Police, Clergy Come Together For Unity In Mount Vernon
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- There was a call Tuesday for unity between police and the community in Mount Vernon.
As WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported, police officers and clergy members held hands and prayed at the event in the Westchester County municipality.
"We come this morning, God, with a need, Your people, come on behalf of the tragedy that has occurred in this country," a clergy member said.
In Mount Vernon, police are trying to bridge the divide between black and blue. Jennifer Carpenter is a black police sergeant.
"I work nights. I live up north. I have to travel to Taconic," Carpenter said. "I've been pulled over several times."
Carpenter said her faith calms her. She said her badge requires her to break down barriers.
"My goal is to find whatever opportunity there is to have a conversation," she said.
Westchester County Rob Astorino and Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas were among those who attended the event in Hartley Park.
"The truth is that there's no magic to put to an end the pain that is tearing at all of us. And our country is going through some very hard times – there's a lot of fear, misunderstanding, and miscommunication out there. Passions are running high; spilling over. Too many innocent people have died," Astorino said.
Astorino said while people are angry, revenge is not an answer, quoting Mahatma Gandhi as saying, "An eye for an eye makes two people blind."
"What we need today is not revenge, but renewal," Astorino said.