Then, the death of a young black man in police custody prompted sustained, but peaceful, protests in Milwaukee. That, in turn, spurred the state Legislature to pass laws curbing the amazing powers of the police chief, who previously had reigned for life, answerable to no one. In Cincinnati, City Hall is in a straitjacket when it comes to choosing a chief. By local law, the top cop must hail from the ranks. Cincinnati's City Council should give itself that flexibility.
Rioting deserves condemnation, no question about it.
In such circumstances, the black rage that exploded last week is only an incident away. Appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on April 20, 2001. Journal Sentinel Inc. All rights reserved.