Maureen Groppe and Eliza Collins

USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence on Thursday criticized what he views as excessive focus on racism in law enforcement.

His comments came in the wake of two fatal police shootings of black men this past week in Oklahoma and Charlotte, N.C., and protests that have erupted in response.

Speaking to evangelical church leaders in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Thursday, Pence said public officials should speak out with compassion about police shootings and assure the public that justice will be served.

But Indiana’s governor added that Republican presidential candidate "Donald Trump and I both believe that there's been far too much of this talk of institutional bias or racism in law enforcement." Pence said, "We ought to set aside this talk" that he described as "the rhetoric of division."

The Indiana Fever on Wednesday became the first entire professional sports team to kneel during the national anthem to protest racial injustice in this country.

A player on Brebeuf Jesuit’s girl’s soccer team likewise dropped to her knee before a game Wednesday night to protest the shooting of an unarmed black man in Oklahoma last week.

Brebeuf Jesuit player kneels during national anthem

Trump, who Wednesday urged “stop-and-frisk” policing to curb inner-city violence, attempted to clarify his comments Thursday, saying he specifically wanted law enforcement to use the practice in Chicago.

"I think Chicago needs stop and frisk. Now people can criticize me for that or people can say whatever they want, but they asked me about Chicago and I think stop and frisk with good strong — you know — good, strong law and order. But you have to do something. It can't continue the way it's going," Trump said Thursday in an appearance on "Fox & Friends."

Trump was asked to explain the pros and cons of the controversial police practice.

"You know, (the police are) proactive and if they see a person possibly with a gun or they think may have a gun, they will see the person and they'll look and they'll take the gun away," Trump said.

Stop and frisk allows police to search people based on "specific and articulable facts," but not a specific suspicion of criminal activity. Critics say the practice can lead to racial profiling.

Trump also discussed the violent protests in Charlotte, N.C., which began after a black man was shot and killed by a police officer Tuesday. During protests Wednesday night, one person was shot and critically wounded — although it was unclear who fired the shot. There was a fatal officer-shooting of an unarmed black man in Tulsa, Okla., last week. A police officer was charged in that shooting Thursday.

"Wow, here we go again. It's very sad. When you look at what's going on, it's very sad. It's very divided, our country, and it's getting worse. So, I'm not overly surprised to see it, but it's happening everywhere," Trump said. "It just seems that there's a lack of spirit between the white and the black. I mean, it's a terrible thing that we're witnessing."

Doyel: Entire Indiana Fever roster kneels for national anthem

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Email Maureen Groppe at mgroppe@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @mgroppe.