The leader of the United Christian Leadership Ministry says the decision by a grand jury not to indict police officer Darren Wilson for shooting Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri was "shameful and unjust, and the decision has outraged all of us who deemed justice a matter of moral responsibility and necessity."
Reverend Lewis Stewart and his group held a news conference Tuesday at the Downtown United Presbyterian Church in Rochester.
Stewart maintains this is a prime example of systemic racism, and what happened in Ferguson is tearing this nation apart.
He says "Let's face it, cops distort and cops lie, and they have the rule of law on their side backing them."
Stewart says he agrees with the statements made on social media from Mayor Lovely Warren.
Among other things, Mayor Warren posted she was upset with the decision and that the officer was "an authority figure who had little regard for this young man's life."
Stewart says the backlash she's faced for her remarks clearly show a racial and cultural divide here.
Stewart, who is also a co-chair for the Coalition for Police Reform, says they are working toward improving police-community relations by encouraging these proactive issues: body cameras for police, an independent civilian review agency with subpoena power, anti-racism training for the RPD, and an end to racial profiling.