Police work to heal wounds

Associated Press

BALTIMORE

A year after the death of Freddie Gray, a small part of his legacy can be seen at a southwest Baltimore recreation center, where the pounding of basketballs and squeak of sneakers echo off the walls as young black men in shorts and sweats face off.

Ken Hurst, a white policeman, watches from the side, a bum knee the only thing that keeps him from playing. He visits the game each week, not to make arrests but to make friends. “I need them to realize I’m not out here to lock everyone up,” he says. “I’m here to rebuild trust.”

Seldom in the city’s history has that trust been so tenuous: Gray, a 25-year-old black man from West Baltimore, died after his neck was broken April 12 in the back of a police van.

Protests erupted and long-simmering tensions between the police and residents exploded into the worst riots and looting in more than four decades. The U.S. Department of Justice announced an investigation into allegations of unlawful arrests and excessive force.

In Baltimore and beyond, Gray’s name became a rallying cry, representative of black men’s mistreatment by police officers, and of the Baltimore department’s own failings.

Police commissioner Anthony Batts was fired. His deputy – and replacement – Kevin Davis – promised to repair a relationship with the community that was so strained some say it’s safer to run from police than take a chance on interacting with them. While some in the community remain skeptical, others say there has been progress.