Lynch: Sandra Bland case highlights concerns of black community

Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in an interview broadcast Sunday that the case of a woman who died in a Texas jail cell three days after a traffic stop highlights concerns in the black community about police professionalism and courtesy.

{mosads}“I do think that what has been an important part of the debate in Miss Bland’s death has been the discussions that we’ve seen from community members and police leaders alike about the importance of training in de-escalating incidents,” Lynch said on ABC’s “This Week.”

“I think that it highlights the concern of many in the black community that a routine stop for many of the members of the black community, is not handled with the same professionalism and courtesy that other people may get from the police,” she added.

Authorities have said Sandra Bland hanged herself after she was pulled over by police for failing to signal a lane change.

Dashcam video showed a confrontation between Bland and the police officer before her arrest. But Bland’s family has questioned why she would commit suicide, noting she had just moved from Chicago to Houston to start a new job.

Lynch said on Sunday that many police departments “also feel frustrated.”

“I think they feel that they get the scrutiny and they get the complaints and the criticism and they don’t get the support,” she said. “And I think if it’s a very, very important voice in this debate.”