Racial profiling builds 'false sense of security,' Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton tells law students
Racial profiling “builds a false sense of security,” doesn't effectively fight crime and threatens fragile relationships between police officers and community members, Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton said today.
Officers should respond to suspicious behavior, but not race, ethnicity or nationality, Clayton said.
“We can focus on what we think are the terrorists, but I guarantee you the people trying to do us harm will vary their strategy,” Clayton said.
Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton
Clayton, who has worked as a consultant to police on racial profiling issues, was the featured speaker at the Martin Luther King Day celebration at Thomas M. Cooley Law School’s Ann Arbor campus.
The Black Law Students Association and Student Bar Association sponsored the event, which was attended by more than 100 people.
After his talk, Clayton continued the discussion on a panel that included 14A District Judge J. Cedric Simpson, Assistant Dean Daniel Ray and Washtenaw County Senior Assistant Public Defender Sheila Blakney.
Carolyn Muhammad, 29, of Chicago, a student at the school, told the panel her four brothers have been victims of racial profiling.
“It erodes the fabric of the faith we have in the criminal justice system,” she said.
Judge Simpson said people shouldn't let racial profiling get to them. Simpson, who is black, told a story about how a police officer stopped him years ago because of the color of his skin.
Simpson, who was a young attorney at the time, said he was subjected to needless questioning and was kept much longer than necessary. While he was angry at what occurred, Simpson didn’t let it “define” him, he said.
“You respond appropriately and you don’t let it worry you too much,” he said.
Attorney Blakney suggested filing a complaint with police when racial profiling occurs. If people don’t file formal complaints, police departments can claim racial profiling isn’t a problem, she said.
Muhammad, the student whose brothers were profiled, said after the meeting she agreed with Simpson and Blakney.
“It does come down to how you respond,” she said. “Being racially profiled, it hurts the psyche…You begin to act as people perceive you.”
When you don’t file a complaint, Muhammad said, “You become a part of the problem.”
Assistant Dean Ray, who also is a constitutional law professor, said "we all know on a fundamental level" racial profiling is wrong. If the government decides to profile one race today, it could decide to profile another tomorrow, he said.
"No one is safe from profiling," he said.
Beauty Ikeri, 26, of Detroit, who is the president of the Black Law Students Association, said it was a much-needed discussion.
“It shows we’ve come a long way, but we’ve still got a long way to go.”
Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at (734) 623-2527 or by email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.
Comments
Jake C
Fri, Jan 22, 2010 : 1:45 a.m.
Ahh yes, because nothing matters in America except for results, and the ends justify the means, right? Our military could save a lot of time and money and get great results by just executing every suspected enemy combatant and terrorist we find on enemy soil. We could win the War on Terror in a matter of minutes by firing off 1% of our nuclear stockpile, and turning a few select regions into glass parking lots that would never bother us again. And we could lock up every young black male that lives within the city limits of Detroit and Flint and solve half of our state's crime problem, while making thousands of new jobs in the prison industry! Because that's what racial profiling means when taken to its logical conclusion.. People who are on the front lines of law enforcement are telling us that it's more efficient and you get better results when you try to solve a case based on evidence and good ol' fashioned police work, instead of rounding up everyone who fits a vague description and alienating the community you're supposed to be protecting.. And racial profiling doesn't just affect black people or latinos, try being a white person driving through the 'wrong' parts of Detroit while obeying all traffic laws, and being stopped by a police officer who asks you "What are you doing in this part of town? You have no business being here. Better get back on the highway and head back to where you came from..."
alex
Wed, Jan 20, 2010 : 3:30 p.m.
its also produces results
Danny
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 8:18 p.m.
Yes racial profiling is still happening and always will! As long as human beings run the show their will be hate, greed, war and all the things we dislike. On the other hand if you can show me a better system anywhere in the World today, I'm packing my bags! With respect to racial profiling while screening for terrorists, I think Jerry Clayton is dead wrong. It just so happens that most terrorists today are Middle Eastern males between the ages of 18 and 45. So if I concentrate on that profile SO WHAT! If that makes me a racist, then I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion. The profile may change tomorrow, however I know where most of my effort will be spent today. Ask the soldiers returning from Iraq and or Afganistan who they concentrate on at road blocks and check points. Blond blue eyed journalists or middle eastern males? I guess they are racists too. With respect to African Americans. I think we as a country have come light years from where we were 30 years ago! Ask president Obama. I voted for him because I thought he was the best candidate. Not because he was part black or part white. My ancesters came from Greece and Middle East and I refer to myself as an American. Period! LOVE THE USA! Look what AFRICAN AMERICANS in the USA have compared to others of their race around the world! LOVE THE USA!!!! I'M not going anywhere!
jcj
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 6:57 p.m.
