A Quiet Sunday On Main Street USA

The following is an excerpt from a conversation with a senior and junior police officer in a group that I belong too. I apologize for the language being a little raw, but the subject matter affects us all, no matter what country you live in.

Me: There has to be something intrinsically wrong in the recruitment and management process for “rogue” cops to screw up so often all over the country. Not fair on the many good cops but one has to wonder just how bad things were and how many things got swept under the carpet before cheap video.

Senior Officer: Not so much today, but that used to be called “pow pow” among cops just a few decades ago.

Junior Officer: …Comply, don’t die. Easy as that.

Other Group Member: Just lucky all parties were black. I’ll be the first to say it, but had that been a white cop? Forget it! The whole state would be on fire!

Me: That wasn’t a professional response. That was an amateur dressed as a professional.

Senior Officer: Once upon a time when you run from the cops, you get this type of treatment in many of the cities. Gangstas used to respect the cops some time ago. It was a common understanding that you were not to fight the cops back or even think about talking back because the cops kept it in line. Today, more thugs not only act foolishly but even now shoot back at the cops. In certain cities we have “mean streets” and they only can comprehend certain language. Is it right (the video)? Perhaps not — especially in this new political climate. But when they are speaking back and retaliating against the cop, they are also retaliating against the greater community and the law in which they are bound upon. It is not right but most of us don’t understand the culture of the inner city. Yes, we shall consider more reasonable approach to policing as we advance forward, but certain part our our community still live in the dark ages and perhaps reason doesn’t work still yet.

Senior Officer Contd: I may also add that we have cameras everywhere. This may not be an isolated incident nor issue with hiring/recruitment protocol as you suggest. It is just being documented more as we have more cameras out there. We never had this back then, therefore most of us never saw how policing was really done traditionally in America. It may appear that the policing in America is getting worse but in fact it is actually getting more progressive and “tamed” due to heightened scrutiny. Any old copper in this country will tell you some stories that you may find appalling. The policing in this country is headed towards political righteousness. With that comes the cost — cost to the community where police are doing less to stay out of trouble and looking after their career sacrificing social order. That is the current trend today thanks to misguided politicians and media who think they understand how societies work between violators and the police.

Me: Ok we’ve had this conversation before and it always ends up circular so we just keep adding interest to approaches that don’t work. Senior Officer brings up very valid points. Many times the “people” that police deal with even if not under the influence of various and sundry substances are a sub-species of people. Nothing to do with color, something to do with economics and “in breeding” within that economic strata. They may look like you and me but they see other people only as prey. People out for themselves and survival of the fittest. I agree that you as in any business have to structure your approach in order to communicate with whoever is in front of you.

What is important is that incidents like this, or the officer who shot a guy in the back or planted a weapon are happening every week. Senior Officer writes “The policing in this country is headed towards political righteousness. With that comes the cost — cost to the community where police are doing less to stay out of trouble and looking after their career sacrificing social order.” That’s not progressive it’s regressive and a betrayal of an officer’s fiduciary responsibilities.

It’s not about pointing fingers in regards to the police or being political. It’s about remembering that law and order is a cornerstone of any prosperous nation. It’s about the safety of you, me and our loved ones. In the twenty-first century maybe a blank page rewrite with that goal as our mandate is in order. I think we can all see where we’re heading if that scenario doesn’t occur and we’ll all be the losers if we allow that to happen.

Yet Another Valued Group Member: What approach or solution do you propose?

Me: Great question. Bring all stakeholders together so as to make things transparent and accountable. The solution is a multi-tiered approach to education, prison, housing, jobs and legal reform and it better happen sooner rather than later or this country will implode. All stakeholders bring to the table a world of knowledge. We live in a data driven world so what works where and how is it implemented? Build anew wrapped in American sensibilities and founding principles.

Junior Officer: I wanna know why you only post the “bad cops”? Plenty of uplifting stories about LE doing awesome things for the community they serve. It FAR outweighs the bad. Yea we do keep doing this circle because you keep bringing it up. What was the 5 seconds before this video, 10 seconds, 2 minuets. A lot of what ifs and maybes we don’t know, just the second the video starts.

Me: First off crap. I’ve posted positive things before but people see/hear what they want to see and statistically for me to register with you I’d have to post five positives to the one thing you perceive as negative. I don’t even see what I posted as negative. It’s real, it’s happening all over the country and if it goes on we all lose so let’s deal with the problem. At present the police are cuckolded in the media, shot on the street and the public is having it’s confidence shaken.

Me: (Sleep deprived after being out til past 1am helping a friend who had a flat tyre and getting slightly pissed off with Junior Officer)

P.s. (Name of Junior Officer) I’m in total agreement that good cops far outweigh bad cops. Does a bad apple improve the barrel of apples or does it spoil the rest? Police chiefs should define what is and is not their officers jobs and corner the politicians into public agreement. They shouldn’t just become politicians themselves. The union should really protect its members by standing up when it should and sitting down when it shouldn’t and finally officers should flag officers who fall below standards. Don’t even dare tell me that errant officers who have been caught on camera were doing things wrong for the first time when they were caught on camera.

Don’t dare tell me that the legal system works when the jails are balanced as they are racially and economically and literally only one banker in the world goes to jail for the last banking debacle that cost ordinary men and women their life savings. No one person or group is to blame and no one group or person will be the solution. Things went to shit by consensus and they’ll only get better by consensus.

Junior Officer: I would say the trend is the complete lack of respect for all LE agencies. Would you agree?

Me: Respect was ingrained in me by my family, guardians and the custodians of the day which as a youth would be teachers and coaches. That message was reinforced by the media of the day. All cops and lawyers and establishment figures are good and to be trusted. That’s gone because those figures in those positions screwed up. So if those same institutions want respect they have to earn it.

As you can see it was a spirited discussion. This is my “main street” but don’t think for a second that your “main street” is any different in reality or potential. Just as our industries reinvent themselves so must our institutions. Especially the ones that our society is built upon.

A long read but I hope food for thought. No references as is the norm for my writing. A dedication seems more in order. odmp.org is a page that details all the officers who have fallen in the line of duty. We owe it to them and the innocent victims of crime to do our part to make things better.