Kriti Mehrotra
Although Netflix’s ‘Power’ can simply be described as an analysis of US’ police history since its inception hundreds of years earlier, it’s actually quite poignant considering all the issues it covers. In fact, whether it be the way this service’s initial setup was affected by slavery/segregation or how politics, money as well as bipartisan support drive it to this day, this Yance Ford film has it all. Amongst those to thus play a significant role in this narrative is actually Charlie Adams Jr., especially since he is an active and proud African-American Minneapolis Police Department Inspector.
Charlie Adams Joined the Police Force in 1987
It was reportedly back when Charlie was just a young boy growing up in low-income federal housing that he first developed an interest in policing, only for it to continue expanding as time passed. That’s because his own periodic encounters with white officers had made him understand the meaning of rampant systematic racism, plus the need for there to be some grace towards black civilians. Therefore, he took it to heart when his mother once told him, “You need to be part of the system if you want it to change,” driving him to put himself through the academy by taking up some odd jobs.
It took determination, hard work, as well as perseverance, but Charlie was ultimately able to join his city’s police department in 1987, just to soon realize there was sadly racism internally too. According to reports, he used to bristle over how Black personnel were treated during his early days before ultimately being a part of the inner group that sued the entire department in 2007. In this lawsuit, among other things, they claimed a lack of global diversity before adding that people of color were often passed over for overtime and promotion, leaving the city with no choice but to settle.
Coming to Charlie’s career trajectory, from what we can tell, like many others, he started as a patrol officer prior to making a move to Internal Affairs and later following up with the Juvenile Department. It was from there that this professional rose to the Homicide Unit and then the Violent Crimes Division, where his success was so prominent he was soon named Inspector of the Fourth Precinct. Therefore, while this law enforcement official plus Commander in Police Recruitment & Backgrounds Division actually specializes in many areas, empathy and negotiation are arguably his strongest suits.
Charlie Adams is a Family Man and a Proud Officer
While it’s true Charlie once served in the Minneapolis Police Department right alongside his namesake son Charlie Adams III and brother Tony Adams, he alone is the one to have not moved on. “I was always a proponent of, ‘More Black cops, we would have less problems. Get us a Black Chief, we’ll have less problems’,” he candidly said in the documentary. “I believed that.” However, with 38 years of experience under his belt as of writing, this highly distinguished 2021 appointed Fourth Precinct Inspector, happily married father of three adult children, as well as determined system-changer now believes the problem is much more deep-rooted, so he currently has no plans of retiring until he can finish his mission.
Read More: Scouts Honor: Where Are The Survivors Now?
