOSE ARE INCIDENTS THAT WE HOPE NEVER OCCUR. AND SO THAT WAS JUST A VERY DISTURBING SIGHT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WELL, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE GOVERNOR’S REMARKS IN MINNESOTA, THAT IF THE MAN WERE WHITE, HE WOULDN’T BE DEAD?

KEITH HUMPHREY:

WELL, YOU KNOW, I RESPECT THE GOVERNOR. I RESPECT THE POLITICIANS IN THE ROLES OF LEADERSHIP. BUT I’M QUITE DISTURBED REGARDING THE COMMENT THIS EARLY INTO THE INVESTIGATION. I DON’T KNOW WHY THAT WAS SAID. I DON’T KNOW WHY — I THINK COMMENTS LIKE THAT HAVE THE TENDENCY TO INCITE COMMUNITIES. AND SO HE MAY KNOW SOMETHING I DON’T KNOW, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT WHEN YOU SAY THAT OFFICERS ARE PROFILING, THAT’S A VERY SERIOUS ALLEGATION. AND IN THIS DAY AND TIME, IT INCITES PEOPLE TO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE POLICE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT IS POLICE TRAINING ON TRAFFIC STOPS WHEN A DRIVER OR PASSENGER SAYS THAT THEY HAVE A LICENSED OR A GUN PERMIT IN THEIR POSSESSION?

KEITH HUMPHREY:

WELL, I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MY DEPARTMENT. WE GO THROUGH VERY INTENSE TRAINING ON THAT. OKLAHOMA IS A STATE THAT HAS CONCEAL HANDGUN. WE RECENTLY WENT TO OPEN CARRY. ONE OF THE THINGS WE TEACH OUR OFFICERS IS THAT LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS HAVE THE RIGHT TO CARRY WEAPONS ON THEIR PERSON. AND SO WE TEACH OFFICERS NOT TO PANIC, TRY NOT TO HAVE THE CITIZEN PANIC. THERE’S A DIALOGUE WHICH YOU MUST HAVE WITH THOSE CITIZENS, THANKING THEM FOR ADVISING YOU THAT THEY HAVE A CONCEALED HANDGUN LICENSE, ASKING THEM WHERE THE WEAPON IS, TELLING THEM TO KEEP THEIR HANDS WHERE THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD LET US KNOW ABOUT ANY MOVEMENT YOU MAY MAKE. BUT EDUCATING THE CITIZEN ON WHAT STEPS TO TAKE. AND ALSO THE CITIZENS ASKING THE OFFICERS — IF THEY’RE NOT CLEAR, ASKING THEM EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED THEM TO DO IN ORDER TO HELP THE SITUATION END PEACEFULLY.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SO I DID WANT TO ASK, WHAT SHOULD DRIVERS OR PASSENGERS DO IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE?

KEITH HUMPHREY:

LET THE POLICE OFFICER KNOW YOU’RE A LICENSED HOLDER. TELL THEM WHERE YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE AND YOUR REGISTRATION AND YOUR INSURANCE INFORMATION. ASK THEM DO THEY MIND IF YOU REACH FOR IT. IF THEY SAY I’D RATHER YOU NOT, COULD YOU STEP OUT OF THE CAR. I THINK THE BIGGEST THING IS TO JUST FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS OF THE POLICE OFFICER AND DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN DO TO KEEP YOUR HANDS IN PLAIN VIEW. DON’T MAKE ANY SUDDEN MOTIONS. AND REALIZE THAT YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR ACTIONS ARE AS A CITIZEN, BUT, HOWEVER, AN OFFICER KNOWS WHAT YOUR INTENTIONS ARE UNTIL THEY REALLY GET TO SPEAKING WITH YOU AND KIND OF REALIZE THAT YOU ARE A LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT MESSAGE DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION, THE NATIONAL BLACK POLICE ASSOCIATION, HAVE, WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HAVE AS THIS NATION SEEMS GRIPPED BY VIOLENCE BETWEEN OFFICERS AND CITIZENS?

KEITH HUMPHREY:

WELL, I TELL YOU, WE’VE DONE SO MUCH IN THE ORGANIZATION AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AS A WHOLE. WE’VE DONE SO MUCH TO WIN BACK THE TRUST OF OUR COMMUNITIES. AND I WOULD JUST SHARE THAT WE ARE THE SAME LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT THE CITIZENS BELIEVE IN. COMMUNITY-ORIENTED POLICING HAS REALLY HELPED BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN PREVIOUS DISSENSIONS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITIES. WE HEAR YOU. WE UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN. WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU. WE WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT. WE WANT OUR CITIZENS TO KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT A BLACK OR WHITE — WE DON’T SEE BLACK AND WHITE. HOPEFULLY WE DON’T. AND I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE OFFICERS. I’M NOT BLIND TO THE FACT THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE OFFICERS OUT THERE THAT HAVE THESE HANGUPS OR HAVE THESE BIASES. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE OFFICERS OUT HERE TAKE PRIDE IN PROTECTING EVERY ONE OF THEIR CITIZENS, NO MATTER THEIR ETHNICITY, THEIR RELIGION. WE TAKE PRIDE IN THAT BECAUSE IT’S A PRIVILEGE TO BE A POLICE OFFICER. AND IT’S MORE OF A PRIVILEGE TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES. AND SO THAT’S WHAT WE WANT THE CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND, THAT WE ARE NOT OUT HERE GUNNING DOWN ANYONE, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE OF COLOR, MEN OF COLOR. MAY I READ SOMETHING FROM THE LOCAL NBPA MINNESOTA CHAPTER REAL BRIEFLY?

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

YES. YES.

KEITH HUMPHREY:

OKAY. WE EXTEND OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE CASTILE AND REYNOLDS FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF THE COMMUNITY. OUR ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS A THOROUGH AND INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF FACTS. WE SUPPORT THE BUREAU OF CRIMINAL APPREHENSION TAKING THE INITIAL LEAD AND WELCOME AND SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY’S REQUEST FOR FEDERAL INVESTIGATION. AS AN ASSOCIATION, WE ARE HERE TO ASSURE TRUST AND ACCOUNTABILITY BETWEEN THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND THAT’S FROM THE LOCAL CHAPTER OF MINNESOTA, AND I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU ALL. AND THAT IS ALSO THE WORDS OF THE NATIONAL BLACK POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, NOT JUST REGION TWO, BUT OUR NATIONAL OFFICE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ALL RIGHT. CHIEF KEITH HUMPHREY, AGAIN, THANK YOU.

KEITH HUMPHREY:

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.