Jaleel Stallings starts non-profit to improve community relations with police
MINNEAPOLIS — A judge sentenced former Minneapolis Police Officer Justin Stetson to two years of probation for beating Jaleel Stallings during the unrest following the murder of George Floyd.
Officers in an unmarked van fired less-lethal rounds at Stallings, who shot back in self-defense, not knowing that they were police.
Stallings says he has decided not to harbor that hatred, but instead wants to find a positive way forward.
"After going through my legal trials and stuff for three years, after that I recognized a lot of different systemic flaws within our legal system, and a lot of problems with the police department itself," Stallings said. "I was left two options at that point -- to just be bitter and distrust all police officers, or be the catalyst for the change I wanted to see."
Stallings wanted to see better relations between the police and the community. He believes most police officers are good, but there are some "bad apples" that are spoiling the bunch, destroying the public perception of policing.
So he started a non-profit called the Good Apples Initiative.
He says it's focused on being a collaborative effort.
"I'm not trying to be the person with all the answers," he said. "I'd much rather have every member of the community come together, and we can come up with actionable solutions that can work for everyone. we are an organization that focuses on changing the culture of policing and justice in Minnesota."
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It's also a resource hub for communities and a place for law enforcement to help solve problems with systemic flaws that he says still exist, bridging the relationship between law enforcement and communities they serve.
Stallings served in the army for almost four years and believes in law and order, but says the community has long way to go. The non-profit is his way of turning his bad situation into good.
"I use it as my motivation," he said. "My motivation to do the work and make a change regardless of how long it takes or how much effort I need to put in. If you consider yourself a good apple, you are welcome to the table."
Stallings has been on a listening tour, talking to law enforcement and communities, trying to build this collaborative.
You can learn more here.