WWE superstar Ali was asked by a fan about the Central Park Five case due to Netflix’s newly released miniseries “When They See Us.” In response, he discussed his time as a cop and how that career all stemmed from facing discrimination himself.
“I became a cop to battle discrimination,” wrote Ali. “When I was kid, an Indian friend of mine was nervous while being questioned by police. He was stuttering. Cop goes ‘Do you speak f—ing English?’ I tell the cop there’s no need for that. Next thing I know I’m taken down and cuffed.
“That in no way compares to the discrimination and horror stories of others, specifically African American brothers and sisters. I believed the job could be done right. I believe you can actually provide justice, be empathetic and serve the people.
“So, I did what I could. This included calling out others cops on BS tactics and making sure to communicate and be as transparent as possible when dealing with the people we serve. I only rocked the badge for a few years but I will say this about my personal experience: There are some horrible cops. There are some amazing cops. There are some horrible people. There are some amazing people. Enough distrust and damage has been done, that in my personal opinion, it’s going to take law enforcement ‘taking the extra step’ to diffuse situations.
“Law enforcement has to understand that they are the professionals and they are there to serve. Not ‘hunt.’ Gather info. Be transparent. Check your ego at the door. Be respectful. No matter what. Law enforcement has to know that the public has its concerns dealing with them.
“It’s one of the most difficult [and] thankless jobs. It’s a job that has made me see some horrible things. It’s also a job that has made me see wonderful things. It’s a job that allowed me to do the greatest thing a human being can do; be there for someone in their time of need.”
RELATED: Ali On Balancing Careers As A Police Officer & Wrestler, Transitioning To Wrestling Full Time
