The Police Brutality Thread

[byu71]

The bolded is the reason I'm continually uncomfortable with this thread. It's easy to sit on the sidlines and judge these guys, but try doing their job for a month or a year and I have a feeling we wouldn't be so quick to pounce.

My son chose to become a Country Sheriff. To be real honest, I wasn't pleased with his decision but he is a big boy.

Initially my fear was not only for him, but his family. However, I believe retaliation against the family is very rare.

[ERCougar]

The bolded is the reason I'm continually uncomfortable with this thread. It's easy to sit on the sidlines and judge these guys, but try doing their job for a month or a year and I have a feeling we wouldn't be so quick to pounce.

Amen.
I'm in rural Utah and I wouldn't want their job. I can't even imagine east LA.
There are a few bad apples, obviously, but far more good guys than bad guys, and they daily put their lives on the line.

[Uncle Ted]

Not according to Lawrence O'Donnell. I watched part of his show last night and his whole point was that just because some of the autopsy could be interpreted to support Officer Wilson's story, it by no means makes the Officer's story true. I love MSNBC. I know I shouldn't watch it but I just can't turn it off.

Larry is pure MSNBC crack... Watch out, man, or you'll get addicted:

[Eddie]

One of my good friends is a cop. Used to be K-9, which was his dream job.

He told me once about pulling a guy over for a traffic stop at night. The guy was acting pretty anxious/nervous, which put him on edge, and kept shifting around in his seat, reaching for things, etc. He tried to get his dog to release from the back of his truck, but it wouldn't come. In the meantime, he's telling the guy to keep his hands on the steering wheel and the guy is acting really shifty and keeps letting go. Finally he opens the guys door and has him get out of the car, gets his ID, and learns that there is a felony warrant for his arrest. He gets they guy in handcuffs and does a quick search of the vehicle, finding a handgun under the front of the driver's seat.

I'm thinking to myself - I get nervous when I get pulled over. I'm sure I'm jittery too.

This was a simple traffic stop. Dude ran a stop sign or some random thing. Who knows how dangerous he really was or if he was thinking about reaching for that gun, but the potential danger was there. My friend is so glad he insisted on the guy keeping his hands on the steering wheel.

He found out the reason the dog wouldn't leave the back of the truck is because he was parked right in front of a manhole cover - which to the dog looked like a bottomless pit. He was much more aware of where he parked after that.

[Eddie]

Larry is pure MSNBC crack... Watch out, man, or you'll get addicted:

I love how angry he gets. Awesome.

[Omaha 680]

The bolded is the reason I'm continually uncomfortable with this thread. It's easy to sit on the sidlines and judge these guys, but try doing their job for a month or a year and I have a feeling we wouldn't be so quick to pounce.

[imanihonjin]

Larry is pure MSNBC crack... Watch out, man, or you'll get addicted:

Too late, I am already addicted.

[wuapinmon]

The bolded is the reason I'm continually uncomfortable with this thread. It's easy to sit on the sidlines and judge these guys, but try doing their job for a month or a year and I have a feeling we wouldn't be so quick to pounce.

People vested with great power do not get a pass on having a hard job. Now, I am willing to pay more taxes so that police officers can take a sabbatical and try and recuperate from some of the job stresses that are very real, but I do not accept that we cannot question them severely when they use lethal force or when there is an accusation of abuse of power. They derive their authority from the citizenry and we have every right to demand that the law be upheld by them and by THEM. Surely the bad ones are in the minority, but any minority of bad ones who are protected by the job, union, whatever, is unacceptable to someone on the receiving end of the injustice.

You'll note, please, that I never speculated about the Ferguson case, only that an investigation needed to happen. I figured the officer was justified, but there are many when they are not, and this thread serves a place to discuss and remember such cases.

[Eddie]

People vested with great power do not get a pass on having a hard job. Now, I am willing to pay more taxes so that police officers can take a sabbatical and try and recuperate from some of the job stresses that are very real, but I do not accept that we cannot question them severely when they use lethal force or when there is an accusation of abuse of power. They derive their authority from the citizenry and we have every right to demand that the law be upheld by them and by THEM. Surely the bad ones are in the minority, but any minority of bad ones who are protected by the job, union, whatever, is unacceptable to someone on the receiving end of the injustice.

You'll note, please, that I never speculated about the Ferguson case, only that an investigation needed to happen. I figured the officer was justified, but there are many when they are not, and this thread serves a place to discuss and remember such cases.

I agree with you, really.

I think cops have a hard job. But we need them to do it. So what can be done to make sure that they get the support that they need? To identify those who do not have the personality or demeanor to be successful at it before they begin a career there? And to help those who don't belong there into another field, or at least another position in law enforcement where they aren't in a position to do others harm?

For the record - with what I've seen posted here, I think the thread is miss-titled. I always viewed police brutality as cops who go out of their way to hurt another person. They know better. They know it isn't necessary. But they like to hurt people, so they find excuses. Or there is a policy, administration, or culture in place that encourages and rewards the mistreatment of the public.

Many of the examples posted here would be better suited for a police incompetence or police stupidity thread. I don't see them as officers going into a situation like the one I describe and looking for a reason to be mean. I just see them as morons who are too dumb or incompetent, which leads to mistreatment.

