Black-led group NOBLE works to bridge gap with community, law enforcement

DETROIT (FOX 2) - As Tyre Nichols is laid to rest today in Memphis, the fight for improved police reform continues. Numerous organizations and police departments have condemned the video of Memphis officers beating him to death — including the Black-led organization "NOBLE."

If the arrest and conviction of the ex-police officers who killed George Floyd in Minneapolis was a step forward, then, the Memphis officers who beat Tyre Nichols to death, is two steps back.

"What happened to Mr. Nichols should never have happened," said Brenda Goss Andrews. "It should never happen to any citizen in the United States.

"It does bring into question some of the tactics and some of the hard-fought gains we have had in the Black community."

Andrews is president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.  It is one of several Black-led groups on the frontline pushing for more police reform — and more fair treatment of African-Americans.

FOX 2: "What can organizations like NOBLE do to make sure we hold the right people accountable?"

"NOBLE has been at the forefront of this, since our inception back in 1976 in Washington, DC," she said. "NOBLE continuously meets with legislators on the federal level, on the state, on the local level, to talk about these issues. We have programs, like the law in your community, which works with young people to show them how to interact with police."

Just like in Memphis, protests for Tyre Nichols were held in Detroit. Both are cities with a predominantly Black majority and have noted struggles with policing in communities of color.

NOBLE works to bridge the gap between the community and law enforcement.  The organization works with youth in the community — asking what needs to improve.

"They tell us that all they want is to be treated fairly,"  Andrews said. "They want to have open and honest dialogue that we’ve had at some of our forums with youth."

Some of what President Brenda Goss Andrews teaches through NOBLE, she learned during her near 30-year career at the Detroit Police Department. She worked her way up from beat cop to deputy chief.

Andrews says if you don’t like how policing is done in your department, now is the best time to join your local department to make change happen. We know agencies like DPD are hiring.