University of Minnesota Drops Suspect’s Race in Crime Alerts
The University of Minnesota will stop sending out alerts with vague descriptions of suspects in serious crimes.
The suspect’s description will only be provided in cases with “sufficient detail that would help identify a specific individual or group,” reported Fox News.
“We need to have enough information about a suspect so that somebody can reasonably use that information to help keep themselves safe,” said Pamela Wheelock, the school's Vice President. “Unless we have a sufficiency of information, we’re not actually going to use any suspect information.”
In a letter to faculty, staff and students, President Eric Kaler said the routine use of a person’s race in those descriptions “may unintentionally reinforce stereotypes of black men and other people of color, as criminals and threats,” said Fox News.
