Are the Claims of Racism True, or a Distraction? Special Episode. From Chicago to West Virginia, a Law Enforcement Perspective. Few accusations are repeated as often, or with as much certainty, as the claim that American policing and the criminal justice system are inherently racist. It’s a powerful narrative, amplified daily across social media, headlines, and political talking points. But is it true? Or has it become a dangerous distraction from facts, context, and real solutions? Look for The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast on social media like their Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , Medium and other social media platforms. That question is at the center of a special episode of the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast, available on their website, also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube and many major streaming platforms, and discussed across Facebook, Instagram, and the news. The episode features Maurice “Maury” Richards, a former Police Chief in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and a retired Chicago Police Lieutenant with decades of frontline experience. Experience From Two Very Different Cities Richards’ career spans two vastly different policing environments, urban Chicago and small-city West Virginia. His perspective is not theoretical or academic; it’s built on years of responding to violent crime, managing officers, and confronting the realities that don’t always make headlines. Supporting articles about this and much more from Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast in platforms like Medium , Blogspot and Linkedin . During the conversation, Richards challenges the popular claim that police shootings in America are driven by racial bias. Instead, he argues that crime patterns, suspect behavior, and officer encounters with violence, not race, largely explain police use-of-force outcomes. Are the Claims of Racism True, or a Distraction? Special Episode. What the Data Shows National data consistently reveals that police shootings closely track rates of violent crime and armed encounters, not racial animus. In 2019, police officers fatally shot just over 1,000 individuals nationwide. The majority were armed or posed an immediate threat. While African Americans represented roughly a quarter of those killed, that proportion has remained stable for years and is lower than what crime and suspect data would predict, given the frequency with which officers encounter armed violent offenders. That context is often missing from public debate. Available for free on their website and streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube and other podcast platforms. Equally overlooked: in 2019, police fatally shot more