"I just called my county Sheriff's Department and expressed concern for all peace officers. Urged them to be careful."
My family spent this afternoon and evening at our daughter's and her boyfriend's house. Her boyfriend is a fleet mechanic for the local police department. I asked him if any officers are reporting any difference in attitude from the citizens they deal with. He replied that people are being extra nice, considerate, and supportive of them.
Hopefully, appreciation and respect will not be a passing thing, or prompted only by tragedy.
People on the front line of public service are especially vulnerable to incivility, complaints, and other manifestations of resentment and resistance. When you get helped and served properly, try and get that person's name and employment location. Then write a letter to his superior, describing what happened and expressing your appreciation. Then ask for your letter to be included in her personnel file.
This is appropriate for police & troopers, UPS and Postal workers, health and code inspectors, everybody--even (gasp!) parking enforcement officers ("meter maids"). It's so easy for these people to accumulate complaints and the like, sometimes specious charges in the hopes that the traffic ticket will be revoked if you charge the cop with making a racist insult or something.
Letters of appreciation and commendation can help offset the jerks who either (1) complain about some silly, minor sense of offense and/or (2) want to impugn the officials reputation and integrity for cynical reasons.
The violence against law enforcement should be condemned, but it should not be unexpected.
We see horrific videos of ISIS celebrating violence while hearing a deafening silence of The majority of Islamic clerics, countries, and statesmen condemning it.
We see horrific videos of American law enforcement killing unarmed people, handcuffed people, and kids and we contiue to hear a deafening silence from law enforcemnt on this, and no transparency regarding accountability or justice in these video captured incidents.
i am against any form of violence, but I think we will see more of it.
They are investigated primarily by other police. Unless there is an arrest to begin with and evidence (body cams etc) is provided by the police, the state doesn't prosecute.
And yes, BLM protestors are calling for the removal of racist prosecutors and judges as well.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2016 12:22AM by woodsmoke.
spiritist Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > You don't think these 'police shootings' are not > all investigated? > > Some officers are convicted others not ---- what > do you expect? > > Often, there is more evidence than the 'one' > obvious video! > > If people have problem with the verdicts they > should complain about State prosecutors and get > them fired, etc. > > Normally, once the trial information is out ---- > there is not so much to complain about but that > doesn't happen overnight!
In my state, a self defense trial is public. A police shooting is held behind closed doors with th transcript sealed.
There is a reason we see a coordinated effort of law enforcemnt on these scenes to steal or confiscate any video capture.
Cops are far braver than I ever will be. In saying that, they can't be above the law—and above review.
The people and specific communities' frustrations must be addressed as there's no "us" and "them" in this matter.
Cops need to condemn the killings making the news if there's ever going to be a reconciliation with some of the people.
Choking out a man (with an illegal chokehold to boot) and killing him after you get a report that he's selling cigarettes (!!!) can't be swept under the rug. It also isn't a good look when you go after the guy that filmed the cop suffocating said person.
Or the frequency killings of people who look as if they posed no threat to the officer and officers confiscating surveillance footage of arrests without warrants.
It also doesn't help when governors sign laws prohibiting the public release of dashcam and body camera footage of arrests.
No other profession is allowed to review, investigate and oversee itself. And neither should cops. Hell, if the post office loses a piece of mail, people talk about shutting it down.
Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/2016 11:55PM by newcomer.
And you've never served on a jury. It's one thing to believe and think someone is guilty. It's another thing to actually sit on a jury and convict someone.
And when cops have a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card ("I feared for my life."), the lack of convictions shouldn't be surprising.
By the way, just YESTERDAY, a cop in Atlanta was charged with murdering a suspect.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2016 12:36AM by newcomer.
spiritist Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I have served on many juries and we easily > convicted many people!
If you've served on a jury then why is it so hard for you to find it difficult that a jury would have a hard time convicting a cop?
You can have all the evidence saying the cop behaved irresponsibly, but what does that mean to a jury when the suspect probably had a criminal record and the cop can say he feared for his life without offering a hint of a reason to be fearful of being killed or hurt by the deceased suspect?
You're sounding like one of those people that defended OJ Simpson. After all, OJ was acquitted.
I hope that more cops are held accountable for the disproportionate murders of mentally ill, disabled, and/or black people so that unstable people like the two veterans who shot them will not feel like it's ok to take justice into their own hands. One of the Dallas cops was a KKK member -- many police departments still have ties to white supremacist groups. I hope that they are rooted out and that cops who kill unjustly will be arrested and jailed like any other murderer. That will lead to more peace. It's not right or justified, but these shootings are not surprising given the flagrant abuses of power by law enforcement and their evasion of legal accountability.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2016 12:00AM by woodsmoke.