Police Brutality

I've ragged on blacks for making too much about racism when it comes to shooting deaths at the hands of police.  I'm not backing away from that.  To suggest that every police office in nation is plagued with rampant racism is simply wrong.  That being said, the police have a problem in that when confronted with blacks they believe have committed crimes or have had traffic violations, all too often excessive force is used that leads to grievous injury at best and death at worst.  This past weekend another senseless death was caused by an overzealous and probably criminal cop.  All too often, Barney Fife's who in high school were picked on feel their oats now that they have a badge and a gun and go well beyond what is needed to serve and protect.

To reiterate:  The Michael Brown shooting was justified, in my opinion.  However, I don't believe that excessive force in these instances was justified:

Rodney King

Eric Garner

Floyd Dent

Dillon Taylor

Walter Scott

Not one of these incidents required the excessive use of force used by the police.  Should the decedents have complied more readily with the officers' demands?  In hindsight, assuredly.  But what each of them was doing did not justify the use of force which, in the case of Michael Brown, was justified.  Make no mistake:  Being a police officer is a dangerous and oftentimes thankless job.  But that doesn't mean that they have an unfettered right to use this type of force.

What's more, in both the Floyd Dent and Walter Scott cases, there may have been police tampering with evidence, trying to plant items that would justify their use of excessive force.

Cretins like these have no business being police officers.  Yes, the vast majority of cops are good and restrained.  But examples like these sully the public's perception of police officers and, in the case of blacks, make them resistant to officers' orders or generally make the public wary of police officers.

Do I think the Justice Department needs to become involved?  Possibly.  Internal affairs departments do a good job, usually, but that's after the fact.  Preventive measures need to be taken to weed out the Barney Fifes so that more such incidents are reduced and then eliminated.

Cops are supposed to serve and protect.  They are not supposed to divide and murder.

(c) The Truxton Spangler Chronicles