What’s next in the national conversation about race and policing in America?

The events and protests surrounding the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. and Eric Garner in New York City illuminated troubling realities about the fractured relationship between communities of color and American law enforcement. These highly-charged situations raised a number of important questions about policing and the criminal justice system more generally: What should be done with regard to police misconduct and officer-involved shootings? What role should the federal government play when there is a breakdown between police and the communities they serve? Which reforms should be enacted to better relationships between law enforcement and the citizenry? What important lessons can be drawn from Ferguson? And where do law enforcement and people of color go from here?

On March 3, Governance Studies at Brookings hosted a forum to discuss policing in modern-day America and what may come next in the national discussion involving law enforcement and minority communities.