EDITORIAL: Policing: Racial disparities in arrests call for action

May 17—A recent Free Press in-depth report that was more troubling than surprising, showed African Americans in Mankato, North Mankato and St. Peter were arrested at rates higher than whites when measured against population.

The good news is that police and political leaders seem ready, willing and able to improve upon the disparities. The bad news may be the data collection is somewhat inconsistent and creates a bit of roadblock for change.

According to Mankato police records for 2020, arrests of Black people were 26 percent of all arrests, while the Black population is just 6 percent. For North Mankato in a period from last July through April, arrests of Black people made up 20 percent of all arrests while Blacks make up just 4 percent of North Mankato's population. In St. Peter, police records for 2019 show Blacks made up 17 percent of all arrests, while the Black population is just 3 percent.

The area cities appear to have wider disparities than the national average where 26 percent of arrests were Black suspects while the Black population in the U.S. is 13 percent.

We believe these disparities must be overcome. The cities say they all are or will begin collecting data on police stops, arrests and use of force by race. A new federal crime tracking system will require all departments to collect more information on race.

The first step in rectifying this discrimination calls for being aware of its existence. These cities have taken that first step, and we encourage all law enforcement agencies to comply with new required federal reporting standards.

It's not unreasonable to posit that we all have implicit biases and have views on race shaped from our own experiences. It's fair to say in a state like Minnesota with a low minority population, white people's experiences with people of color would be limited. And because most police forces are just as white or whiter than the population, it's fair to say police officers also carry implicit biases.

The Minnesota State University law enforcement program recognizes this and will be teaching its students about cultural competence and implicit bias in a recently modified curriculum.

We're encouraged to see the Mankato public safety department embrace changes and considering more transparency in a heightened accountability standard for its officers when it comes to complaints. Giving its public safety advisory committee more real power would also help. And St. Peter and North Mankato would serve their communities well by establishing public safety committees or police commissions.

Mankato Public Safety Director Amy Vokal makes an important point when she argues police are just one part of a larger problem of race disparities in the United States. Disparities in housing, employment and education factor into how disparities manifest themselves in a law enforcement encounter.

Still, fair or not, police are at the apex of the public safety environment, and with that power comes great responsibility.

Police departments, their governing authorities and engaged citizens must work together to clearly determine the disparities, implement new policies to eliminate discrimination and do it on an urgent timetable.