It’s Not Even a Bandaid

Police reform isn’t likely for minorities in America

The jury has convicted Derek Chauvin on all counts for murdering George Floyd. Chauvin faces a maximum sentence of 12 1/2 years on the most serious count, unless the DA can show aggravating circumstances. While Chauvin is being held to account for his actions as a police officer, it isn’t even a bandaid in the field of police reform. In fact, during his trial other acts of police have caused injury and death to others. One only has to look to the suburb of Minneapolis, Brooklyn Center.

There a 25 plus year veteran officer shot and killed Duante Wright, a Black man, over what started out as a traffic stop for expired registration. It seems, according to the Brooklyn Police ex-chief, that ex-officer Kim Potter supposedly mistook her firearm for the Taser she carried. That seems absurd considering the great differences in weight, and design of the two items, but that fight is for another day. The Hennepin County DA’s Office quickly charged Potter the day after she resigned from the police department.

Duante Wright’s murder was just another example of police operating with a superiority complex. Yes, reportedly Mr Wright had an outstanding warrant, but the officer should have considered other options for taking Mr Wright into custody. It’s just a case of an officer refusing to be stopped from making an arrest. It’s become endemic within policing that an officer ignored is an officer enraged at the audacity that a person refuses to follow the authority of the officer.

Also, consider the case of the 13-year old boy shot and killed by a Chicago Police officer. Adam Toledo was shot after following the orders of Officer Eric Stillman to drop the gun Toledo appeared to be holding and to raise his hands. After raising his hands he was shot by Officer Stillman. If Adam Toledo was complying, why was he shot? Once Adam’s empty hands were raised he wasn’t presenting an immediate threat to Officer Stillman or the public. At that point Officer Stillman had options for taking Adam into custody, but failed to exercise any of them. Has policing become so skewed in this country that police now believe themselves incapable of doing anything less than using deadly force?

The conviction of Derek Chauvin is being celebrated by many, but others are standing on the other side of the jury’s verdict. Take Fox News extreme right mouthpiece Tucker Carlson. His take on the jury verdict is that the jury voted to convict because they (the jurors) didn’t want to be attacked by mobs if they acquitted Derek Chauvin.

“The jury in the Derek Chauvin trial came to a unanimous and unequivocal verdict this afternoon: Please Don’t Hurt Us,” he said on his show, according to Raw Story’s article.

Now, we know Tucker Carlson peddles the outrageous. If any behavior is to be maligned or twisted, Tucker is likely the one to spout off to his viewers. His commentary shouldn’t be considered to be actual news of any kind. Even his own network argued that viewers should be skeptical of Carlson’s comments and a federal judge agreed when tossing out a lawsuit against Carlson. That said, too many on the far right look to Carlson for their understanding of the activities he “reports” on. To the American people, perception is reality. By his comments Carlson appears to think that the police are always right. Of course, he’s not the only talking head at Fox News who pander to extremist right viewers.

According to the Washington Post, there have been 984 fatal shootings by police in the last year. While only a small percentage of fatal shootings by police are classified as unjustifiable, it’s not the only evidence of the attitude of police towards the very citizens they are exercising authority over. While deadly force is the worst case, other interactions by police show their contempt for the general public and minorities especially.

A NJ.com article reports that Perth Amboy police in New Jersey stopped a group of teens, mostly Black and Latino, riding bicycles in the city. Now these teens were seen to be riding their bikes in traffic, at times causing a hazard to traffic. When the group stopped for officers, one officer told the teens that their bikes “are supposed to have licenses and all that kind of stuff.” The unidentified officer went on to promise the teens that their bikes would not be confiscated by police. That didn’t last. Another officer, reportedly a Sergeant, ordered the six officers at the scene to confiscate the bikes. When one of the teens argued with this second officer, he was arrested, handcuffed, and placed in a patrol car. Was this the way to appropriately handle this situation? Wasn’t the verbal warning by the first officer sufficient? Apparently not since the second officer decided that they needed to be showed who’s boss in Perth Amboy.

Policing is not a profession for people incapable of using good judgment and discretion. It’s a tough job and a dangerous job at times. However, it’s also a job that hardened officers against the citizenry and brought them to the position of believing they hold unaccountable authority over everyone. Derek Chavin’s conviction will no more bring positive change to policing across America than did other cases of excessive/deadly force by police.

The ultimate responsibility for the failure to bring nationwide change to the policing of this country falls on the public. Those Americans who are agitating for change aren’t enough. The great majority must join their voices to the demands for change. Unfortunately, this will not likely happen since most citizens either agree with the police, or are afraid of standing out on the “wrong” side of this issue.

The attitudes of police in general won’t change until the public forces that change.

Until next time

Roundup April 13, 2021

Information and my reactions of news.

