Father Of Michael Brown: 'We Need To Get Back To Basics' Of Interacting With Police
DETROIT (WWJ) -- Speaking in Detroit on Friday night, Michael Brown Sr. said that a good way to help end the cases of police brutality against young African-American boys is for police to return to building trust in the communities they serve.
Brown's son, 18-year-old son Michael Brown Jr., died after an encounter with a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri in August 2014 that sparked outrage and protests across the nation.
Brown was part of a roundtable discussion at the Metropolitan United Methodist Church in Detroit on keeping young people alive which was hosted in partnership by the Council On Policy & Social Impact.
"As a kid when I was growing up the officers were out jumping rope with girls, playing basketball with boys, knocking on your door, introducing themselves -- letting you know what you did wrong and telling you to go home," Brown said. "Ain't none of that going on no more, so we need to get back to the basics."
[RELATED: Chanting 'Hands Up, Don't Shoot!' Detroit Pastors Demand Justice For Michael Brown]
Janie Jones, president of the Council On Policy & Social Impact, spoke about educating young Detroiters about how to interact with police officers.
"He's willing, and has agreed, to help us as we go into the schools with our First Exchange program to help educate young people so that they are not afraid of the police, so that they know their rights, so that they understand that there's personal responsibility," Jones said.
Brown also joined Detroit City Councilwoman Mary Sheffield for her "Occupy The Corner" event where volunteers walked door-to-door passing out information about programs and job listings as a means to inspire hope and change.
"As we near the one-year anniversary of the death of my son, it is important for me to use his story and tragic death to bring change and infuse respect, restraint and responsibility into police/civilian encounters," Brown said in a release.
