Dallas Police Chief 'We're Asking Cops To Do Too Much In This Country'
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - "We are all worried for our safety. We are all on edge and being very careful," said Dallas Police Chief David Brown at a Monday press conference following the deadly shooting that took the lives of five Dallas Police officers Thursday night.
Saying he was "running on fumes," Brown spoke frankly about everything that his employees have to deal with on a daily basis - and that it can be overwhelming at times.
"We're asking cops to do too much in this country" said Brown.
"Every societal failure, we put it off on the cops to solve" said Brown. He listed mental health, drug addiction, loose dogs, failing schools as problems the public expects 'cops to solve.'
"Seventy percent of the African American community is being raised by single women, let's give it to the cops to solve that as well" said Brown. "Policing was never meant to solve all those problems."
"I just ask for other parts of our democracy along with the free press to help us," Brown continued. "To help us and not put that burden all on law enforcement."
When asked what advice he would give demonstrators, Chief Brown said, "Become a part of the solution, serve your community. Don't be a part of the problem...we're hiring. Get off that protest line and put an application in. We'll put you in your neighborhood - we will help you resolve some of the problems you are protesting about."
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