The shooting of an unarmed man near St. Louis — and the aftermath that has ensued — offers Kansas City broader lessons tied to law enforcement and media coverage.
That’s according to people who responded to our question of the week on the air and via social media: What can Kansas City learn from events in Ferguson?
“Our police force doesn’t need to arm itself like this is Iraq,” Kansas Citian @OfficialMKoussa answers on Twitter.
On Facebook, Rebecca Glenn shares a common sentiment from people who answered the question: “The police should know their community, connect with it.”
But this week's dialogue quickly turned to criticism of the press.
“Do what the police say. Get off the street,” Virginia McLaury tells us in an email.
On Facebook, Laura Remy added, “There is no good way to report on the death of a young man, but the reporting should be unbiased and fair.”
Kansas Citians also shared general community lessons from Ferguson, Mo.
Chase Peeples, a minister at Country Club Congregational United Church of Christ in Kansas City, Mo., tweeted that “police should learn from #Ferguson (that) local clergy are essential for peace reconciliation & mediation btw citizens & police.”
Amber Bookertweeted that she hoped the tragic incident in Ferguson would “inspire KC to respect each other no matter race or origin.”
See highlights from the Tell KCUR Twitter conversation below. For the full Twitter stream, follow the #TellKCUR hashtag or see other responses on our Facebook page.
Tell KCUR is part of an initiative to engage the community and shine a light on your experiences and opinions. We’ll ask a new question every week and then share your feedback on the air and online. Everyone has knowledge and insight to share. Be a source for KCUR and let us know more about your expertise.
