Racism, 911 and the Central Park Bird Watcher

Attention has been rightly focused on the death of George Floyd. But this has taken attention away from what happened in New York’s Central Park a few weeks ago, when a White woman threatened to call the police on an African American bird watcher.

A few weekends ago an African American bird watcher requested a White woman comply with the law and leash her dog.  Instead of doing so she threatened to call the police on the bird watcher and report that a Black man was threatening her life. She eventually called 911, making it seem as if she was actively being attacked. 

What happened in Central Park isn’t as dramatic as watching someone being slowly killed.  But in many ways its more insidious and yes, dangerous.  The police can only respond to the information they are provided.  One way to reduce police violence is to reduce the racism at the start of the process.  And that means prosecuting those people who lie on 911 calls.