Good examples of why the Badge Gang needs reform:
“They can shoot unarmed men and lie about it. They can roll up and execute a child with a toy as casually as one might in Grand Theft Auto. They can bumble around opening doors with their gun hand and kill bystanders, like a character in a dark farce, with little fear of serious consequences. They can choke you to death for getting a little mouthy about selling loose cigarettes. They can shoot you because they aren’t clear on who the bad guy is, and they can shoot you because they’re terrible shots, and they can shoot you because they saw something that might be a weapon in your hand—something that can be … any fucking thing at all, including nothing.”
Fortunately, people are finally catching on to the fact that Officer Friendly ain’t.
Via The Atlantic & Fox News.
THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER 
And here it comes to a head: Occupy L.A.: Protesters to seek restraining order against police. Ain’t it amazing?
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/11/occupy-la-to-seek-restraining-order-against-police-official-says.html
They do need reforming, no doubt about it. But it ain’t never gonna happen.
Bullshit lefty propaganda. Lying by omission, misdirection and cherry picking. Wait until they get the Federal police force they’ve wanted for so long. You know, for justice, and to end racial prejudice.
Seems to me you’re doing some of your own cherry-picking here, Les. And we already have federal police, multiple forces of them representing different agencies. I’m still waiting for Miriam’s killers to stand before a judge: http://tinyurl.com/mg6s9h4
It will have to be spelled out for me where I am cherry picking.
When I say Federal Police, I mean replacing the local and state law enforcement with Federal Officers. It was pushed in the seventies and was brought up by a Congressman during the Ferguson debacle. Ever since the nation’s police came out for the 2nd Amendment in a national survey there has been a concerted effort to drive a wedge between them and the public they serve.
As far as the rest, look at the language used.
“as casually as one might in Grand Theft”. That’s bullshit. “They can”. On and on. Speaking of isolated and infrequent incidents among the millions of interactions.
“They can choke you to death for getting a little mouthy about selling loose cigarettes.” That’s not what happened. They attempted to arrest a man for violating one of N.Y.’s many stupid laws, probably at the behest of the storekeeper who paid taxes on the cigarettes he sold, or as a task force for whatever reason the city had. The man (who had been arrested several times before for the same charge) decided he wasn’t going to be arrested. He talked throughout the episode, so he wasn’t choked.
I stand by what I said. Hyperbole, painting with a broad brush, pretending stupid things done under stress and malicious stupid things that are done, are the norm, is the essence of the article. That is what makes it propaganda.
Okay, you’re dismissing Mr. Garner, for instance. The NYC m.e. ruled Garner’s death was from “neck compression” and was a homicide, according to Wikipedia. Sounds like choking to me. The grand jury’s no-bill is not impressive, since such juries are controlled by prosecutors who are politicians.
The Cleveland 12-year-old with his toy gun, for another dismissal: Police released a video showing the kid was shot 1.5 to 2 seconds (according to CNN) after the cops pulled up at the gazebo. Cop version is that the shooter yelled three times for the kid to show his hands before shooting him. The video has no audio but still rebuts them. Two seconds is about right for a casual video-game shooter. I never played Grand Theft. Did play Doom. Same same.
I know from my journalism days that cops lie a lot to make themselves look good. I don’t know if this stuff is the norm but there sure has been a lot of it lately. I’m waiting for the trial of the Austin cop who was indicted for killing an unarmed black man who was running away. Maybe in the trial we’ll find out why cops seem to be so quick to kill. Are they trained to kill rather than disable? Do they fear for their lives more now than ever before? Do their soldier-style automatic rifles and camo make them feel like they’re in a war?
I can’t say I’ve ever trusted them or felt like they were on my side. But something new is in play here and I’d like to know what it is.
Ah well, worlds apart. The training is to shoot center mass to stop, rather than to kill, and it’s the thing most hit-able under duress and ideally lets no errant rounds go where they shouldn’t. They had better respect each situation enough to be paying attention, because the most innocent appearing situation can go to horrific, witness the Lakewood coffee shop shootings. Their soldier style semi-auto carbines (I’ve never seen an officer carrying a select fire carbine on duty although I have heard of it.) are just like the ones the average citizen in my part of the world owns, plus they are easier to be accurate with, than a pistol and, according to the box o’ truth no more penetrative. They are just practical, like a shotgun. I can’t speak for nowadays but camo or black military clothing was gone to in swat teams because it is cheap and far more practical for a lot of activities done than a conventional uniform. Many officers have already been to war and have no desire to be there without necessity. They use the gear you talk about because it is practical and often issue.
Then too, with a ever growing population, more and more gangs and all the current social problems, a police department I know of went from two officers a shift, and averaging 2 to 4 calls a shift or less, to six officers and constant calls. So there have been changes.
As for as trust, well, I can’t and won’t speak to that, because I don’t know what kind of jackasses you have run into, and they are there. Of course they are there, as mechanics, doctors, lawyers and journalists and just as life affecting. There are also really good hardworking people (I think in the majority) in all those fields, including police work. But it only takes one to sour a persons attitude.
I recommend http://chrishernandezauthor.com/ as a good source on police training and thought. Plus, he is much more articulate and knowledgeable than I.
I only spend this much time on writing to people, whose view I respect in general, and who I believe are reasonable, although I admit to a prejudice against journalists, because of MY experience. That’s a compliment, in case you didn’t catch it. Course you are my third stop after J.D. and Rodger.
Best.
Those M-16s police/sheriff’s departments, such as in Dallas, have been getting from the Pentagon are not strictly semi-automatic. I suppose the auto ones are more often carried by SWAT than the average patrol car, tho you can’t tell the difference by looking at them.
I understand the prejudice against journalists. Most of them are not trustworthy and even those who are are at the mercy of their editors who often change details to suit themselves and their prejudices. Which is one of many reasons I count myself as a “recovering” journalist. I often wish I’d done something else with my life.