BARR: I do think that there appears to be a phenomenon in the country where African Americans feel that they're treated, when they're stopped by police, frequently, as suspects before they are treated as citizens. I don't think that that necessarily reflects some deep-seated racism in police departments or in most police officers. I think the same kind of behavior is done by African American police officers. I think there are stereotypes. I think people operate very frequently according to stereotypes and I think it takes extra precaution on the part of law enforcement to make sure we don't reduce people to stereotypes, we treat them as individuals.

[…]

I don't think there are two justice systems. I think the narrative that the police are on some, you know, epidemic of shooting unarmed black men is simply a false narrative and also the narrative that that's based on race. The fact of the matter it’s very rare for an unarmed African American to be shot by a white police officer. There were ten cases last year, six of them the suspect was attacking the police officer physically. So, these are rare things compared to the 7 to 8,000 young black men who are killed every year.

[…]

To me [systemic racism] means that it's built into the institution. and I don't think that's true. I think our institutions have been reformed in the past 60 years. and if anything has been built in, it's a bias to nondiscrimination and safeguards against that. …

Also, I think we have to be a little careful about throwing the idea of racism around. Racism usually means, you know, that I believe that because of your race, you're a lesser human being than me and I think there are people in the United States that feel that way. but I don't think it is as common as people suggest. And I think we have safeguards to ensure that it doesn't really have an effect to someone's future. I think we've made a lot of progress in the past 60 years. To listen to the American left nowadays, you'd think we've gotten nowhere.

BLITZER: There's no doubt there's been a lot of progress. but do you think Black people are treated differently by law enforcement than white people?

BARR: I think there are some situations where statistics would suggest that they are treated differently. but I don't think that that's necessarily racism. Didn't Jesse Jackson say that when he looks behind him and he sees a group of young black males walking behind him, he's more scared than when he sees a group of white youths walking behind him? Does that make him a racist?