The key to the Eric Garner episode....is that Eric had been arrested prior to this....on selling untaxed cigarettes. As far as I can tell...the justice system of NY City wasn’t willing to deal with the guy....deferring charges.
So he goes back out on the streets....repeating the same sales (remember $4.35 NY City tax on each pack, while West Virginia is like 45-cents). The cops arrive...want to arrest him, and he refuses to allow them a simple handcuff procedure. In effect, he challenged the cops...and ended up dead on his words.
Improving community relations? First....you either get rid of the $4.35 taxation on a pack of smokes....or you enforce it completely. Then you tell people....when the cops nicely ask that you accept a handcuffing...they graciously accept it.
If neither are possible....then fire all cops and just let society lose to drastically reduce the number of people on the street. It’s that simple.
Thought you could use a good laugh.