The Winston-Salem Journal editorializes on diversity —–or rather lack thereof ——within the Kernersville Police Department:
Given the recruiting difficulties inherent in a small police department, it’s true that building a force that reflects the population, as Chief Gamble would like to do, is difficult. Other small towns in our state face the same problem. But is it impossible for Kernersville to recruit a few, or even one, black officer?
That seems to be the real point of contention. It’s not about the quality and dedication of the officers currently on the force. A department of 65 without a single black officer makes a statement. That statement, accurate or not, is: We simply don’t care about diversity. That perception will undermine the community’s confidence in the department, and ultimately its effectiveness.
The editorial follows up Forsyth County Commissioner Walter Marshall’s objection to WSFCS contracting with K’ville to provide school resource officers because there are no blacks on the force.
