St. Louis and Baltimore have been the epicenters of the Black Lives Matter movement over the past decade. In August 2014, Michael Brown, an 18-year-old Black man, was shot and killed by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri—a suburb outside of St. Louis. In April 2015, Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old Black man, died in the hospital after being arrested and injured during transport by Baltimore police officers. Both names became infamous hashtags that people posted on social media as their deaths became a rallying call for the Black Lives Matter movement. Following their deaths, police officers involved were not convicted, but both cities were placed under consent decrees—leading to the Department of Justice having federal oversight and mandating that the cities enact substantial police reforms.
Gilbert and Ray noted how the deaths of Brown and Gray represented Black men killed with impunity by police. Research shows that one in 1,000 Black men can expect to be killed by police. It should also be noted that these disparities persist across social class lines and even when Black men are unarmed and not attacking at the time of their deaths. Research led by Ali Sewell found that police killings also “spill over” to negatively impact the health of individuals living in neighborhoods with more police violence. The sites of police killings trigger certain traumas and collective memories, forcing community members to relive the violence.
In addition to experiencing police violence firsthand or secondhand, there is also a health effect from being inundated with publicized images and videos of police violence. For Black people who view videos of police violence, they report worse mental health conditions. This poses a dilemma, as videos recorded on mobile phones by community members have brought greater attention to police brutality, sparked international protests, and prompted police reform efforts at local and state levels.
We conducted interviews with 20 stakeholders in St. Louis and Baltimore, exploring critical issues such as community health, public safety, police reform, and the enduring impact of protests. Our participants included elected officials, police officers, and community activists, each offering valuable perspectives. In this piece, we focus on how these leaders define community health, uncovering profound insights into how cities navigate the aftermath of police violence and the essential steps needed to rebuild thriving communities. Below, we share key reflections from these interviews.
Leaders in both cities defined community health holistically, as encompassing access to resources, autonomy, and equity across various social institutions.
Achieving equity in community health and public safety is arduous and requires committed members from the community and public safety agencies to build the social ties and social institutions that can promote humanity, dignity, and a sense of well-being. The treadmill this participant highlights speaks to how stakeholders realize that police reform is a marathon and not a sprint. There are pains along the way that make finishing the race of police reform and racial equity seem unachievable. For the leaders we interviewed in St. Louis and Baltimore, they keep running the race to try and better their communities one policy and one person at a time.
Join our “Examining police reform in Baltimore and St. Louis” webinar on Thursday, December 5, 2024 at 1:00 PM EDT.