Obama: ‘Presumption’ Black Men Are Dangerous ‘Because of the History of Our Country’

President Obama said one way to reduce the number of police shootings of black Americans is training cops to understand their "implicit bias" that make "assumptions" about people based on their race.

For example, Obama continued, "If we're honest with ourselves, because of the history of our country, and because of the images we receive as we're growing up etcetera -- oftentimes there's a presumption that black men are dangerous. And so, that has to be worked through. And so police officers who are getting that training end up being able to engage and de-escalate encounters more effectively."

The president appeared in an ABC-hosted townhall on race and policing. 

Obama also called for more funding for local police departments, so they can afford training police to deal with their "implicit biases."

So that's the second thing that has to happen. No. 3: We've got to provide police departments more resources so that they can implement some of these best practices. The fact of the matter is is that training is expensive."

 that black men are dangerous. And so, that has to be worked through. And so police officers who are getting that training end up being able to engage and de-escalate encounters more effectively. So that's the second thing that has to happen. No. 3: We've got to provide police departments more resources so that they can implement some of these best practices. The fact of the matter is is that training is expensive."