Charlotte Police Chief And City Leaders Fight to Unify the Community

CHARLOTTE, N.C.–CMPD Chief Kerr Putney says he is deeply disturbed by the shooting of his fellow officers in Dallas, but also spoke about the pain he felt watching videos of the two Black men shot by police in Louisiana and Minnesota earlier this week.

“Because of my distrust for police, even now when I see blue lights it hits me in the stomach,” says Chief Putney.

Charlotte Police Chief Kerr Putney opening up about being Black and in law enforcement.

“But what you don’t know is, sometimes I’m even more fearful when I put his uniform on,” says Chief Putney.

Chief Putney and City leaders addressing outrage after the officers ambushed in Dallas, and concerns about two Black men killed by police; Alton Sterling  of Louisiana and Philando Castile of Minnesota.

“We hide behind well, we don’t know all the facts.  I don’t need the facts to see another dead black body in the streets and say, that hurts me!” says Chief Putney.

Chief Putney says CMPD is working to resolve the divide between police and Charlotte’s Black community.

“We have more work to do, I’m not going to hide behind the law,” says Chief Putney.

They will begin new training for all employees, and continue year long training on how to deal with different cultures for supervisors in the force.

Mecklenburg County Commissioner Chairmen Trevor Fuller says the community and police have to work together.

“We can’t allow ourselves to be pitted against each other.  We have to be able to talk to each other we have a challenge of race in our nation, and we must address it,” says Fuller.