The Police
"I don't think the majority of cops are bad."
By Bianca Yarborough
I don't know why people are afraid of police. They just assume police will beat
them up. Then, if their house is robbed, these same people call the police.
My uncle is a police officer in Hayward, so it has changed my
perception of cops in general. He's somebody who wants to help the community
and make it better. I used to think police officers were all bad, they were
all crooked and they all abused their power.
I live in East Oakland. That's where all the homicides are taking
place. Most of the kids I know, they hate the police. They always think they
are racist, and say things like, "They don't like me because I'm black
or Latino.'' To a degree, that's true. There are some corrupt cops out there.
But I don't think the majority of cops are bad. We just don't know them personally.
I think they should sponsor dances, some kind of function where
kids can feel safe. That would be a good thing. It might take a long time to
change the negative stereotypes of police, but it would eventually happen. After
all, if they didn't like us, why would they risk their lives for us?
— Bianca Yarborough is a 17-year-old student at Oakland Tech.
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