I guess I will have to start making copies of what I post since there does not seem to be an open forum here with regard to other points of view! The point I had tried to make about profiling was that while I do not think we should be stopping every Muslim or Indian or Biker on the assumption that they might have committed a crime. What I do believe is that if a skunk is tearing up lawns in my neighborhood I am not going to set a trap for Blue birds! If we are trying to stop white collar crime we don't start dragging in the local art teacher for questioning! If there is evidence that a certain type on individual has committed a crime we look for that type of individual. Hopefully this is not to strong a statement for the moderator.
Atticus F.
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 4:53 p.m.
umich2008, you mentioned that the republican party was the party of abolitionist. But that all changed when democrats signed the civil rights act. You also might want to note that famous racist Strom Therman, actually switched to the republican party around this time because they(republicans) were more in line with his segragationist views.
KeepingItReal
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 3:55 p.m.
When I read this article, I thought the assembled panel was talking about profiling as it relates to our community in Washtenaw County not global terriorism. It is interesting however, that from all of the responses generated in this post, the only panelist that many of the bloggers took exception to was Sheriff Clayton. What about Judge Simpson comments that African Americans should not let "profiling get them" or "define" them when they have been stopped based on a profile, or Blakney's comment that one should file a complaint. First of all Judge Simpson, you obviously have not been stopped on numerous occasions because of your skin color or when a bank robbery occurred in an area where your were having dinner with your family and because the perpertrator(s)was a black male and you are a black male you are automatically stopped and questioned in the presence of your family even when witnesses are telling the police that you had nothing to do with the robbery and the police simply ignored those witnesses. Ms. Blakney, who do you suggest we file a complaint with? The Police, the Public Defender, the ACLU, NAACP, Jack & Jill or the LINKS? Profiling is a very serious issue that many young African American males have become so accustomed to dealing that it does not "get to them" but yet it does define them whether they want it to or not. They are most apt to be picked up and taken to jail; they are most apt to be charged with an offense; they are most apt to because of limited financial resources cop a deal that will label them in a criminal manner. I would hope that if whoever assembled this panel from UM, that in the future you give careful thought to involving some real folk who can share reality with the audience.
comm.man3000
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 3:31 p.m.
Who are you people? This sounds like it was a terrific forum, with a good cross section of opinions and ideas on a subject that has been given too little attention in this County. The study on racial profiling that was done during Minzey's administration received minimal notice from local media - and even less from Minzey. We are lucky to have Jerry Clayton, very lucky.
bedrog
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 1:30 p.m.
atticus...that's not what im saying at all.what i am saying is that profiling, while properly looking most closely ( but not exclusively) at that population statistically most associated with the offenses of concern, does not automatically lead to anything other than the looking...if a person is wrongly flagged/penalized of course all their constitional rights are in force. non citizens "of profiling interest', however, especially when coming from abroad,arent entitled to those rights automatically in my view in these particular times/circumstances... apropos of all this a n.y times story on sun talked about how the french govt. is thinking of banning the full 'purdah' islamic veil, since its a stylistic "gateway statement " to extremism... you may not agree with this...i sort of do in the age of al qaeda/taliban/hamas/ ahmadineajad, in the same way that if i saw someone in a white sheet and pointy hood i might be forgiven for assuming certain things about their politics, even tho they were only on their way to a costume party ( and by the way, one of the british royals recently rightly got alot of heat for wearing a nazi uniform in similar circumstances!).
Atticus F.
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 12:54 p.m.
bedrog, the problem I have with your statement is this; It sounds like your saying 'since a high number of murders are commited by African Americans, it's ok to assume that ALL African Americans are murderers' or 'since a high number of terrorist acts are commited by muslims, it's ok to assume that all muslims are terrorist'...And this is being said without any concern for these peoples constitutional rights.
Macabre Sunset
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 12:51 p.m.
