Dear Future President,

Recently, the police force of the United States has seen a rise in popularity, but not in a good way. In 2016, according to The Guardian, 855 people have been shot and killed by police officers. Out of these figures, 197 were of African American descent, sparking the highest death rates of all races in the United States. With a media frenzy, and tons of video evidence, our police force has been put under the spotlight by hundreds and thousands of people who want to know why these killings are taking place, when they could be avoided.

I strongly believe the next President should consider reform. It is very obvious our police now need different training, and less lethal ways to deal with people. Hundreds of lives have been taken out of inexperience, lack of understanding, and in some cases blatant racism. In the shooting of Keith Scott, an African American male who had been reportedly waiting for his son to be dropped off by the bus, was shot and killed. The cop that shot him, unidentified, was not on trial. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg police had released the tape of the shooting.

For somebody to judge solely off skin color is what truly frightens me. How can we trust somebody to protect and serve if they have an idea of what lives matter more? As a police officer, it is their duty to protect and serve everyone. This is why I believe we, as a nation, need to stand together in times like these and prevail over issues that should have been gone a long time ago.

The amount of training to become a cop is limited, and the standards are not too high. For example, to be considered an active duty cop carrying a weapon, a 19 week course is required in the police academy. And at least a high school diploma is required. I think that before a person can decide to take a life, they should have at least a two year college diploma at a community or university level education.

So, next president, whoever you may be, please pay attention to this crisis. As a nation, we are suffering, and it must be addressed. Our population is afraid to trust in those who are here to protect us, and that is what truly scares me. For example, when I was in 8th grade, the curfew in Camarillo was 10:00 and I was two blocks away from my friend's house when the clock struck 10:01. The officer told us to get into his car and wrote for a misdemeanor. He then talked to another officer for 15 minutes and drove us home. I could see my friend's house from the car but the officer refused to listen and ignored us, which angered me. I firmly believe there is an issue with law enforcement that must be addressed.

Sincerely,

Arthur Sefayan