Jan 9, 2010

BART Officer Will Get Railroaded

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[8] Comments 

I couldn’t resist the pun. 

Seriously though, read this.  Now, I have watched that video online.  I have also seen the officer’s somewhat odd behavior following the shooting.  And I think he made a mistake.  I think he blew it big time.

But murder?  Right in front of all those witnesses? I doubt it.

Keep in mind what the geniuses in that article are alleging.  For this to be MURDER, the cop would have to be more than careless, and more than stupid.  He would have to be someone who MEANT TO KILL the suspect.  I just don’t buy it.  Not to mention that Mr. Shakur is also quoted as saying that the cops murder someone every day.  Let’s hope he gets to address the court…

The better charge might be negligence or something like that.  In any case, here is my prediction:

Just like other cops on that Left Coast that we love, this guy will be convicted.  After all, if he isn’t, they might have another riot.  Hey, it was enough to get the Rodney King cops convicted the second time. I think it will be enough again…

What do you think?

 

Mar 10, 2009

My Opinion On The Seattle Video

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[2] Comments 

Wow, this really worked out well. Last week I decided to let all of you comment on a video before I did. The response was wonderful: Lots of different opinions, and all well articulated. As promised, here is my take:

1. I never judge a video on its face. Never. I don’t care how good it looks, there could be some misconduct there. I don’t care how bad it looks, there are things we might not know.

2. Based only on the video, there are some good things and some bad things about the deputies’ actions.

GOOD: It seems like she kicked one shoe at them. No need to take a second one, so some sort of ballistic take down is probably okay.

ALSO GOOD: It seems like she is not compliant on the ground, so as bad as they look, the punches might be in policy in many large police agencies.

BAD: I have never understood picking someone up by the hair. If she is non-compliant there are wonderful techniques to do so. If she is violent, leave her on the floor for goodness sake. No reason for that, except anger and loss of temper.

ALSO BAD: I am not a custody expert, but have worked a bit in that environment. If, as the news said, this is a Sheriff’s department, I am guessing there were more deputies not that far away. Why not wait for help and do a proper “team” takedown and securing of this suspect? I know I always try and separate the officer who is angry from the suspect and let others deal with him or her.

So, while it is human nature to lose it once and a while, this was not a great video for the police. Take the suspect down for kicking the shoe (to protect from another such kick) and then cuff her. Call for backup once she is cuffed, and then have a new team lift her up.

Again, this is making a multitude of assumptions, such as the availability of backup, my guessing what preceded the video, etc.

Overall the most important thing is to remember never to judge completely based on what you see in one video clip. It simply cannot tell the whole story.

 

Dec 6, 2008

It’s Ask A Cop Time Again!

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[2] Comments 

As I mentioned earlier, I am back!  One thing I am dedicated to accomplishing is a redux of my, “ask a cop” column.  It was always popular, and some of the questions can be absolutely enlightening.  Some others can be, well, deleted!

So comment on this post with your questions  -  police, law, procedures, or simply, “why did this cop do such and such…”

I cannot speak for all of us, but I will do my best to answer, explain, and engage in the dialogue.  I look forward to hearing from you!

 

Apr 25, 2008

Officers Acquitted In Sean Bell Shooting – This Is No OJ Simpson Case

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[14] Comments 

The wait is finally over.  This MSNBC article confirms that the officers who shot Sean Bell are not guilty.  Phew.  As I look at the angry mob at the court house, I can’t help but think:  This case was not even half  as cut and dry as the OJ murders.  Where was Al Sharpton and company then?

I don’t know if there will be a “civil disturbance” over this, although I am sure Al Sharpton would like nothing less.  I do know the system worked here.  Here are a few reasons why:

1. If you try and run over a peace officer (or any one else for that matter) then it seems fair for the officer to defend themselves.  Especially when you do it a couple of times, and your friends are there to help.

2. Assume for a minute — which I do not — that this is a bad shooting.  That doesn’t make it a crime.  I have warned many a time that if we start prosecuting, as opposed to disciplining, officers for uses of force that are out of policy, we will lose our cops by the dozens.

3. The court apparently heard “conflicting” testimony on what happened that night.  We are all innocent until proven guilty, and beyond a reasonable doubt is a tough, tough standard.  Even the witnesses for the prosecution couldn’t nail this thing down consistently.  Given that ambiguity, the verdict appears just.

Finally, and let’s not forget the good Dr. Sharpton (where is that PhD from?) and his antics here, the judge must have been swayed by the negative publicity here.  I have long believed that Sharpton, Jackson, and the others are all just hurting themselves when they rile up the populous around these events.  No doubt the judge heard them loud and clear  -  which probably made him think even harder on whether he was being swallowed up by the publicity machine.  Good work, Al.

Hopefully cooler heads will prevail.  I wonder, by the way:  Do those angry folks in NYC think the OJ verdict was a rip off, too?

 

Mar 4, 2008

Words Matter And The Media Sells NYPD Officers Out

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[5] Comments 

God #(&*$&(%*(# I hate the media!  Check out this headline from a NY radio station.  I quote here:

“NYPD Witnesses:  Confusion After 50-Shot Slaying Of Bridegroom”

“SLAYING OF BRIDEGROOM?” 

Did you know it would also be factually correct to say, “Shooting of parolee with history of gun possession?”  Hmmm, if we did that, they would say we are racist totalitarians, right?

Keep in mind these cops are on trial for manslaughter.  I don’t frankly know what happened that night (see my prior post on Al Sharpton and his evil powers).  But it doesn’t much matter what happened, now does it? 

Since the mainstream media has decided that a “Bridegroom” has been “slayed,” I suppose the possibility that a “suspect” has been “stopped” is now out the window.  Certainly those judgemental, two-bit reporters would give a cop killer the same treatment, right?

Sure.  One of the reasons I started this blog was to get the word out on the media.  I will be a tireless watchdog for bias like this headline.  Words matter.

 

Feb 11, 2008

This Is Why Cops Don’t Trust People

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[10] Comments 

I have tried.  I really have.  I want to believe people are good.  Then I see this video (sorry about the link…embedding didn’t work) of fine citizens watching a Boston police officer get beaten within an inch of the end.  If that suspect grabs the gun, the cop is done for.  Thanks so much, concerned citizens.