Cop shoots Black man in cold blood during traffic stop, girlfriend streams video

[Jerry Oz]

This demands an answer.

There may well be differences in law enforcement between the US and the UK.

With regard to drivers, the police here in the UK have the powers to pull over any motorist for any suspected offence. Technically, that means no matter how minor.

In the US, pulling someone over because they have a "wide set nose" is considered a violation of their Constitutional rights. As is pulling them over for simply being non-White in the wrong area. It happens frequently and although complaints are affirmed through the courts, it happens consistently with no ramifications to the offending agencies.

In reality, the time and administration work involved means that a light being inoperative, or other minor offence, often does not result in the driver being stopped.

The police officers are most likely to respond when the way the vehicle is being driven arouses suspicion - and especially when immediately alerted by computer that a passing vehicle has a suspect registration.

Again, in this case and many others, the car was pulled over because the driver was Black. Read the first posts in this thread. They have the time to do things like this and since there are no consequences, they do. YouTube is full of videos of it. Bully for the Brits with their computers, but in the US they don't need a computer to help concoct reasons to pull people over.

Most incidents when motorists are stopped are dealt with courteously, and with an appropriate degree of firmness.

The passenger complied with the officer's instructions and was killed for doing so. Is that firm enough or worthy of concern?

All forces train their officers to see that the law is observed by everyone, irrespective of ethnicity - for example, of drivers and/or passengers. The police are expected to observe this, and all nationalities living within the UK are expected to understand and accept this. Unless circumstances in individual cases can be proved otherwise, it is simply the law of the land.

US police training typically provides 60 hours of legal training in ~nine months of training in the academies. A far cry from the four years that lawyers spend trying to learn the same laws. Not just that, but very few police departments have diversity training or emphasis on how to do their jobs without profiling.

All that said, it is a hard fact that, for whatever reason, reported crime in London committed by black people is significantly higher than the percentage of black people in that population. That is a statistic to be read by anyone, whether they be white, black or from any other background.

It should not prejudice the response of the police officers in London, but there is an understandable need to be especially vigilant of suspicious behaviour by some black people, when obliged to make a swift judgement in any situation. It is their job to do so.

And when I mention that slavery was a situation that had White people standing over Black people with whips for centuries in our country, they say "well, that wasn't me". How about White peoples destroying the Incan and Mayan cultures, killing six million Jews in concentration camps, and ruling over India and African nations with guns and iron thumbs?

You'll suggest that I'm reaching with this response, but typically [[again), White people say "well, I didn't do that". It appears that you're saying that a Black lawyer [[or president) should be looked at with a curious eye because "for whatever reason, reported crime by Black people is significantly higher than the percentage of Black people in the population". And what is "suspicious behavior"? We have a phenomenon here known as "driving while Black", which for too many cops is a reason to pull someone over. So, would I be a suspect in spite of the fact that I've never committed a crime in England or the US?

The one essential difference between the US and UK national police forces is the fact that UK officers, male and female, do not carry guns, unless in exceptional circumstances.

My understanding is that the US officers seem to carry guns on all occasions, even for traffic offences?

They're even required to carry sidearms when they are off-duty.

A gun in the hands of an irrational person, no matter what their ethnic background may be, or what uniform they may be wearing, is likely to lead to random action, with tragic results. We don't seem to be hearing too much from our black friends on the forum in the US about the white victims in similar, tragic circumstances. It surely must happen??

There is typically no psychological training involved with police recruits and often none available after cops shoot people in the line of duty. Black suspects [[even when they aren't suspected of crimes) are killed at a frequency that is three times that of White suspects in similar situations. Black men account for 6% of the US population but they are 40% of the unarmed people killed by police. Unarmed. Forget the two cases this week when they had guns but were not a threat to use them. I'm talking about people who in some cases are walking away and clearly no threat to the officers who are compelled to use deadly force only when protecting their lives or the life of others.

And White people are also murdered by police but with less frequency. There has been a dustup recently about Dylan Noble, a White man who was shot after a short pursuit in San Diego. He exited his truck under gunpoint and was shot with his hands up. After he lay on the ground for 14 seconds, they shot him to death without attempting to call for medical assistance or even to actually arrest him. It turns out, he was not the suspect that they were looking for and he was unarmed. Black Lives Matter has brought attention to his death although national media has largely ignored it. So yeah, it's a bigger problem than just cops killing Black people. Sadly, it's a bigger problem for us than for other Americans.

