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April 08, 2016

IARA Statement on the Laquan McDonald Shooting

 

The Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans Executive Board has released the following statement

The Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans condemns all forms of racism as immoral, unjust, divisive and dangerous.  As advocates for retirees and older people, we believe it is very important to restore trust between communities and the police.  In Chicago, this trust has been broken in communities of color by numerous examples of excessive use of police force including the killing of Laquan McDonald, an African American youth shot 16 times by Chicago police.

For these reasons we welcome the federal investigation into the killing of Laquan McDonald and the practices of the Chicago Police Department. To restore trust, systematic reform of police practices is needed. This will enhance and build confidence in the overwhelming majority of the police who are trying their best to do the right thing on a hard and dangerous job.