LOS ANGELES — In a frank discussion with elected and public safety officials, black community leaders June 4 demanded that more be done to improve policing in the city and that civic leaders do a better job of recognizing social inequities.
The Rev. J Edgar Boyd led the “Justice Matters” discussion at the First African Episcopal Methodist Church in South Los Angeles — attended by Mayor Eric Garcetti, Police Chief Michel Moore and Sheriff Alex Villanueva.
Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died on Memorial Day after he was pinned on the ground by white police Officer Derek Chauvin, who pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, even as Floyd repeatedly called out “I can’t breathe.”
Minister Tony Muhammad of the Nation of Islam said if Los Angeles leaders want to efficiently respond to the concerns of the black community and other disadvantaged communities, they need to invite to the table leaders who will tell them things they may “not want to hear.”
Some organizations, such as Black Lives Matter Los Angeles, have said the mayor’s cuts don’t go far enough and have advocated a dramatic slashing of the LAPD budget.