“Cops and Robbers” is a one-man play now showing at the Marsh Theater in Berkeley. It’s an emotionally-charged piece that delves into the details of a fictitious officer-involved shooting in Oakland. In it, you’ll find a variety of characters -- including a pimp, a police officer, a conservative radio host, and a news reporter -- all with their own perspectives and prejudices.
The actor and writer of this play is Jinho Ferreira, an internationally known rapper. In 2010, he entered the police academy. He is now a sheriff’s deputy in Alameda County
KALW’S Rachel Dornhelm spoke with Ferreira in our studios.
"You can’t ignore that for the first 300 some-odd years, law enforcement in the criminal justice system, as far as the black community was concerned, only existed to enslave the black community ... That’s a long time to pass down feelings and lessons learned generationally. That’s a long time. But now I see that there’s an opportunity for change. So I’m doing what I can to change it.
This piece originally aired in October 2014. Click the player above to listen to the full interview. To hear an extended interview, click here.
To Cops and Robbers plays Saturdays at 5pm at Berkeley's Marsh Theater until October 3, 2015. information, go to themarsh.org.For more information, click here.
