Before signing his executive order on policing in the Rose Garden, President Trump met with families whose loved ones were killed by police, among them was the family of Botham Jean.
Later, during his remarks, President Trump directly acknowledged Jean in a reference to training.
“Many believe that proper training might have prevented the tragic deaths of Antwon Rose and Botham Jean,” President Trump said.
Jean’s mother, Allison Jean, did not travel to White House from her home country of St. Lucia due to COVID-19, but later watched the remarks in full.
“If the Commander In Chief, the President of the United States, whether he is genuine or not, can acknowledge that this police officer lacked the training and could have saved my son, then bravo,” Allison Jean said.
Jean believes the executive order, which provides incentives for police training and expands a database to track police misconduct, is a positive step forward. But Jean is also adamant more needs to be done, pointing out that the same police culture that memorializes lost officers seemingly forgets people like her son.
“He just becomes a hashtag, another statistic, another photo in a collage of black men who have been taken at the hands of police officers. I believe there is more that should be done to honor him,” she said.
