There is quite a many thing that has been said over the last several weeks in reference to the dismal state of affairs between law enforcement and everyday folk like you and I, the civilians. Protesters are lining the streets all over our country, the police are on edge, and tensions are running higher than Rick James in a cocaine factory. One thing that is seemingly getting lost in all of this madness, is the topic of police departments having their officers strap on cameras while they are on duty. Why have we stopped asking this question? And furthermore, why are there not more pro-camera police out there? Before you jump to your own conclusions, hear me out.
Let me start by saying a few things first. I fully realize that even the invocation of this discussion topic will begin a tidal wave of eye rolls, scoffs, and even a few well-warranted sighs of, "enough of this, already." I get it. To understand where I am coming from, I believe that the following quote from The Daily Show's Jon Stewart will sum up the duality of this situation best:
"You can truly grieve for every officer who’s been lost in the line of duty in this country, and still be troubled by cases of police overreach. These two ideas are not mutually exclusive."
It seems as if lately, you cannot make any sort of statement about police overreach or even worse, cases of police brutality, without it being thrown in your face that you are anti-cop. Conversely, if you post a blue line or blue ribbon on your Facebook page or Twitter, or if you show any sort of support for cops, you can be painted into the corner of being "pro-police brutality" or you can even be accused of wanting to usher in a "police state" that is going to pave the way for the New World Order and the Illuminati are coming for you and your babies....sorry, not sure what happened there. Can I just reiterate what it was that Stewart was saying and say that IT IS OKAY TO FEEL AMBIVALENT ABOUT THIS ISSUE. There. I said it. Breathe easy, civilian.
Although I am not a police officer, I have been fortunate enough to have a sort of unique perspective on what it is like inside of a police department, even though still technically an outsider to the fraternity. I, just like most everybody else, have several close family members and best friends that are police officers. Also, from the summer of 2009 until the summer of 2013, I was a parking enforcement officer with a municipality in the near-west suburbs of Chicago. Yes, I was THAT guy. If you visited that village at any time within those nearly four years, I more than likely gave you a ticket. Don't be mad, you deserved it and hey, a man's gotta eat.
During my brief tenure with that department, I was fortunate enough to meet some of the finest human beings you would ever wish to interact with. I saw firsthand the truly awe-inspiring spirit that it takes to put on that uniform every single day knowing in the back of your mind that there is that chance, despite how relatively small it may be, that you will not be going home at the end of your shift. Your commanding officer going to your house, knocking on your door, informing your loved ones of the fate that has befallen you. It takes balls to put that uniform on. And yes, even the women that don the colors have balls of their own, in the form of a grit and courage that many of us common folk only pretend to have. It is a rough job, people. It takes strength of will, character, and a mental fortitude that I for one, know that I did not have.
My time at the department also showed me something else: it showed me that there really are a couple really, REALLY shitty human beings that put that uniform on every day. The racial slurs, the stories of past back-room/basement beatings, the constant wariness of blacks and Latinos. It was a nightmare at times, trying to put on a happy face around some of these crazy assholes because some of those crazy assholes were my superiors and I had two babies at home that needed food, and there was no way I was upsetting this tight, fraternal apple cart. These select few, however, did not do enough to make me hate the police, nor did it sway my opinion that the police are, in general, a force for good and a necessity for our communities. Don't let a few bad app....eh, you know.
