Black Law Enforcement Addresses the Senseless Killing of Robert Brooks

We may only hope that the individuals responsible for this heinous atrocity will be speedily brought to the halls of justice.

First, and foremost, the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers, Inc. (NABLEO) wishes to extend its warm and heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Robert Brooks, who was severely and tortuously beaten and killed during an interaction with no less than thirteen New York State Corrections Officers on December 10, 2024. While no amount of goodwill and best wishes can mitigate the hurt and remorse that you must now bear, we hope you will take solace in the knowledge and belief that, as an organization “In the community & FOR THE COMMUNITY,” we are here should you need us.

Throughout the United States, police use of deadly force, acts of misconduct, and abuse have now seemingly grown to epidemic proportions. And the community outcry surrounding the death of Robert Brooks at the hands of a group of white Corrections Officers has caused yet another rift in the fragile relationship between those in the law enforcement profession and the communities of color they are sworn to protect and serve.

As a body of professional law enforcement and criminal justice practitioners, we must unilaterally voice our disdain and outrage at the actions of these officers whose singular duty was to serve and protect. And it matters not whether the population they were responsible for were incarcerated prisoners, regardless of the charges that brought them under their control.

The released bodycam video clearly and definitively indicates that Brooks was not in a position which would tend to make one feel or believe their safety was being threatened. Indeed, what the video clearly shows is Mr. Brooks being violently beaten by a group of officers whose sole and exclusive job was to keep him safe.

As law enforcement officers, we recognize the distrust that is so often felt towards those whose job it is to protect the community. Yet it has become exceedingly clear that the relationships between police and the Black community have arrived at a critical crossroad and that a reckoning must now take place.

For centuries, American law enforcement has been interwoven with slavery and segregation, and those memories cannot be easily erased. But no longer can it be claimed that these incidents are mere anomalies that rarely take place and are being taken out of context. No longer can we allow these incidents to occur without the leaders of our communities keeping us informed of the investigations every step of the way, ensuring transparency and accountability. No longer can we disregard the disproportional deaths of Black lives at the hands of those whose duty it is to protect.

We may only hope that the individuals responsible for this heinous atrocity will be speedily brought to the halls of justice, and that they will be held fully accountable for their actions. And just as well, we must trust that Robert’s family and community may find solace in knowing that there are, indeed, those who are entrusted with their safety and take our responsibilities seriously.