Since the acquittal of the four police officers, Sharpton noted, two unarmed black men have been shot to death in New York City, using what Sharpton termed the "Diallo defense."

"Any policeman can shoot 41 shots in[to] a man in the vestibule of his own home and the defense is 'I thought he had a gun'--no evidence, just 'I thought'," he said.

"Justice Department must set guidelines nationally, and legislation must come from Congress," he added, to let police officers know that a "superior power will back them up or punish them if they don't do their job. The Justice Department must enforce accountability."

Training on how to understand the diverse communities in which they serve, and the requirement of residency in those communities, are necessary steps towards a more effective, just police force, Sharpton said.

He also encouraged everyone in the audience to attend a march on Washington to protest police misconduct that is scheduled for August 28 on the 37th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s March on Washington.

Sharpton is currently planning several acts of civil disobedience--including a sit-in at Federal Plaza in New York City on April 17 and a boycott of Easter goods in the city--to draw attention to the issue. He stressed that mass participation was key to capturing the attention of national political figures.

"When they see thousands of us, they can't assume that all of us are having mass hallucinations," he said.

When a member of the audience asked him about the upcoming New York Senate race--which pits current New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani against First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton--he said he was disappointed with Clinton's relative inactivity.