Prosecutor Marilyn Mosby charged Six Baltimore policemen involved in the Freddie Gray homicide with various charges including 2nd degree murder Friday.
It is MONUMENTAL! HISTORICAL! and Merely a FIRST STEP!
But my fear is that it will be squandered by Conservatives and Liberals and Libertarians and everyone else. Because after 26 years as a System Analyst my one TRUTH is, “you can NEVER solve a problem you don’t understand.”
Police brutality is not a problem solved by cameras, Diversity, or any other Band-aid
Yes when Walter Lamer Scott was killed in South Carolina a camera helped when he was shot four times “IN THE BACK”. But In New York Eric Gardner was killed by a white policeman on video where the cop waved at the camera after Eric’s body was taken away. In Missouri a Black female cop told her fellow White officers to hold up on beating a man until she turned the dash camera off. Cameras are NOT the solution!
Police brutality is not a problem solved by DIVERSITY!
Yes in Ferguson the police department would be helped by more minority members in that particular department. But I doubt it would have saved Michael Brown. Because in Baltimore Freddie Gray was killed by six officers, three of which were black. Two men one woman. Diversity is NOT the solution.
“IT’S THE POLICE CULTURE STUPID!”
When he or she puts on that uniform, badge and more importantly that GUN, they cease being white or black or brown or yellow or any other color other than BLUE. ASK THEM!
It appears they are also issued an exemption from the laws they swear to enforce. And that the public is the enemy. And I can lock you up for not showing me the respect I obviously deserve because I wear this uniform. In short “fear me”! I can also KILL YOU!
It’s politically correct to say “we are not talking about all cops” Well I’m not politically correct. I am talking about ALL cops. Until they prove me wrong. If a cop breaks a man’s arm while on the ground screaming “I’m not resisting” and 10 other cops stand around with their hands on their hips watching as we saw on a local news broadcast. Or the man in San Bernardino who after a police chase was spread eagle on the ground, repeatedly kicked in the groin while other late arriving cops got their kicks in. Or let a dog loose on a friend of mine, who was handcuffed on the ground, stopped for speeding. And not one cop said a word. I made the mistake of viewing the Rodney King arrest tape of 1991 for this piece. We all should take another look at it!
While only four crazed cops were charged, 10-20 others watched. NOT ONE COP INTERVIENED! NOT ONE COP REPORTED IT.
Yes it’s a dangerous job! But you knew or certainly should have known that when you volunteered. No one is drafted to my knowledge. I knew when I volunteered for the military I could get killed. So what? If you can’t deal with that maybe another profession is in order. The ONLY solution to police brutality lies with changing police culture.
News Flash! ONLY COPS CAN CHANGE THAT!
It’s so cliché but true, if you wear the uniform, you are either the solution or the problem! Terrorism taught us “See something Say Something.”! This applies more so to cops.
Everyone loves to say the majority of cops are a good hard working cops. I say BULL! PROVE IT.
You have a choice to be a “GOOD” cop by “See something ,Say Something.” or just another “BAD” cop hiding behind the The Blue Wall of silence.
So Choose!