Don’t Be So Quick to Trust the Chicago Police Department
February 19, 2019This weekend, when the Chicago Police Department released information suggesting that Empire actor Jussie Smollett helped stage an alleged racist and homophobic violent attack on Jan. 29, the general public and many initial supporters denounced the actor. Despite whether or not these claims are true, others — particularly those who have had firsthand experience with the notorious police department — believe that we shouldn’t be too quick to trust the information that they’re releasing.
One such person is Charlene Carruthers, a subject of our March cover story, a longtime community organizer in Chicago, and author of Unapologetic: A Black, Queer, and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements. In this interview with Out, she shares her personal experiences with the CPD, why our communities need solutions to violence and harm that don’t revolve around policing, and how the conflicting reports are impacting the local community.