美国国家公共电台 NPR Trump Remarks Eclipse Sessions' Talk Before Black Law Enforcement Group

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

National law enforcement officials have had an awkward few days. You see, they're part of President Trump¹'s administration. And last week in a speech, the president asked police to be a little rougher with criminal suspects. The acting² head of the Drug Enforcement Administration sent a memo³ saying the president condoned⁴ misconduct and the DEA does not, saying agents should, quote, "act honorably." The same episode loomed⁵ over a speech yesterday by Attorney General Jeff Sessions to black law enforcement officials. Here's Stephannie Stokes from our member station WABE in Atlanta.

STEPHANNIE STOKES, BYLINE⁶: When Attorney General Jeff Sessions walked into the Atlanta hotel ballroom⁷, the reception was professional, polite. Sessions spoke⁸ to members of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and lamented⁹ the damage crime does to struggling neighborhoods.

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JEFF SESSIONS: So that's not right. Regardless of wealth or race, every American deserves to live without the constant fear of violence into their lives.

STOKES: The attorney general then asked the association to partner with him, to fight this crime and build community trust.

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SESSIONS: We have your back. You have our thanks. God bless you all.

STOKES: Many in the audience stood up and applauded Sessions' remarks. But the reception was a little less warm when Sessions headed into a closed-door discussion with leaders of the organization because of President Trump's comments last week to law enforcement officers in Long Island.

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PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I said, please don't be too nice. Like, when you guys put somebody in the car and you're protecting their head - you know, the way you put their hand over - like, don't hit their head. And they've just killed somebody. Don't hit their head. I said you could take the hand away, OK?

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PERRY TARRANT: It was heard around the country by the very communities that we're trying to build relationships with. And I believe it had an impact.

STOKES: That's association President Perry Tarrant, speaking in a press conference after meeting with Sessions. His group confronted the attorney general about the president's off-the-cuff statement. He says it goes against what they stand for - fair and equal treatment.

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TARRANT: So we have to take this opportunity to underscore the value of civil rights and the requirement of all law enforcement to behave professionally and protect everyone's civil rights, whether they're in custody¹⁰ or not.

STOKES: A Department of Justice spokesperson wouldn't comment about the closed-door meeting. The White House has said the president's remark was a joke. But Tarrant says the attorney general was receptive to his group's concerns. And members of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives say they're open to working with the Trump administration, so long as it treats all people in the correct way. For NPR News, I'm Stephannie Stokes in Atlanta.