VOA标准英语2015--Broad Societal Issues Cloud Police, Community Relations in Texas City

Broad Societal Issues Cloud Police, Community Relations in Texas City

HOUSTON, TEXAS—

Tension between police and residents has led to unrest in some U.S. cities, mostly recently in Baltimore, Maryland. But in the diverse city of Houston, calm has prevailed. Police in some parts of the major Texas city have worked to build trust with residents. However, the social conditions that can lead to unrest are still present.

This community gathering¹ at a Houston police station takes place every month under the so-called Positive Interaction Program.

"We hold our men and women in this uniform accountable. I want to tell you that right now," said Captain Gregory Fremin who commands the Houston Police Department’s Northeast Division, which has the task of protecting a largely black community.

“We can’t do this by ourselves. I need the public’s help on this, and, really, the only way I can do that, especially in a minority community, is to gain their trust,” he said.

Fremin said outreach to community and religious leaders has helped him build that trust.

“They don’t say things that hurt me. They say things that help me. I think that has helped us collectively as a city in light of what we have been seeing around the United States with a lot of the unrest,” he said.

Most here want more police in their neighborhood.

Longtime resident Marlin Phillips said officers here listened and responded promptly².

“I give the officers in this northeast command station an A-plus, from the supervisor³ all the way down,” he said.

But Phillips said he has encountered a different attitude from police in other parts of Houston.

Bishop⁴ James Dixon said that some police officers still interacted with minorities in a hostile way.

“When law enforcement comes into a community and already has the perception that everyone here is a criminal, everyone here is dangerous, they are responding to it as if they are on enemy territory,” he said.

Dixon said relations between the community and police have improved in Houston, but the underlying⁵ causes of unrest still existed.

“By now, America and cities in America like Houston should be beyond blatant⁶ racial inequality, and that is what the hopelessness and unrest is stemming from,” he said.

He said, even in a city as diverse as Houston, the poorest neighborhoods were still made up mostly of minorities.

Houston Chief of Police Charles McClelland said social conditions helped fuel crime.

“It is also about incarceration⁷ rates, economics, joblessness, all of those things that disproportionately affect young minority men or men of color,” he said.

He said police deal with the consequences of social problems that should be addressed by families, communities, lawmakers and government leaders.

1 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

2 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

3 supervisor   

n.监督人，管理人，检查员，督学，主管，导师

参考例句：

• Between you and me I think that new supervisor is a twit.我们私下说，我认为新来的主管人是一个傻瓜。
• He said I was too flighty to be a good supervisor.他说我太轻浮不能成为一名好的管理员。

4 bishop   

n.主教，（国际象棋）象

参考例句：

• He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
• Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。

5 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

6 blatant   

adj.厚颜无耻的；显眼的；炫耀的

参考例句：

• I cannot believe that so blatant a comedy can hoodwink anybody.我无法相信这么显眼的一出喜剧能够欺骗谁。
• His treatment of his secretary was a blatant example of managerial arrogance.他管理的傲慢作风在他对待秘书的态度上表露无遗。

7 incarceration   

n.监禁，禁闭；钳闭

参考例句：

• He hadn't changed much in his nearly three years of incarceration. 在将近三年的监狱生活中，他变化不大。 来自辞典例句
• Please, please set it free before it bursts from its long incarceration! 请你，请你将这颗心释放出来吧！否则它会因长期的禁闭而爆裂。 来自辞典例句