Race and Law Enforcement
The broken windows policy started in New York City. By focusing on the "smaller" crimes, cities across the country were transformed. No major city experienced and benefited from these changes more than New York. Times Square was the playground for prostitutes, panhandlers and petty criminals but through more aggressive policing it became a destination for tourists. The “broken windows” policy made it safer. But it made black communities a target. Black men and black teenage boys especially fit the "profile."
They became the targets of police. What that has done over the years is create tension and animosity between the police and the black communities in which they serve. Jeff Pegues has been on the front lines of this developing story. Few journalist have reported on this phenomenon the way he has. Over the last two decades he has covered justice issues as a celebrated "street" reporter for New York's powerful ratings leader WABC and now as the justice and homeland Security Correspondent for the CBS News. His unique perspective from the front lines of this emerging controversy may change your view of the nation's criminal justice system.
ISIS: "The Devil on Your Shoulder"
The country is facing one of the most serious threats in its history. The Islamic State In Iraq and Syria or ISIS is intent of mobilizing sympathizers in the U.S. to carry out attacks on the military, police and public events. FBI Director James Comey refers to the threat as the "Devil on your shoulder". Comey believes the terrorist group's social media presence is so pervasive that it is on thousands of phones in the pockets of thousands of people and it is constantly bombarding them with messages to "Kill, Kill, Kill."
Then for the sympathetic ear, ISIS recruiters direct them to encrypted websites where the ISIS follower becomes harder for U.S. law enforcement to track. Jeff Pegues is one of only a handful of journalists who have had meetings with the FBI Director, Department of Homeland Security Secretary and CIA Director. As the justice and homeland security correspondent for CBS News Jeff Pegues is privy to information most Americans do not get. How serious is the threat? How is U.S. law enforcement and Intelligence reacting to the threat? Is it enough? Over a more than two decade career as a journalist Pegues has filed hundreds of stories on the terrorist threat.
Network News in Transition
In this speech, Jeff Pegues discusses the changing few of the news.
Covering the Big Story
Jeff shares what it is like covering the news from ISIS to hurricanes, seeing it all and telling the story.
Jeff Pegues is the CBS News Chief Justice and Homeland Security Correspondent based in Washington, D.C. He joined CBS News in July 2013 and reports for all CBS News broadcasts and platforms.
Since joining CBS News, Pegues has led the Network’s coverage of some of the biggest stories of the last decade. From the Russia investigation to recent terrorist attacks Pegues is often at the top of the CBS Evening News. Pegues has also become one of the most visible and informed journalists on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. His newest book Kompromat: How Russia Undermined American Democracy investigates how Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hackers poked into U.S. voter databases and what is being done now to shore up election systems in states across the country.
In addition, he has become one of the most informed voices on the conflict between the black community and police. Not only has he reported extensively on recent police actions and Justice Department investigations in Baltimore and Ferguson but he has also authored a book on the issue. Black and Blue: Inside the Divide Between Police and the Black Community is available everywhere books are sold. Pegues is the recipient of three Emmy Awards, numerous local and national Emmy Award nominations, the Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists, and in 2017 was part of the CBS News team that earned an Edward R. Murrow Award.
Pegues has more than two decades of experience covering stories of national and international magnitude, including presidential elections, Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath. His breadth of experience covering the news of the day is often called upon for radio interviews and speaking engagements. Prior to joining CBS News Pegues spent nearly 10 years at WABC-TV in New York. Previously, Pegues was a weekday anchor and reporter at WBAL in Baltimore. He also anchored the top- rated evening newscasts at WSVN in Miami in the late 1990s. He is a proud graduate of Miami University of Ohio where he was a scholarship football player and starting wide receiver in the early 1990s. Pegues went to high school in Westport, Connecticut where he was an All-State sprinter and All-Conference running back on the football team. Prior to moving to Connecticut Pegues lived overseas in France, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Zaire and the Philippines.
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