Opinion: Our children deserve more, in the quest to end violence
One child being shot or killed is one too many, but what is happening in America is incomprehensible. Since I joined the Detroit Police Department in 1965, I have seen more than my share of young people shot or killed for various reasons, and none makes any sense.
I have had discussions with law enforcement officers across our country and they all share the same exasperation.
The Washington Post recently reported that “in America, a child is shot every hour.”
According to CBS News, in 2021, more than 1,165 American teens and children were shot.
Children killed or wounded in drive by shootings or in-home accidents are headlines that are far too common.
So often we see grieving parents in the media sobbing at the loss of their child, saying, “My child didn’t deserve this.”
They are right. No child or family deserves this.
I have attended funerals to honor young victims and mourned with family members who question why their child had to die.
This problem is not specific to any city, county or state, nor is it a law enforcement problem that can be easily solved.
There is no one answer for this great number of tragedies, but very simply put, this epidemic has to stop, and we all must get involved, immediately.
Our children are growing up in undeclared war zones that will impact them, and possibly their offspring, for the rest of their lives. The 366 days I spent in Vietnam were mild in comparison to what some of our children experience on a daily basis.
All adults must become more proactive in protecting and educating our children. This starts with more parental responsibility everyday, all day. We use and overuse the expression, “It takes a village to raise a child." But we need to think about what it really means.
The village has to assume more responsibility in our efforts, and cannot be upset when a child is corrected. Parents can start by asking what can they do to help, and what needs to change to make things better and safer for their children.
As a community we must advocate for the assimilation of mental health professionals into the family structure and schools from a very young age, to help children and their parents understand the need for guidance on how to effectively channel their anger.
Individually, we can assist in identifying neighbor organizations — whether religious, civic or professional — that can offer support and education.
For instance, there is TRAILS (Transforming Research Action to improve the Lives of Students), a program developed by clinical scientists at Michigan Medicine. TRAILS is designed to train educators and student support personnel to implement multi-tiered, behavioral health programs. This includes social and emotional learning in the classroom, early intervention and identification of those experiencing mental health problems.
Finally, adults must set positive examples so that their children are not led by hypocritical voices and actions.
We must stay mission driven, because one committed person at a time can change the world.
Our children’s lives depend on it.
Isaiah McKinnon is the chief operating officer of City Shield Security, who previously served as chief of the Detroit Police Department, deputy mayor of Detroit and as a professor at University of Detroit Mercy.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Opinion: Our children deserve more, in the quest to end violence
