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SSG Program Control Manager
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Challenges to police narratives and concern about abuse of power have been a thing for a long time. The Rodney King riots happened long before the Black Lives Matter movement started. The proper response to these challenges is to focus on better communication with the public, not a decrease in proactive policing.
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COL Charles Williams
COL Charles Williams
7 y
Yes they have, and from what I have read about places like LAPD... they did little to bridge the gap. No easy answers.
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SSG Warren Swan
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Sir "not the norm"? What IS the "norm"? I fully understand the role of police and know that a few bad apples do not represent the whole, but when the "whole" can take "justice" to a new level knowing that their actions won't involve a conviction compared to the same action taken by a member of the community, where is the "justice"? There is no other career field on earth that should you harm them results in an instant capitol murder case. There is NO other career field on earth where you can go to the SCOTUS and plead where you really don't have to protect anyone (NOPD successfully made the case), but your motto is a different phrasing of "protect and serve"? Police answer a call much the same way WE DO. Now I could walk outside and be shot by anyone. If it's a regular asshole, not much will be made of it. Just another statistic. Now if I went out and harmed a cop, true or not, 1. I'm dead more than likely (race of cop doesn't matter), and 2. Even if it's proven that I was innocent of what I was claimed to be doing, the Blue Line will ensure that my name is raked through the mud before anything happens to the cop or the department begins Please tell me how that is fair. Do I Joe Citizen (race immaterial) gets to drag the cop through the mud? Nope. I'm dead remember? Does my family get to? Nope. Mass media won't believe them. Will the cop face the same charges as I would had I committed the same exact crime to him that was done to me? NOPE. Not at al. It's been proven that body cameras have saved lives and led to lower rates of violence for and against police offers. If this is fact(which it is), why are so many police departments fighting the wearing of them? If the system is so "transparent" coast to coast, why should I have to file motions for a year or more to have the video released to my legal team and the public? It took a federal judge to make Chicago police release video of a cop killing a "suspect"....tell me the fairness again? Why are other PD's using the excuse of "budget issues" to avoid using them? You say Obama was against police. Can you clearly show where he actually stated he doesn't support police? No innuendos no double talk, and no interpretations, plain and straight up fact of him saying the words? The DOJ? No, they didn't go after anyone UNLESS you violated a civil rights issue. How many cops were locked up over civil rights issues again? They went after PD's for violating civil rights, and before anyone screams Ferguson, the end of that was not a punch to the cop who shot Brown, but the systemic way they used the ticket book as a means of making revenue. THAT IS ILLEGAL. So they made recommendations the counsel approved and at the last second claimed they "had no money" to implement the changes.

If this is just another bash Obama and YAY....the great bad liberal bogey Black man is gone, and the new Great White conservative Hope is back thread, then I'll STFU, apologize for even reading this shit, and shuffle my black ass along.

Respect goes two ways. I love cops, I support cops, and I call wrongs as I see them...not based on job, rank, political affiliation, or position. When you elevate a job higher than those who they are charged to support, what is the difference between what you've done in making hard working Cops look like the Gestapo in blue? They're human. They make mistakes, as long as they own up, man up, and take lumps, I'm good. I expect the populace to do the same. When you know you have a SLIM chance of prosecution due to job, position, and wealth......what incentive do you have to really put it all on the line? If there is ANYONE I offended with my comparison two things: 1. Does it apply to you? I specifically mentioned this is for the"bad" ones who should not even have a badge. If you are not one, this damn sure doesn't apply to you, and I sincerely thank you for what you do day in and day out. 2. Do you see a wrong, but refuse to report it? You are part of the problem and not part of the solution. Do not throw stones in a glass house that YOU own. No one should die over some bullshit. Job doesn't matter. If you cannot grab your sack and report what you see is wrong(not just when a "criminal does it), then you are committing the SAME CRIME as the person who did it. Where does the cycle stop?