[wuapinmon]

I just see them as morons who are too dumb or incompetent, which leads to mistreatment.

You can't put lipstick on a pig and convince anyone to kiss it. I think mistreatment is a euphemism for brutality. If an incompetent cop shoots you, that's brutal. Mistreatment seems like a blanket for anything. But, violence is brutal; when done by police, I think calling it police brutality, whether intentional or due to idiocy, is the view of the victim. It's looking like Ferguson wasn't brutality on the part of the cop, but by the young man (as seen in the cigarettes stealing video of how he roughed-up the shopkeeper). However, it merited discussion here due to the policeman being the shooter. I don't think anyone vilified him in this thread. Wincing at critiquing the police seems like something that white males do. Maybe I'm wrong about this, but I've thought this through through the years and I feel like I am right, philosophically and morally. Policemen must be held to the absolutely highest standard because they are given the benefit of the doubt in courts of law. That power can wreck lives, families, communities, and governments.

Frankly, being a police officer should require a college degree. We should also pay them much more than we currently do. 1/3 of all patrol shifts in my county are done by VOLUNTEER deputies. They are not getting paid for risking their lives. That's some noble shit right there. But, if we want to brag about our low taxes we do so on the backs, blood, sweat, tears, and scars of people who are that dedicated to serving their communities. No one pays enough in taxes; I don't give a damn what people say or pay. No one does. And, we've got to do something to get them outfitted with body cameras to keep them beyond false accusations of brutality or other abuses of power. But, even with the shit pay and terrible working conditions, I don't give them a break over even flirting with abuse of power or brutality.

[imanihonjin]

You can't put lipstick on a pig and convince anyone to kiss it. I think mistreatment is a euphemism for brutality. If an incompetent cop shoots you, that's brutal. Mistreatment seems like a blanket for anything. But, violence is brutal; when done by police, I think calling it police brutality, whether intentional or due to idiocy, is the view of the victim. It's looking like Ferguson wasn't brutality on the part of the cop, but by the young man (as seen in the cigarettes stealing video of how he roughed-up the shopkeeper). However, it merited discussion here due to the policeman being the shooter. I don't think anyone vilified him in this thread. Wincing at critiquing the police seems like something that white males do. Maybe I'm wrong about this, but I've thought this through through the years and I feel like I am right, philosophically and morally. Policemen must be held to the absolutely highest standard because they are given the benefit of the doubt in courts of law. That power can wreck lives, families, communities, and governments.

Frankly, being a police officer should require a college degree. We should also pay them much more than we currently do. 1/3 of all patrol shifts in my county are done by VOLUNTEER deputies. They are not getting paid for risking their lives. That's some noble shit right there. But, if we want to brag about our low taxes we do so on the backs, blood, sweat, tears, and scars of people who are that dedicated to serving their communities. No one pays enough in taxes; I don't give a damn what people say or pay. No one does. And, we've got to do something to get them outfitted with body cameras to keep them beyond false accusations of brutality or other abuses of power. But, even with the shit pay and terrible working conditions, I don't give them a break over even flirting with abuse of power or brutality.

How can you possibly make such a ridiculous claim. Tell me, how much as a percentage of income should one pay to have you deem them worthy of paying sufficient taxes?

[TripletDaddy]

People vested with great power do not get a pass on having a hard job.

you are blinded by ideology. Your statement above couldn't be more false. The more powerful you are, the greater the hall pass.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Larry is pure MSNBC crack... Watch out, man, or you'll get addicted:

I didn't know Sooner was a celebrity.

[The_Tick]

You can't put lipstick on a pig and convince anyone to kiss it. I think mistreatment is a euphemism for brutality. If an incompetent cop shoots you, that's brutal. Mistreatment seems like a blanket for anything. But, violence is brutal; when done by police, I think calling it police brutality, whether intentional or due to idiocy, is the view of the victim. It's looking like Ferguson wasn't brutality on the part of the cop, but by the young man (as seen in the cigarettes stealing video of how he roughed-up the shopkeeper). However, it merited discussion here due to the policeman being the shooter. I don't think anyone vilified him in this thread. Wincing at critiquing the police seems like something that white males do. Maybe I'm wrong about this, but I've thought this through through the years and I feel like I am right, philosophically and morally. Policemen must be held to the absolutely highest standard because they are given the benefit of the doubt in courts of law. That power can wreck lives, families, communities, and governments.

Frankly, being a police officer should require a college degree. We should also pay them much more than we currently do. 1/3 of all patrol shifts in my county are done by VOLUNTEER deputies. They are not getting paid for risking their lives. That's some noble shit right there. But, if we want to brag about our low taxes we do so on the backs, blood, sweat, tears, and scars of people who are that dedicated to serving their communities. No one pays enough in taxes; I don't give a damn what people say or pay. No one does. And, we've got to do something to get them outfitted with body cameras to keep them beyond false accusations of brutality or other abuses of power. But, even with the shit pay and terrible working conditions, I don't give them a break over even flirting with abuse of power or brutality.

Lol. Like this is any surprise.

[wuapinmon]

you are blinded by ideology. Your statement above couldn't be more false. The more powerful you are, the greater the hall pass.

DMV workers rule the world then.