How Much Can Federal Guidelines On Racial Profiling Change Law Enforcement?

How Much Can Federal Guidelines On Racial Profiling Change Law Enforcement?

President Obama delivered on Tuesday what many hailed as progress in a post-Ferguson world: Funding for 50,000 body cameras that policemen will be forced to wear when performing their daily duties. While a small step, most agreed it was a good one.

Obama has made a few more steps in the recent past to repair community relations, but the question remains: How much will these new guidelines actually curb racial profiling?

"It's discussed very little, and very little attention is given to it," Chris Rosbough, a former Tampa police officer, said in a HuffPost Live interview Tuesday. "When police officers are patrolling, they go to one area more often than not, and they go to the areas that are heavily populated by Latin Americans and African Americans because they know those areas will have the higher crime rate."

Chris Gebhardt, a former police lieutenant in Salt Lake City, Utah, said in the same conversation that while that doesn't exist, profiling from the police is a bit more complicated than just along racial lines.

"This isn't a black-on-white or a white-on-black issue, as people are making it out to be," Gebhardt said. "The racial discrimination that exists in law enforcement, if you talk to an officer, is 'Oh, we're all blue,' or 'We're all green,' or 'We're all brown.' Based on the color of their uniform. So you really got to look at it as blue-on-white or blue-on-black."

For all the problems that will likely still exist, this is still an important first step, according to ACLU Racial Justice Program Director Dennis Parker.

'I am hopeful that this is not the end of things that are being announced now of what the efforts will be," Parker told host Alyona Minkovski. "And the truth is, this is a bigger step than what we've had. And it's an important first step, even if it's obviously not sufficient."

Watch the rest of the clip above, and catch the full HuffPost Live conversation here. Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Live's new morning email that will let you know the newsmakers, celebrities and politicians joining us that day and give you the best clips from the day before!

Before You Go

1. Egypt
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LEFT: An Egyptian riot policeman secures a street in front of burning tyres thrown by supporters of Muslim Brotherhood movement during their rally to mark the first anniversary of the military ouster of president Mohamed Morsi on July 3, 2014 in Cairo's Ain Shams district. RIGHT: A police officer patrols a business district on August 13, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri.
2. Venezuela
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LEFT: National Police members run during clashes in an anti-government protest in Caracas on March 22, 2014 in Caracas, Venezuela. RIGHT: Police wearing riot gear walk toward a man with his hands raised Monday, Aug. 11, 2014, in Ferguson, Mo.
3. Pakistan
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LEFT: Pakistani policemen carry riot gear as they gather at a roadblock in Islamabad on August 14, 2014. RIGHT: Police stand watch as demonstrators protest the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown on August 13, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri.
4. Israel
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LEFT: Israeli police set up barricade for under 50 year-old Muslim worshippers entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque for friday prayer on July 25, 2014 in Jerusalem. RIGHT: Police in tactical gear stand in a street Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2014, in Ferguson, Mo.
5. Ukraine
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LEFT: Ukrainian soldiers and police take position at a checkpoint near the eastern Ukranian city of Slavyansk on May 15, 2014.RIGHT: Police stand watch as demonstrators protest the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown on August 13, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri.

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