Former Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte went on a ride-along with a Chicago police commander on the city’s South Side in an effort to show young residents that they can find common ground with police.
In the video, posted to the team’s Facebook account, Forte joins Commander William Bradley for a tour of the city’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood, and even interacts with residents while on the ride-along.
“The narrative, even to young kids, is that all police officers are bad and that’s not the case, so we gotta find some kind of common ground,” Forte said.
Near the end of the video, residents are heard screaming at Forte, ordering their kids not to engage with police officers. When Forte tries to explain that he is a former Bear, one resident even curses at him in response.
Bradley and Forte discussed gang violence, and the challenges it poses as the city looks to curb shootings.
“It gives you a new appreciation for what they do,” Forte said.
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As part of their commitment to helping the community, the Bears announced the donation of $500,000 to various civic organizations on Tuesday. Half of the money was raised by Bears players, and the organization matched it with a donation of their own.
The donation is the first of its kind in the NFL, as the league institutes a new policy to become more involved in social justice issues.
