John Singleton on Police Violence: ‘It Goes All the Way Back to Slavery’

PBS’ upcoming documentary “The Talk” explores the conversations that happen in African-American families about police violence. Filmmaker John Singleton, one of the subjects interviewed in that documentary, sees slavery’s legacy in the way that parents often encourage their children to adopt a submissive attitude toward law enforcement.

“I’m not saying being confrontational,” Singleton said Thursday at the Television Critics Association press tour. “I’m just saying just asking questions of the people who are supposed to be protecting you and serving the community. But you can’t even ask them questions. That’s inherent, systemic racism to me. Becaase it goes all the way back to slavery for me, of a whole system trying to control black men. If a white man says something, he’s always right. Never question a white man.”

Trevena Garel, an African American and retired NYPD sergeant who said that she has had the talk with her own children, responded to Singleton, saying, “It’s wrong, but I want them to come home.”

Singleton and Garel were joined on the panel by Samaria Rice, the mother of Tamir Rice, the 12-year-old boy shot by police officers in Cleveland in 2014 while carrying a toy gun.

“The conversation that needs to be held in America is about racism,” Rice said. “It can be uncomfortable.” She added, “It needs to happen or America is just going to crumble right in front of your eyes.”

Garel was among those on the panel, along with Rice, who called for greater police accountability in instances of unnecessary violence against citizens.

“We have to hold these officers who have overstepped these bounds accountable for what they’ve don,” she said. She also encouraged more widespread use of police body cameras. “If you’re a police officer who’s doing their job, you don’t have to fear the body cameras. You only have to fear it if you’re doing something you shouldn’t be.”

Sam Pollard, who directed the film, added that simply employing body cameras is not enough.

“After we see these horrible images from theses body cams, justice has to be done to these officers who are committing crimes,” he said.

“The Talk” is slated to premiere on PBS in 2017.

Related stories

'King Charles III' Adaptation to Air on Masterpiece

Lin-Manuel Miranda to Host PBS Arts Fall Festival, Featuring 'Hamilton' Special

PBS Chief Paula Kerger Talks 'Sesame Street' Changes, Spectrum Auction

Get more from Variety and Variety411: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter