One of the more disturbing trends since 9/11 is the idea that somehow just because you wear or carry a badge, i.e., police, fireman, or dog catcher you're automatically a hero. Now, for getting paid to do the job men and woman have been doing for hundreds of years, they're somehow special. For some reason their lives take on a value way beyond that of the people they are there to serve and protect.
This blurb (Twit) came across Twitter the other day and caught my attention: "Officers' safety comes first, and not infringing on people's rights comes second." - Lt. Fran Healy, Philly Police -- http://bit.ly/bONda1
Officer "SAFETY" trumps "PEOPLE'S RIGHT"? Since when? The first RIGHT of the PEOPLE is their SAFETY. Isn't that what these people are there to protect and defend? Isn't that the new name for police departments anymore? Department of Public Safety? Notice the word "public" - NOT "police" safety. The problem in most of these cases, "police safety" is not the actual issue. All that is required for the police to deploy lethal force is their fear of some, as yet undefined, threat. The guy had a gun in his belt, or was packing a rifle and turned to look at who was hollering at them and in another case the guy had a broken piece of a metal rake handle in his hands, who was close enough to an officer that he could have put his arms around him.
Unfortunately for everyone, this is NOT an unarmed and in many cases untrained society. What the authorities with their "better safe than sorry" policy has done is take everyone back to the days of the Wild, Wild West. That "shield" they're given has meaning; it represents something important, more important than the person wearing it or at least it used to. At that time it provide far more protection than "some cop with an attitude" or any fancy bullet-proof vest, pepper spray, billy club, fancy sophisticated weaponry and training, Taser, or high-powered guns.
Donna Tam says, "Sims reportedly waved down Eureka Police traffic officer Tim Jones while he was driving on Buhne Street in Eureka. Jones conducted a traffic stop, but Sims did not stop until William Street, between C and D streets" From the sounds of it, you'd think the guy wanted to get arrested. Which is probably a good thing. It's "those kinds of people" that make driving in Eureka so enjoyable. Officer Tim Jones needs to be commended. In fact, all the officers need to be commended for showing some restraint. (From the looks of the picture I can well understand why "Sims suffered minor injuries" after being pepper sprayed. I guess what Donna Tam meant was it took three officers to "immobilize" Leroy Sims.) Many times such people are really only asking for help in the only way they know how. In this day and age that's kind of like playing Russian roulette.
No one in our American Society legally gave the police the right of summary accuser, prosecutor, judge and executioner.
[Picture Source & Source]
--Joe
Joe,
ReplyDeleteI'm worried by idea, too, that somehow a police officer's safety is more important than other people's.
I do think an officer's safety is important, I just am uncomfortable with placing the officer's safety above the publics.
Take a look at how many police have killed black men in Oakland in the last two years. You might be shocked, thinking you are looking at something from the 60s. In their minds, unarmed non-white men (and this goes for every race of cop - their race is blue) are a threat to "officer safety." That is what happens when the people's rights are an afterthought.
ReplyDeleteTake a look at how many police have killed black men in Oakland since you posted this (2008). You might be shocked, thinking you are looking at something from the 60s. In their minds, unarmed non-white men (and this goes for every race of cop - their race is blue) are a threat to "officer safety." That is what happens when the people's rights are an afterthought.
ReplyDelete