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Rangel: Obama Harlem Comment Was 'Inappropriate'

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Jun 1, 2009 7:56 pm US/Eastern

Rangel: Obama Harlem Comment Was 'Inappropriate'

Congressman Calling On AG To Investigate Why Black Police Officers Are Often Shot And Killed By White Cops

NEW YORK (CBS) ― U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel said it was "entirely inappropriate" to make a comment about President Barack Obama needing to be careful when visiting Harlem, where a black police officer was fatally shot by a white colleague last week.

Officer Omar J. Edwards was shot by a fellow officer late Thursday while in street clothes. In response to a newspaper reporter's query about what President Barack Obama should do during his New York City visit on Saturday, Rangel said the president should "make certain he doesn't run around in East Harlem without identification."

In a released statement, the congressman said "It was entirely inappropriate to bring the President and his wife into this discussion during their visit to New York, and I hope my off-the-cuff comment did not cause embarrassment to anyone."

"The tragic shooting of Officer Omar Edwards highlights the need for additional training of our police officers, and I am pleased that Commissioner Kelly recognizes a racial factor is involved," Rangel also said. "I am calling on Attorney General Eric Holder to review the problems in the New York City Police Department when black officers are killed by whites, which too often is the case."

Edwards' father, Ricardo, said something must be done so what happened to his son never happens again.

"If they can do that to their own people, who can they protect?" Ricardo Edwards said. "They are here to protect me, protect you, but if they can't protect their own people, who they gonna protect?"

The shooting remains under investigation.

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(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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