A key law enforcement group, seeking to deescalate the widening gap between anti-police sports stars and police officers, asked Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James on Thursday to step into a violent crime simulator and walk “in a policeman’s shoes.”
The Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund offered to make a simulator available for the Black Lives Matter advocate the next time he comes to the District of Columbia to play the Washington Wizards.
“Police split-second force decisions are complicated. We would love to help you see the other perspective in our use-of-force simulator experience. Would be happy to bring it to you or host you in our D.C. metro office,” said LELDF President Jason Johnson.
James sparked a backlash last week when he seemed to threaten police with a tweet following the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant in Columbus, Ohio.
In it, he showed a photo of the alleged officer involved in the case and wrote, “YOU’RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY.” Under fire, he deleted it, claiming it was generating even “more hate.”
In a video, Johnson showed the simulator that police departments use to teach officers how to handle dangerous situations. “It’s like walking in a policeman’s shoes,” said the group’s Bill Gleason, an expert on police use of force.
