Police chief suspends training program after outcry over use of black men’s mugshots for target practice

Sgt. Valerie Deant peered into a stack of garbage at a Medley shooting range last month and saw a photo of her brother. His face had bullet holes.

Turns out that North Miami Beach police used a photo lineup of men arrested 15 years ago to help its sniper team practice its marksmanship. All of the photos were of black males, one of whom happened to be Woody Deant.

When the story was first reported by NBC 6 this week, it ricocheted around cyberspace, causing considerable consternation at a time when relations between police and the black community have been strained around the country.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article7043225.html