The most real shit you'll see today.....and it happens more times than you think.......and DOESN'T MAKE THE NEWS....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp8stGfauyo
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COL Charles Williams
COL Charles Williams
7 y
SSG Warren Swan Thank you. I appreciate your feedback and perspectives. I understand, but every time something happens, it is not always the police's fault... but, it appears that every time the media, and many politicians race to convict the police. I am from a bad area on the east coast, and still have friends and relatives who are police the that area... Their perspective on these issues is quite a bit different than the media. I enjoyed being a Military Police Officer, after I was an enlisted MP, mostly so I could ensure the bad apples did not discredit the rest of us. It was not meant to be bash on President Obama's race, color, creed, or national origin... He was my Commander in Chief too.... but, a bash on his lack of support for police, and the military for that matter. Not because president Trump is white, but because he supports police, the military, and other entities that separate our great country from the many not great places I have been. Respect does go two ways, and as small white (a minority in my home town and schools) kid from NJ, I learned early on that treating every with respect was the key. I also learned that early on in law enforcement. I also knew that as a leader. I just hope things get better for the police, and anyone who feels the police on the problem. Thanks for the video. I will check it out.
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SSG Warren Swan
SSG Warren Swan
7 y
COL Charles Williams - Sir, I took offense to the wording not you. I know you wrote it, but it was framed in my head as a slant on him. I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE and I do not intend at any time to disrespect ANYONE here. I DO NOT play that. The video is where a cop fights a gang member in the house. The cop earns the G's respect that way, and throughout the movie, you see where the cop doesn't have ANY problems due to this two way respect, yet doesn't throw it in his face. They both know. This happens a lot more than a movie gives credit for, but doesn't make the news at all. Again

I am NOT ABOVE REPROACH AND I AM NOT AFRAID TO ADMIT A or I AM WRONG. IF I DISRESPECTED YOU ONE BIT, I APOLOGIZE AS A MAN TO ANOTHER. RANK, RACE, JOB, ANYTHING ELSE IS IMMATERIAL.

Now can we get back to the usual Coast Guard jokes?
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COL Charles Williams
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LTC Psychological Operations Officer
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Edited 7 y ago
A big part of the problem is that by and large the police departmemts and district attorney offices default to believing the cop's version of an event and takes it as gospel. Then based upon that, they either automatically assume the victim is lying or they decide not to investigate at all.

Just last week, a Chief of Police had to retract his public statements about the cop shooting the young man in a car. The cop put in his sworn statement that the vehicle was in reverse and moving towards him, and he felt he was in danger and shot. Put that in a sworn statement. I can't recall for sure if the other cops had arrived by then and said the same thing or not. So after "gathering the facts" the police chief holds a press conference and tells the residents of the city that the young man was shot because he was driving in reverse towards the cop. Cops learn from day one that all they have to do is say "I feared for my life" and it is a get out of jail free card.

But then last week the Chief had to hold another press conference and tell the city that he "misspoke", and that lo and behold, the body cam video showed that in fact that the man was driving AWAY from the cop and posed no threat at all. So now the officer has been fired. But think about it. Without the body cams (which most depts resisted wearing and if cops had their way none would wear) that officers false statement would have been assumed to be true, as it was by the police chief (cops are the good guys, so they never lie, do they) and the smug public would nod their heads and say "see, if those people wouldn't attack police, they wouldn't get shot". And another family would have lost a family member to a bad cop protected by the very system that is supposed to hold him accountable.

The underbelly of police departments has been exposed, and the complicity of the "good cops" has come to light because while they may not initiate the criminal act themselves, they will take part in the cover up because the culture is one of "I got your back" which basically prevents cops who witness misconduct from reporting it or testifying in court against a fellow officer. If they do, they are ostracized and and harrassed to the point that they usually have to leave the dept.

So to me, when I hear of police pulling back from their duties because they are afraid of being held accountable for misconduct, I think it is a pathetic response from a group that is used to operating above the law and are fighting those trying to reel them in.
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