Loretta Lynch: Sandra Bland Death Highlights Black Community's Fears

The death of Sandra Bland in a Texas jail earlier this month demonstrates why many black people have negative feelings toward police, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in an interview aired Sunday on ABC's "This Week."

"It highlights the concern of many in the black community that a routine stop for many members of the black community is not handled with the same professionalism and courtesy that other people may get from the police," Lynch told ABC News' Pierre Thomas.

Lynch is the first African-American woman to hold the office of U.S. attorney general.

"We have a situation where many minority communities for so long have felt that law enforcement was coming in essentially to enforce laws against them, not to protect them." Lynch said. "I do think that what has been an important part of the debate in Miss Bland's death has been the discussions that we've seen from community members and police leaders alike .. .about the importance of training and deescalating incidents."

Bland was pulled over for an improper turn signal on July 10 in Waller County, but an argument between her and Trooper Brian Encinia escalated, resulting in Bland's arrest. Her body was found hanging in her jail cell three days later, and her death has been ruled a suicide.

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