Justice Crusader

WHO IS JUSTICE CRUSADER?

Justice Crusader (JC) is the agency’s superhero that reflects the ACRB’s values, philosophy, and mission. JC also gives the agency a unique opportunity to reflect its successes and some of the many challenges and frustrations involving people, systems and circumstances that can hinder the ACRB from reaching more people and accomplishing its goals.

JUSTICE CRUSADER’S AFRICAN ORIGIN

His descendants were known to possess the gift of spiritual discernment which is why members of the tribe would always seek the griot to ascertain the truth, receive advice and/or resolve conflicts. The boy who would become Justice Crusader would eventually realize as Baba did that his innate ability to discern the truth was directly tied to his African roots.

JUSTICE CRUSADER’S SUPERPOWER CONFLICT: HIS STRENGTH CAN ALSO BE HIS WEAKNESS

Yes, the Crusader’s human lie detector superpower gives him special access to the minds and motivations of people, but at what cost? As a child, he thought he was not troubled by his intuitive ability to discern the truth, but over the years as he grew older, became more sophisticated and aware of the ramifications of his power, it increasingly bothered him to know that so many people lie. It made him moody and irritable.  The ultimate irony of his life is the reality that his greatest strength could also be his greatest weakness unless he is able to harness it.

He discovered that using his superpower in a positive way brought him a sense of peace and fulfillment. The young man was determined, despite his inner turmoil to impose rigorous self-control and channel his energy through reading, meditation, martial arts, yoga, tai chi, chess, track and field. He had a soft spot in his heart for children due to how misunderstood he was as a child. Above all, he was driven to do whatever he could to promote truth, justice and maintain his integrity. This is how and why he acquired the name, JUSTICE CRUSADER.

JUSTICE CRUSADER’S MISSION TO UNCOVER POLICE MISCONDUCT

What particularly drew his attention over the years, was the rash of police-involved shootings of unarmed citizens and how, so many times, law enforcement in such cases would go unpunished or cleared by what he sometimes called “the criminal injustice system” that favored those in power over the powerless. He would attend court cases and get very angry and could hardly contain himself when it was clear to him that some of the officers would lie under oath about their involvement in an incident. “What can I do about this,” he wondered. More importantly, he wondered what options are available to average citizens in such cases. Who could they turn to outside of the police department and the court system that would give their complaint a fair and impartial evaluation.

It was this point that he decided that Justice Crusader would be that person. But he also realized that he certainly could not do it on his own.