Henry loss shows why we must drop anti-racism pacts

HENRY Nowak’s tragic death has shocked the nation.

- By Chris Philp

I met Henry’s family on Thursday and I will never forget their grief — or their bravery in wanting to see positive change come from a tragedy.

So last week was one for honest reflection as policing rightfully came under great scrutiny.

It is important to remember the brave and vital job thousands of officers do every single day to keep us safe. They run towards danger, making split-second decisions on incomplete information in situations most people will never encounter. They keep us safe, but this everyday work rarely makes the news precisely because it is what we expect. Without our police forces, society would collapse.

But sometimes terrible mistakes are made, and we must be honest when that happens.

The bodycam footage released last week showing Henry telling police officers that he had been stabbed as they handcuff him and read him his rights is harrowing to watch. It shows a dying man being ignored and disbelieved because he had been the victim of a false allegation of racism by his killer.

And the police believed Henry’s killer, not Henry, as he lay dying. Apparently, a false allegation of racism was more important than saving life.