Roy Exum
The Ford Motor Company supplies over two-thirds of the police vehicles in the United States. Most of them are Ford Explorer SUVs, especially equipped and designed to be what are called Police Interceptors. Most recently you have seen dozens of them vandalized and set on fire in New York City, Chicago, Washington state, Oregon, Atlanta and more. The audacious riots spawned by this summer’s Black Lives Matter protests have, in fact, created millions in sales for Ford but, whoa! What’s this: some leftist employees at Ford headquarters in Dearborn, Mich., are convinced it’s time for the automotive giant to cease the manufacture and sales of these “accessories to police brutality and oppression.”
As you may have noticed, this newly created “cancel culture” is off to a miserable start.
The “defund the police” absurdity caused New York City to re-assign 600 members of its plain-cloth anti-crime unit, closing the division down. Over the weekend – this is one month later, mind you – the New York Post reported on Sunday, “At least nine people were shot, one fatally, across New York City on Saturday — capping another week of violence that saw triple the shootings compared to last year …” (NYC’s black leaders are pleading for the crime unit’s return.)
In Chicago it was “a mile-stone week” – there are now over 2,000 shootings within the city limits this year (2,083) and over 400 fatalities due to gunfire (418). Last week there were 147 shot, 24 killed. If you are keeping score, in all of 2019 there were 2,754 shot and 519 homicides in Chicago … and over five months of 2020 remains.
In Portland this past Saturday marked the 50th straight night of riots – the “urban terrorists” burned down the Police Union building – but Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler blamed Trump, saying the presence of Homeland Security agents heightened tensions and was cause for Saturday’s unlawful acts.
So, amid such turmoil, activists at Ford Motor Company’s executive offices recently began to circulate what could be termed a letter of engagement:
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“FORDS AS ‘ACCESSORIES TO POLICE BRUTALITY AND OPPRESSION’”
NOTE: This memo was being circulated by employees of Ford Motor Company’s administrative offices for “electronic signatures” when Ford CEO Jim Hackett learned about it …
“On June 1st, you communicated to the company your commitment to 'lead from the front and fully commit to creating the fair, just and inclusive culture that our employees deserve.' We thank you for your leadership on this initiative. We also appreciate and fully support your statement against 'superficial actions,' and we write to push for real action by Ford Motor Company to address our role in the structures that perpetuate racism in society.
On May 25th, 2020 George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis Police, alongside a Ford Police Interceptor (vehicle). Days later, police officers drove Ford Police Interceptors into crowds of protesters in New York City and Los Angeles. During these past weeks, our vehicles have been used to deploy chemical weapons banned by the Geneva Convention.
Throughout our history, the vehicles that Ford employees design and build have been used as accessories to police brutality and oppression. We know that while many join, support, or supply law enforcement with good intentions, these racist policing practices that plague our society are historic and systemic—a history and system perpetuated by Ford for over 70 years—ever since Ford introduced the first-ever police package in 1950. As an undeniable part of that history and system, we are long overdue to “think and act differently” on our role in racism.
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When Hackett found out about the request that suggested Ford consider stop manufacturing police vehicles, he quickly consulted with Ford Motors President Bill Ford and the two responded in an internal news memo to the employees call ‘the huddle.’ The response was kind and considerate yet forceful in the way it utilized common sense and logic to such an absurd notion:
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“FORD WILL ‘IMPROVE POLICE OFFICERS’ ABILITY TO PROTECT AND SERVE”
(NOTE: This appeared in Ford Motor Company’s “The Huddle” email late last month:)
“As we meet weekly in our Global Team Huddles, invariably there are questions that don’t get answered given the short time we have together or simply would be better addressed offline. One question I want to address with this Huddle is whether Ford’s development of police vehicles is a good idea given the spotlight on social justice and police reform.
First, it should be clear both Bill Ford and I believe deeply that there is no room for the systemic repression and racism that have been exhibited by law enforcement encounters gone wrong. We’ve said clearly that Black Lives Matter and I am personally driving a review of our Diversity and Inclusion rituals, practices, and behaviors. We do believe strongly that more transparency and accountability is required in police operations.
Second, we also believe the first responders that protect us play an extraordinarily important role in the vitality and safety of our society. Our world wouldn’t function without the bravery and dedication of the good police officers who protect and serve. But safety of community must be inclusive of all members and today, it is not.
Holding these two thoughts together in one’s mind is possible, but now there is tension. It’s our belief the recent issues surfacing from the George Floyd tragedy are bringing a very intensive and necessary spotlight on police training and reform. In fact, I sit on the Business Roundtable, an organization comprised of CEOs from America’s leading companies, which has committed its shared energy to the work on police training and reform.
All that said, I have received several emails from employees and others in the public, and have read comments in social media, imploring Ford to reconsider the production and sale of police vehicles. Given the environment, we must constantly make sure we are helping to make progress. After reflecting on this, I see two key lines of thought:
No. 1 -- It’s not controversial that the Ford Police Interceptor helps officers do their job. The issues plaguing police credibility have nothing to do with the vehicles they’re driving. In fact, as we imagine the future power of our connected vehicles, smarter Ford vehicles can be used to not only improve officers’ ability to protect and serve, but also provide data that can make police safer and more accountable. Just think, dating back to the Model T, Ford has more than 100 years in serving first responders and that leadership over the decades has been earned by co-developing our purpose-built vehicles and technologies with police and emergency agencies to make our vehicles the number one choice.
No. 2 -- By taking away our Police Interceptors, we would be doing harm to (police officers) safety and making it harder for them to do their job. Again, this is why, given our insights, new capabilities and leadership, I believe these unfortunate circumstances present Ford with an even greater opportunity to not only innovate new solutions but also leverage our unique position to support the dialogue and reform needed to create safer communities for all.
For these reasons we will do both: continue to be a powerful voice for Black Lives Matter, holding ourselves accountable for significant change, while also continuing to help keep communities safe by producing Police Interceptors and partnering with law enforcement in new ways to strongly support the safety for all members of society.
I do appreciate people speaking their mind to me on this issue – it helped me generate this note to explain why we are continuing our commitment to police forces all over the world in our trusted products.
Thank you for caring so deeply about the company and our people, and for all you do for Ford.
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If I may paraphrase, Ford’s commitment is to all of America and all its people. Do not bring your prejudices to work with you, and while you must never lose sight of your value to Ford, kindly remember that you work for us. Our corporate dream includes all Americans, not just the misguided ones who belittle our police, scoff at our country’s ideals, create billions in wanton destruction, and foremost in our view, vandalize, burn, and destroy Ford Police Interceptors.
royexum@aol.com