My point, Atticus, is that I feel I'm not a racist. In fact, I've made one hiring decision in the last few years, had my choice of dozens of qualified people, and chose a black man because he seemed the best candidate (I think I was right, too). Skin color doesn't factor into my decisions. Yet I'm essentially profiled as racist because of my own skin color. My country, which I'm proud to call home, is smeared as "Amerikkka" by many of its residents. Why should I have to pay for the sins of a tiny minority of idiots? I don't even share their religion (the KKK considers itself a Christian group) and I certainly don't share their belief system. Maybe if people didn't approach every interaction with a white person expecting racism, they wouldn't attribute every failure to racism. Life is tough. I don't always get what I want, either. I can't imagine how angry I'd be if I attributed every personal failure to someone else. Take responsibility for your own life, and you'll be amazed at your own success.
Matt Cooper
Wed, Jun 20, 2012 : 10:22 p.m.
"My point, Atticus, is that I feel I'm not a racist". And yet in an earlier post you seemed to imply that racial profiling doesn't exist, and that protections against it aren't needed. "Skin color doesn't factor into my decisions." Apparantly it does if you remember that you've hired only one black person. "Take responsibility for your own life, and you'll be amazed at your own success." Nice to think that way, especially when you aren't on the receiving end of a society that's totally stacked against you. Two examples: Our educational system is slanted against blacks in a great many school districts. I don't hear you complaining about that. Secondly, if racial profiling doesn't exist, and the tables are all perfectly level and it's all about personal responsibility, then why is the death penalty levied against black offenders nearly 4 times (and that's an extremely conservative estimate) against blacks as it is against white for the same types of crime (if a white man rapes and kills a white woman he gets 30 years to life. If a black man rapes and kills a white woman, he gets death)? Why does the number of black prison inmates vastly outnumber the white inmates in every state? Sometimes you gotta open your eyes, stop peering out from rose colored glasses and see reality.
Umich2008
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 12:51 p.m.
Atticus, I am not saying racism is gone. I am glad you qualified your statement about a vote for McCain. I just wonder if you think all those good 'ole white folk who voted for Obama can't be racist. After all, it is the Democratic party who enslaved the black race. The GOP was the party of abolishment. But my point about McVeigh is he was picked up for traffic violation right? i wasn't trying to downplay the investigation into the bombing. My point was that had he not been picked up prior to an indepth investigation into who actually did the terror bombing, profiling would have and should have been a viable method. Why would they look at black women or Japanese men if they knew the suspect to be white. I don't see how you can do investigation without profiling. We see first, right?
bedrog
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 12:33 p.m.
most, if not all "social science' is based on "profiling"...i.e. making generalizations based on samples/examples/empirical cases statistically far smaller than the total universe you're trying to understand.... let's stop being so damned precious,pious and "p.c." ( as opposed to simply "c") about it and recognize that ethinicity is one variable among many that may indeed be relevant in cases from pickpocketry to full-blown terrorism, whether islamist or otherwise..
Atticus F.
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 12:31 p.m.
The FBI did a massive investigation to find the people who bombed Oklahoma City...To suggest that it was simply "dumb luck" lacks any thought or understanding, and is a foolish statement. And to the people that say "since Obama was elected, that means the USA doesn't have a racist bone in it's body"...let me remind you that many people didn't vote for Obama, so who's to say there aren't racist among the people who voted against him (not to suggest that a vote for Mccain was made out of racism). Do we still have a KKK in this country? Yes, so please dont act like this country has been purged of all racism.
Atticus F.
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 12:19 p.m.
To all of these people who say "profiling works"... What happens when they recruit someone with white skin to blow up a building?...At that point you can kiss all of YOUR rights goodbye also, as you already would have signed away all you rights based on your ignorance and predjudice towards others..
Umich2008
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 11:45 a.m.
aries, Timothy McVeigh was a terrorist. Had he not been arrested on dumb luck, profiling would have been a good resource. Why look for men of color when your suspect is white? That would be stupid. Let me ask you this question genius, aries. When the FBI knows a crime is committed by the KKK, do they go to the inner cities looking for suspects? We have to use common sense. Profiling for the sake of profiling is stupid. But when you have a description of people who have done harm or is trying to, what good is it to target people who don't match the description. that was my point and you know it.
Macabre Sunset
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 11:44 a.m.
