As news spread across the nation of white South Carolina police officer Michael T. Slager killing unarmed African-American Walter L. Scott in cold blood, Virginia Union University Police Chief Carlton Edwards was leading a public safety forum Tuesday between Richmond area law enforcement officials and about 40 students on the VUU campus.

“We have so many adverse situations going on now between black males and police,” Chief Edwards told a Free Press reporter prior to the forum. “These are isolated incidents. However, we need forums like these so we can heal our community.”

Chief Edwards moderated the eight- member panel that included Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Michael Herring, Richmond General District Court Judge Eugene Cheek and Richmond Police Deputy Chief Eric English.

The theme of the forum: “You have the right to remain silent ... and what else.” Discussions ranged from what determines when police use excessive force to how students should respond when pulled over during a traffic stop to how to

file complaints against the police. Forum organizers, 7 The Women’s Council, a student group dedicated to educating and uplifting students and the surrounding community, also handed out fliers with detailed information published in the Dec. 11-13 edition of the Free Press on what to do if you are stopped

by police.

Several students said they have experienced overly aggressive behavior by police.

“I’m from Brooklyn, and I’ve (had bright lights shined in my) face and the officer’s body language was trying to intimidate me,” said VUU sophomore Dean Wallace. “Some officers don’t understand the culture of the teenagers in my neighborhood.”

Senior La’TeShia Blakely said she was racially profiled when an officer asked her why she drove a particular car and why she was in the neighborhood.

“That set the tone right there for what he was thinking,” she said.

Deputy Chief English responded, “That shouldn’t be the protocol. We need to keep it professional.”

Mr. Herring said police departments, courts and legislators are becoming increasingly aware of the disparate treatment of African-Americans and other people of color in the judicial system and are working to fix the problem.

He encouraged the students to “help us drill down and figure out why the system is flawed.”

Chief Edwards encouraged citizens to file complaints against the police if they feel they are warranted.

“The only way we’ll know the bad apples is if you guys report them to us,” Chief Edwards said.