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CLEVELAND — A Cleveland Heights pastor provided testimony this week before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee in a hearing on U.S. policing practices and law enforcement accountability.
Reverend Darrell Scott, Pastor of the urban New Spirit Revival Center gave his candid assessment.
(Photo courtesy of Twitter)
“The prospect of defunding and/or dismantling of police forces across the country is one of the most unwise, irresponsible proposals by American politicians in our nation’s history. It is nothing short of the politicizing of current social events, a reactionary measure that can result in short and long term damage to American society. … The criminal element in and of society would enjoy nothing better than a reduction in police presence and power.”
Pastor Scott cautioned that the absence of law enforcement would potentially trigger a “rise in acts of domestic terrorism, mob rule, neighborhood intimidation and oppression, and vigilante-ism.”
“The prospect of defunding and/or the dismantling of police forces across the country is one of the most unwise, irresponsible proposals by American politicians in our nation’s history. It is nothing short of the politicizing of current social events, a reactionary measure that can result in short and long term damage to American society. The criminal element in and of society would enjoy nothing better than a reduction in police presence and power.”
Reverend Darrell Scott
New Spirit Revival Center
Reverend Scott shared that he has been racially profiled by police, has given the “talk” to his grandson on how to properly behave when pulled over by police, and how he was “roughed up” at age 13 by police in his first personal encounter with law enforcement.
“I could have easily been George Floyd,” said the pastor. “However, I do not recommend throwing the baby out with the bathwater by labeling all police officers as bad cops simply because of the bad actions of a rogue segment of those whose job is supposed to protect and serve American citizens.”
Reverend Scott called Cleveland, Ohio a “prime example” of the failure of police defunding when in 2004 the City of Cleveland slashed its budget for its police force by 31% and laid off hundreds of officers.
“Two hundred and eighty-five police officers were laid off in 2004. Law enforcement divisions like the Narcotics Unit, the SWAT, the Auto-theft Unit, the Mounted Unit, Aviation Unit, the DARE program, and community policing were all cut. We have seen the police response times increase. Murders have increased by 55% compared to the same time last year and drug-related car accidents are the highest they have been. Cleveland has had a higher rate of murder than Chicago per 1,000 residents. In short, defunding police has already happened in Cleveland and is an epic failure.”
Last month Pastor Darrell Scott praised President Trump’s relationship with the black community during a roundtable event, dubbing him the most pro-black President he’s seen in his lifetime.
“I’ve lived under twelve presidential administrations,” Pastor Scott said. “I was born during Eisenhower’s administration. This President has been the most pro-black President in my lifetime. When I say ‘pro,’ I am saying ‘pro’ as in proactive. He has been proactive rather than reactive to issues concerning minorities; more than any other President in my lifetime.”
In 2019, black unemployment in the United States fell to the lowest annual level ever last year, averaging 6.1 percent.
Scott served as a member of Trump’s Presidential transition team and helped launch the National Diversity Coalition for Trump, which aims to mobilize minority voters to support Trump and provide them a voice in his campaign.
Click on the PBS video below to view Pastor Darrell Scott’s testimony before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.
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