Clayton sounds hopelessly confused and this "celebration" sounds like a self-described victim convention. Why can't we just treat people the same, regardless of race? Why do minority people assume that whenever they are questioned by police, it's because of their skin color? You'd think in a country that just elected a black president, we'd get a tiny, tiny benefit of the doubt. The only racism I've seen in the last decade or so comes from groups like this. Here we are, trying to treat everyone as individuals, and we find that others are being encouraged to file racially-charged complaints whenever they don't get their way. As for terrorism, which is a completely separate discussion. What we're fighting these days starts in radical mosques. If people are being profiled because of their names or how they dress, that's a huge waste of time and an affront to what we stand for as Americans. There has to be an attempt to identify these mosques and list members (as the FBI does here). People traveling from countries unable to do this should be subject to additional searches.
Matt Cooper
Wed, Jun 20, 2012 : 10:13 p.m.
Perhaps if you actually studies the stastics and knew the facts your opinion might be differnet. Of maybe if you were on the receiving ed of racial profiling that might make a difference. "The only racism I've seen in the last decade or so comes from groups like this". So, because you haven't seen it, it must not exist? Right? Of course you've heard about the New Jersey Beltway and about the cops that were arrested and convicted of charges of racial profiling just a few years ago, right? And of course you've also heard about all the controversy about New York city's "stop and frisk" policies that are consistently used primarily against blacks, right? So when you suggest that racial profiling doesn't exist, and that measures to protect against it aren't necessary, I would suggest you do a little research and learn the truth.
Top Cat
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 10:58 a.m.
"Terrorists are criminals"??? Criminals do not fly planes into buildings or attempt to blow up airplanes in flight. This comment is beyond irresponsible.
bedrog
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 9:56 a.m.
the current administrations move to shift people under scrutiny from "watch lists' to 'no fly lists' is good. it would have eliminated the recent Delta flight episode...there are some folks here in town who should be candidates for one or the other, per the cover story in the dec (and upcoming) issue of the washtenaw jewish news. ( and indeed they dont fit a sterotypical ethnic profile)
Alan Benard
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 9:52 a.m.
So, it's okay to post ad hominem arguments now, and simply claim Jerry Clayton lacks appropriate law enforcement experience? When it isn't true? Oh, well then let's leave those posts up. The kind of law-enforcement ability Clayton has is what will keep us safe from terrorists. Terrorists are criminals. Militarizing our "homeland" will not make us safer, and it provides those who wish us harm with a sort of victory as our way of life and freedoms are eroded. Right wingers spent the 1950s rooting "the enemy" out by profiling a type of person prone to be a "Communist" and harassing them. The results were destructive out of all proportion to any gain in national security. Permit law enforcement professionals to take an appropriate law-enforcement approach to both local crime and crimes against the nation's security. We had eight years of the militarized alternative and it failed.
aries437
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 9:31 a.m.
@Umich2008. "Show me a blonde haired and blue eyed Islamic Fundamentalist terrorist, and i will agree with the statement that profiling doesn't work." How would you describe Timothty McVey? He was a terrorist who was not Islamic Fundementalist. How about about the KKK? I believe they were the first "terrorits" on US soil. Umich2008, you don't make a valid point.
Steve Hendel
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 9:21 a.m.
Would someone please define 'racial profiling' for me? It seems to me that the proponents and the opponents have a very different sense of what that phrase means. What exactly is it you are for (or against)?
Matt Cooper
Wed, Jun 20, 2012 : 10 p.m.
This from ACLU.org: ""Racial Profiling" refers to the discriminatory practice by law enforcement officials of targeting individuals for suspicion of crime based on the individual's race, ethnicity, religion or national origin. Criminal profiling, generally, as practiced by police, is the reliance on a group of characteristics they believe to be associated with crime. Examples of racial profiling are the use of race to determine which drivers to stop for minor traffic violations (commonly referred to as "driving while black or brown"), or the use of race to determine which pedestrians to search for illegal contraband. This from an online legal dictionary: "Police consideration of race, ethnicity, or national origin by an officer of the law in deciding when and how to intervene in an enforcement capacity."
Umich2008
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 8:57 a.m.
