In the Blackseat
In the Blackseat
S3E4 | In the Blackseat | Black in Law Enforcement, Chief Cecil Rhambo
Modern day policing traces all the way back to slave patrols, and presents communities - especially Black ones - with issues to this day. I have wrestled with unlearning and learning about law enforcement, and have been intent on sitting down with a Black LEO.
I couldn't have imagined the first person who fit that bill would also be running for Sheriff of Los Angeles County! Meet Cecil Rhambo, who has thrown his hat in the ring for this very prominent and controversial position (as of the launch of this episode, there are just six days until the primary.)
We talked about everything from the possibility of actual reform, his reasons behind testifying against Lee Baca (in a case where eleven people ended up convicted), his views on why there is tension between police and the Black community, and of course - his definition of Blackness and his Black hero. Let's go!