I really wish that it was easy to, from my little corner of the world, psychically slam some common sense into the heads of some people. One of these people is Patrick Lynch, President of the Patrolman's Benevolence Association (PBA) who said in the wake of the tragic shootings of NYPD officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, that the New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio, has "blood on his hands" in the deaths of these two officers. And for what you may ask? It was Mayor DeBlasio speaking from personal experience about his worries for, and conversations he has had, with his son Dante, who is bi-racial. Here is what caused such a huge uproar, you be the judge. Link comes from rawstory.com:
DeBlasio Comments in Wake of Eric Garner Verdict
In this video, DeBlasio does not come out and viciously attack the police as guys like Lynch and Giuliani would have you believe. DeBlasio calls for any protests to be peaceful and for non-violent social unrest if the people want change. Sounds pretty un-American, right? The most radical thing about this, is that he is the most powerful politician in the city, who happens to disagree with the verdict handed down by the jury. He also happens to have a personal anecdote about having a son who is half black and the worries that come with that in New York City. You know, the city that stops and frisks a huge percentage of people of color. That's it. That is what caused this whole nonsense with PBA President Lynch and former Mayor Rudy "9/11-something something-9/11" Giuliani, saying that everyone from President Obama to DeBlasio and every Sharpton in between is responsible for the deaths of officers Liu and Ramos. Man...what a maniac this DeBlasio guy is, huh? Are you kidding me? This is it? This is why you flat out turn your backs to the guy at funerals and at police officer graduation ceremonies now? Grow up, you guys. This is much deeper than just the Mayor, the POTUS, and yes, even bigger than Al Sharpton (used to be). You are fueling these fires just as much if not more than the protesters that line the streets of our cities. Your culpability in these rising tensions are ever-increasing, Mr. Lynch. As I've been told working many times working in the security field, "Zip up your alligator skin."
Policing is hard work on the streets AND behind the scenes. If the mayor wants you to clean up your act because some of the things your department is doing are driving the citizens to freak, you keep your mouth closed and start cleaning house. It does not mean that the mayor wants all cops dead and that everyone who is protesting wants the same. Even if there is a psycho out there who killed two cops who didn't deserve it. Even if there is a percent of a percent of protesters that seem to be out for blood. Don't let a few bad app.....eh, you know the rest, right guys?
As much as guys like Lynch or Giuliani would hate to admit it, there is a growing distrust of police in this country that is in large part due to the fact that we are failing to see indictments of officers for crimes that are in some cases, very obviously committed. Or, we see "slaps on the wrists" to officers that seem to have gotten very favorable treatment, seemingly gained from the tin star on their chest and gat on their hip. The list is so long, I will not even begin one. We have seen the stories, the footage, heard the testimonies. One thing that we should all be wary of, my friends, are a majority of the "police brutality" videos on YouTube and other sites. I implore you-please let us not turn into those people who watch a video that has been turned on in the middle of a melee between a cop and a perp, and say, "Look how shitty this cop is being to this guy who didn't do anything!" If you don't have the entire video from start to finish, don't even bother. You are merely showing a snippet of a story that, for all we know, the officer was completely in the right. Let's stand for something unequivocally-TRANSPARENCY. Which leads me back to video cameras.
I think that it is well overdue for us, as a Nation, to call for a sort of federal law requiring all of law enforcement officers to wear as a part of their uniform, a personal camera that operates from the beginning of the shift when you hop into the squad, until you come in and punch out every night in the station. I say this, not so the public will see "how shitty the cops are to people all the time", but so that you, the true blue, honest, public serving, hard working officers can receive the praise and vindication that you so truly are due in these times. You work under immense amounts of stress every day and handle yourselves accordingly, as some of the finest among us all. If some piece of shit on the street tries to lie and say you were too rough after he did nothing wrong, you have your proof right in front of you and more importantly, in front of US. No more videos on YouTube that show a tiny fraction of a small piece of a puzzle. I hope that all of my loved ones in law enforcement can get behind this idea. And for those of you who are asshole cops, who use your positions of power to abuse, cheat, steal, lie, and assault against those you serve, you are truly the lowest sludge to inhabit the swine pen, and you should be on camera for those who pay your salary to see.
For all you civilians, get out there on the streets, people. Protest. Yell. March. BE HEARD. But remember, peace will beget peace in the end. Stand up against brutality in ALL of its forms, be it from police or violent protesters, and don't let anyone tell you that protesting such abuses, while simultaneously grieving for those who serve for us, need be mutually exclusive. Run from people like that, they are trying to sell you something. For all of my non-civilian law enforcement friends and family: get out there, protest, be heard, BE SEEN (on camera), vindicate yourselves, turn in those among you that should not be on the job, you know who they are. We will all be safer for it. Hashtag-ALL LIFE MATTERS.
Happy New Year, my friends. Whether you're protesting for our rights or suiting up for our protection, stay safe out there.