Show me a blonde haired and blue eyed Islamic Fundamentalist terrorist, and i will agree with the statement that profiling doesn't work. When you have a description of a suspect, you don't waste your time and resources hunting down those who don't fit that description. And non-whites aren't the only ones who get pulled over for no reason. MLK day was just yesterday. Can we finally lose the victim mentality. The nation's past sins will never go away if you can't get away from this.
Matt Cooper
Wed, Jun 20, 2012 : 9:52 p.m.
People of color might "get over it" (typical response from a white person who has no experience with being racially profiled) if and when it ever stops happening. The statistics say that racial profiling still very much exists. Simply because you haven't been on the wrong end of it doesn't mean it's not there.
bedrog
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 8:27 a.m.
@anonymous due....all very good points....but this means that profiling, rather than being abandoned, must be more subtle and embrace variables beyond physical appearance....other posters on other threads have referred to the EL AL model as one that is worth examining....and it is!
Smiley
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 8:24 a.m.
I think it's less about a sense of security (do we ever really have that?), and more about risk-reward and strategy. Where you are talking about people committing mass murder, profiling makes sense to me, but the "race" or national origin should be taken into account with the other criteria supporting suspicious behavior. I understand walker101's point, and I highly doubt mass murder factors into his facts. I think the line needs to be drawn and maintained at activities aimed at causing mass murder.
KeepingItReal
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 8:04 a.m.
Clara/Talkback: Both of you are wrong. Do your research.
talkback
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 6:51 a.m.
Correction Clara, Ronnie Peterson is the frist African American to be elected county-wide in Washtenaw County...the reminder of your comments are correct.
Jackietreehorn
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 : 3:45 a.m.
Thank you Clara. Very informative.
Anonymous Due to Bigotry
Mon, Jan 18, 2010 : 11:32 p.m.
The issue with terrorism lately is less with racial profiling than with profiling based on nationality or whether you have an "Arabic-sounding name". It's pretty obvious that the primary enemy groups using terrorist tactics have essentially Nazi-like interpretations of Islam and thus are going to tend to be associated with Islam, but Islam isn't a race. If people are going to depend on overly conservative-looking garb, Muslim-sounding names, or race then the terrorist types will just get a white guy with an American-sounding name in normal clothes who happens to be a pseudo-Islamic Nazi to smuggle a bomb onto a plane. Changing your clothes and your name is pretty easy. The 9/11 hijackers didn't exactly board aircraft wearing white robes and skullcaps.
Thick Candy Shell
Mon, Jan 18, 2010 : 11:29 p.m.
@clara, so it is clear then he has no experience with terrorists. They do not fall into his neat and clean lines. They do not care if they live or die as long as they kill Americans. We must "Stereotype" because the folks that are terrorists fit that bill. My 93 year old Polish grandma aint bomin anyone even though she is at the end of her life!
walker101
Mon, Jan 18, 2010 : 11:26 p.m.
Take a ride by yourself through Iowa Judge Simpson, racial profiling is still as prevelant today as it was 30-50 years ago, maybe even worse. I was a victim of racial profiling back of April of 2008 outside of Des Moines Iowa, being stoped twice within 30 minutes, once for speeding (66 in a 70 mph zone) and the other for not wearing a seatbelt (he claimed he and his partner seen me not wearing one as I passed them going 66 the opposite direction inside a Chevy Silverado, even though I was), after further questioning and checking to see if I had any warrants they let me go, both claims were false, if they say they have probable cause that's enough to pull you over, especially if your by yourself as I was, when they have 2 or more officers together your as good as gold. No citations were given just a warning citation, after they realized I was a former decorated combat Viet Nam veteran ( Decal sticker Vetnam Veterans Assoc. on back window and VA ID) and not having any type of citations ever or never been arrested, they must of felt real proud. Talk about how it feels to lose any rights you thought you had as a law abiding citizen, I now dispise the law enforcement to a point where I would given my assistance above and beyond before this occurred, now they can kiss my ever you know what if they ever needed any help. Within my family we have over 75 years in law enforcement, (brother retired had 29 years as an LAPD officer) along with other family members in California, they were shocked that this is still happening, go figure. I was at a point when it happened that I would of given my life on the spot than to lose my freedom or rights as I did that day. SO those of you that think that this is overated or a bunch of BS just go to a country where you are pressumed guilty because of your color and see how it feels to give up any rights you think you may have. I've kept the warning citations that were given as a reminder and when I feel proud of serving my country and at the time willing to give my life I'll take them out and remind myself that this is still the Good OL Boy era. I read all the stats Iowa has on racial profiling, what a joke, it fails to tell you that the reason they have 2 officers in one location they can easily testify againist the proposed victim commiting a trumped violation, especially if your by yourself, they wouldn't even think about doing it if you are with 2 or more individauls. I doubt if Judge Simpson has ever been profiled,, maybe he'll take the ride.
clara
Mon, Jan 18, 2010 : 10:58 p.m.
Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry L. Clayton took office on January 1, 2009. Prior to running for and taking office, Sheriff Clayton had a long career in the law enforcement profession (public and private sectors). Sheriff Clayton served twenty years with the Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office in Ann Arbor, Michigan. His career experience includes assignments/appointments as a Corrections Officer, Deputy Sheriff, Shift Sergeant, Operations Lieutenant, County Court Security Commander, SWAT Team Commander, Corrections Division Commander and Police Services Division Commander. Sheriff Clayton retired in 2006 to go into private law enforcement consulting work. Sheriff Clayton was a partner and Vice President of Lamberth Consulting, LLC, a company providing statistical analysis, training, and engagement services focused on addressing racial profiling and biased enforcement issues throughout the United States and Europe. He has been a certified criminal justice trainer and instructor for more than sixteen years, specializing in a multitude of subject areas including; use of force disciplines, physical training, special weapons and tactics, cultural diversity, preventing racial profiling, and in the areas of staff management and supervision, developing customer service delivery strategies, and organizational leadership. He provided consulting services to the U.S. Department of Justice- National Institute of Corrections, assisting in the development and delivery of various training curricula to local, state and federal correctional agencies throughout the United States. Sheriff Clayton attended Eastern Michigan University and majored in Organizational Communication. He also graduated from the Eastern Michigan School of Staff and Command and from the SCH Executive Leadership program. He is the first African American Sheriff and the first African American County-wide elected official in Washtenaw County.
jcj
Mon, Jan 18, 2010 : 10:50 p.m.
I certainly doubt that Mr Clayton is qualified to be advising as to how we look for terrorist!
Jackietreehorn
Mon, Jan 18, 2010 : 10:02 p.m.
Help me out, people. Serious question. Did Jerry Clayton ever actually work the road as a Deputy? I am only aware of his experience being involved in the administration of the jail. I'm trying to get a handle on what type of law enforcement experience he has to base his opinion upon. Thanks.
Matt Cooper
Wed, Jun 20, 2012 : 9:47 p.m.
From his bio on eWashtenaw (http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/sheriff/about-us/administration). Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry L. Clayton took office on January 1, 2009. Prior to his running for office Jerry served twenty years with the WCSO. His career experience includes assignments/appointments as a Corrections Officer, Deputy Sheriff, Shift Sergeant, Operations Lieutenant, County Court Security Commander, SWAT Team Commander, Corrections Division Commander and Police Services Division Commander. Sheriff Clayton retired in 2006 to go into private law enforcement consulting work. While in the private sector Jerry was a partner and Vice President of Lamberth Consulting, LLC, a company providing statistical analysis, training, and engagement services focused on addressing racial profiling and biased enforcement issues throughout the United States and Europe. He has been a certified criminal justice trainer and instructor for more than sixteen years, specializing in a multitude of subject areas including; use of force disciplines, physical training, special weapons and tactics, cultural diversity, preventing racial profiling, and in the areas of staff management and supervision, developing customer service delivery strategies, and organizational leadership. He provided consulting services to the U.S. Department of Justice- National Institute of Corrections, assisting in the development and delivery of various training curricula to local, state and federal correctional agencies throughout the United States. Sheriff Clayton attended Eastern Michigan University and majored in Organizational Communication. He also graduated from the Eastern Michigan School of Staff and Command and from the SCH Executive Leadership program. So yeah, I'd say he's qualified as an expert.
Commoncents
Mon, Jan 18, 2010 : 9:46 p.m.
This article infers Jerry Clayton, the washtenaw county sherrif, is some sort of expert on the methods to fight global terrorism.. What a joke.
Matt Cooper
Wed, Jun 20, 2012 : 9:43 p.m.
I'm wondering if you can quote where it says that. I've read the article and I don't recall it saying anything at all about global terrorism.