It’s unfortunate that well-meaning protests occasionally are disrupted by violence, as in Baltimore, because such protests are essential to wake up a largely complacent America to the reality not just of police brutality, but of the institutionalized racism in many police departments. The protests themselves reflect the problem, with images of an enormous and largely white police presence pitted against a mostly minority gathering. It’s no wonder the frustration and anger of some protesters get past the boiling point.

People do not commit crime based on the color of their skin, but as the US attorney general found in Ferguson, Mo., that is often the criterion for arrest and incarceration. Blacks are routinely stopped for seat belt violations, never knowing whether they’ll be shot. This has been going on forever, and it is only due to video technology that we now can see it.

The protests will continue until we take steps to fix the problem, and this can only be done at the federal level. There must be oversight of local police departments so that we assure that hiring is based on qualifications, not the color of the applicant’s skin, and that enforcement of the law is fair and not targeted at certain groups.