Allan Appel Photo
Nathan Morgan came to hear a cop talk about racial profiling. He left with a new possible career to pursue: cop.
The serendipitous recruiting took place during an intermission at an event Tuesday night at the Wilson Library in the Hill. Morgan (at right in photo) and 40 other people were attending a workshop run by New Haven police Officer Shafiq Abdussabur (at left). The workshop, both humorous and deadly serious, concerned how African-Americans, particularly young men, can navigate police stops, avoid violent situations with their peers, and control their demeanor to survive and succeed in a profiling world.
A 16-year police veteran who helped craft the city’s Street Outreach Workers program, Abdussabur is also an author and public speaker. He came prepared Tuesday night with street talk, straight talk, and props. He also has recently become head of the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers (NABLEO). On Tuesday night, he built his remarks on his most recent book, A Black Man’s Guide to Law Enforcement in America.
Morgan, a 25-year-old youth worker at the YMCA and the Hill Youth Action Team, watched intently as Abdussabur ducked behind a screen and emerged wearing a long black robe that fell to his ankles and featured a face-concealing, pointed hood. He challenged audience members to come up with instant associations, which they did: Angel of Death, someone suffering and dire, Grim Reaper, KKK. In fact Abdussabur said the cotton garment he wore was a Moroccan ”>djellaba, in which he, a devout Muslim, prays in the evening.
“You all profiled me,” he said.
While the cycle of violence is based on false perceptions, Abdussabur’s advice: “The number one thing you can do is to project yourself as educated, as not ghetto. You’ve got to ‘sell’ yourself to the rest of society.”
During a break in the session, Morgan introduced himself to Abdussabur. Morgan hung out at the Y on Howe Street growing up, volunteered there, and then was eventually hired to run programs. When a parent said to him that her son comes home and “talks every night about me,” Morgan said, he realized how impressionable kids are. While he’d always had a professional demeanor at work, “I changed myself outside of work [too],” he said.
He and Abdussabur hit it off. “We need to recruit people like you [into the NHPD],” Abdussabur said. “If we had five of you in each neighborhood, we’d be okay. I got a spot for you.”
Morgan said he was interested. He also pitched Abdussabur on doing a cookout, ball game, or maybe a Halloween night with one of his groups. No problem.
Morgan was intrigued about a police career. “I’ll walk you right through the door,” Abdussabur promised.