As City College gets ready to implement a police presence on campus, members of The Channels Editorial Board are becoming concerned.

With all of the nationwide incidents and conversations surrounding militarized police and police brutality, can we really be blamed?

This topic is far-reaching in the United States, and the problem is too large and complex to have simple solutions.
When discussing the concern of police today, here are some conversations the Ed board shared:

• The role of racism in police brutality cases and our judicial system as a whole.
• The blue wall of silence keeping good cops quiet and corrupt cops safe.
• Police being heavily reactionary.
• Police being armed with leftover equipment from the military and receiving little to no training.
• Departments legally choosing not to hire someone as an officer if they score too high on an intelligence test.
• The commonly associated fear of police presence, and the concept that more is always safer.

Granted, this doesn’t necessarily mean every department or county is corrupt, racist or inherently vicious. Surely there are good cops that truly stand for the prosperity of their community who are often overlooked by all of us. But it falls on societies’ shoulders as a whole to make an attempt at being civil.

While this issue seems to be too large to tackle at once, there are some individual responsibilities that can lead us to a safer future.

An educated America is a better America. Education stands at the forefront of an attack on ignorance, and in time can help shape forward-thinking minds.

Staying informed with the news of today or pursuing a form of higher education both cultivate objectivity and a stronger focus on common sense.

Lastly, society can now hold police more responsible for their actions and act as good Samaritans thanks to the use of cellphones. Of course this still requires responsibility on our end to remain civil and follow the law.

While these problems are nation-wide and extend beyond City College borders, it’s these concerns that have started this conversation in our newsroom. Unfortunately, fear and danger are the emotions we as an Ed board associate with increased police presence.