This distinction is critically important and is almost never even mentioned in popular media discussions of police racism.

Yes, policing and criminal justice in America fucking sucks (especially if you have dark skin) and needs major reform no matter what. But I don't want to start seeing ghosts where none exist, and chasing after them instead of focusing on other problems.

Edit: I explained this better in a different comment https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26925138