This is going to be a new thing here. Each week (not necessarily on the same day of the week) I’m going to do a roundup of some of the crazy stories I’ve read or heard and write my thoughts and reactions to them.

From the Idaho State Journal we have an article, written by an Associated Press reporter, describing a pitch to state lawmakers to add about 3/4ths of the Oregon to Idaho. A group called Move Oregon’s Border for a Greater Idaho is behind this fantasy. The people supporting such stupidity say it’s because all the rural Oregonians are dominated by liberal Portland and that they would rather join conservative Idaho. This group also looks to annexing parts of southeastern Washington and northern California in the future hopefully. Hell, maybe they should save some of the rural Canadians north of the border too (can you see me rolling my eyes?)?

Now this plan has a less than a hope in hell of ever succeeding. I find it somewhat hard to believe that these screwy Idahoans are doing this out of the goodness of their hearts for those unlucky conservative Oregonians. First of all, who says all those rural dwellers are conservatives? I live in a rural area in my state and I can damn sure tell you I’m no damn conservative (though this county is overwhelmingly made up of Trump loving conservatives)!

Secondly, since – as this Idaho group states – both Oregon and the U.S. Government would also have to agree, the likelihood of Oregon to give up territory and the income from that territory to a Idaho makes no sense at all. But,l since when has that thought stopped crazy ideas from being pursued in America?

As Forrest Gump says, “Stupid is as stupid does.”

Next up we move to troubled Minnesota, where yet again a Black man has been shot and killed by a Minnesota cop from the Brooklyn Center Police Department. A story from CNBC says that the cop involved in the killing can not be charged with a crime, according to Civil Rights attorney David Henderson. Also in the story, the police chief – Tim Gannon – that he thought this was an accident, that this senior officer meant to use her Taser, not her firearm.

Let’s look at the information we know. One, Mr Duante Wright, was stopped by the cop for either having an air freshener hanging from the rear view mirror or for expired registration (whichever you choose to believe). Two, it’s reported in news sources that Mr Wright had an outstanding arrest warrant and that he fled when police tried to take him into custody. Three, cops wear Tasers on the opposite side from their firearms on their duty belts. Fourth the feel and weight differences alone should have altered the cop that she had her firearm in her hand, not her Taser. Fifth, this cop – identified in an Insider article – as Kimberley A Potter, a 26-year-veteran of the police force.

Now I worked in law enforcement and corrections. I’ve carried both a firearm and a Taser (not at the same time though), so I know what I speak of. The size, feel, and weight differences are blatantly noticeable. How did this veteran cop, who has had training in the carrying of these weapons, grab the wrong one and not know it? Was the outstanding warrant of so serious a nature that this veteran cop was overcome with adrenaline during the attempted arrest that she “accidentally” pulled the wrong weapon and killed Mr Wright?

It seems pretty clear to me that this veteran cop was incapable of keeping a clear head. If she had, Mr Wright would be alive right now. Since she apparently isn’t able to handle situations, then what in the hell is she doing on patrol? Seems she should have duties that do not require her to use either weapon.

As for the thought that she can’t be charged with a crime, why not? In my military service (as a cop) had I ever shot someone with my duty weapon, I would have to stand court-martial to determine if the shooting was justifiable. With the number of police related shootings in America, let cops have to have a jury determine if the shooting is justifiable or not. It’s outrageous that this cop may well be protected by state law. At the least, would this not be negligent discharge of a firearm – whether or not it was a mistake by this veteran cop?

Lastly on this topic, was there no other way to handle this? Since the cop supposedly meant to pull and use her Taser, this says to me this wasn’t a life threatening situation. It seems to me the cop could have let Mr Wright leave the scene and arranged for his arrest at a later point, since they obviously had identified him. It seems clear there was some poor decision making by this veteran cop.

Her employment as a police officer needs to be terminated. She can no longer be trusted to make good judgment calls.

Lastly today I want to speak to the “battle” going on among U.S. Senators over the filibuster rule used by senators to stop votes on bills before them. Since when does the Constitution they so value allow them to refuse to represent the citizens of their state? The filibuster rule is nothing more than obstructionism to stop the Senate from doing their duty for the public. The idea that there is need for 60 votes just to get legislation voted on is criminally negligent. “We the people” don’t send you fools to Congress to find ways to avoid fulfilling your responsibilities. Bills in either chamber of Congress should be voted on and a simple majority should determine the outcome. Senator’s like Mitch McConnell and the tactics he used as Majority Leader and those he now uses as Minority Leader shows his contempt for the American people.

The filibuster rule needs to be done away with. While we are at it, a term limits amendment needs to be added to the U.S. Constitution to keep these lifelong, corporate and billionaire’s toadies from subverting the will of the people.