Recent events involving the police in the US, particularly concerning some black victims, is appalling to those of us here, when viewed from our distance.

It seems to be the widespread possession of guns in the US which has led to these situations, not simply that the victims were black.

There are more guns in the hands of White people than Black people. And if you think it's appalling from a distance, come hang out for a few weeks and take a closer look.

It also does seem that the black population could and should support their 'brothers' far more positively, working together without the use of violence, on both sides of the Atlantic.

For example, can our black friends here confirm if they have ever trained or worked for any police force, or any emergency work which serves the general public - which includes their own race?

Why'd you bring peace into the conversation? Until Wednesday night, there was not a violent act associated with the "Black Lives Matter" movement. We've been extremely peaceful. Most cops killed in the past decade and beyond were killed by White suspects.

And no, I haven't worked with community action organizations. So you have me there.

Also, do our black friends here think that more black officers would lessen the incidence of other black people being shot dead for what certainly appears to be tragically wrong reasons?

Or, is it far more expedient for our black friends here to regard all black people [[including themselves) as 'victims', and simply to regard [[generally white) police officers as 'pigs', as quoted?

No, Black cops are just as violent as White cops. More over, in places like Baltimore. Cops should be required to live within the communities that they serve. Otherwise they patrol like members of an occupying force as opposed to civilians who are there to preserve order. They have totally alienated citizens in some communities by harassing people for small or no reason and those folks no longer work with them to report criminal activity. It's ridiculous.

I call cops who kill people without cause "pigs". I'm offended that you suggest that I refer to White cops as pigs. You've never read that and the fact that you assumed there was a race angle toward my use of the word tells me a bit about your worldview. Sadly, many White people think that this movement is because Black people want to complain about something that most White people refuse to acknowledge. Even some of our - to borrow your words - White friends here at Soulful Detroit.

In the UK, the black members of the population would seem to form a smaller percentage of the general population than in the US. For whatever reason, it seems difficult to recruit a sufficient percentage black officers to adequately represent the black population on both sides of the Atlantic, although I believe there has been some success in some US regions.

It is a hard reality that police forces, [[as with the general population), are indeed predominantly white, and it can be a hard, dangerous and potentially fatal job for some officers, at least at times. It must be assumed that most officers who fall below the required standard will then indeed be white.

The current movement has roots in an incident that occurred in Ferguson, Missouri. The police force in Ferguson had 47 White cops and two Black cops on it, even though the community is 70% Black. There was no shortage of Black recruits or available candidates within the community.

[Jerry Oz]

Continued from above:

It is also hard to read the comments of some of our black friends here, in emphasising not the common problems but the differences between black and white, without feeling that they are being very racist themselves towards their white friends here.

I'm curious as to why you say this. I don't care whether any of my fellow posters is White. Please explain how we are being racist toward our White friends by saying that it's time to reform criminal justice in America. This was singularly the most offensive thing that I've read on these forums [[and that's saying a lot).

When you hear us say "stop shooting us", it's because it continues to occur 150 years beyond the abolition of slavery. To be sure, there are thousands of White people who have taken up this cause, and I greatly appreciate their sacrifice of time and dedication toward ensuring civil rights for all.

If that is the case, members of both races might then consider themselves as victims.

Instead of using our fingers on our keyboards, we might then wish to put guns in our hands.

And then where, exactly, does it go from there.....?

I've considered it, but to what end? I avoid situations in my personal life where I'm likely to need a gun. It's my experience and understanding that guns are used too soon when other options for de-escalation are available and that's the whole point with this issue. If a cop finds me with a gun, legally or not, I'm much more likely to be the next victim. Hell, if history is any indicator, if they think a cell phone "looks like" a gun and are compelled to shoot people for texting, what would they do if they actually found a gun on me?

I appreciate your post but it clearly revealed very large differences between experiences and perspective between you and me. So that you'll be aware, my brother-in-law was killed by a cop who was dispatched to resolve a dispute between him and his girlfriend. They shot him when - according to them - he reached for a gun. Personally, I don't think it happened that way. But it's their word against my suspicion, because they also killed his girlfriend and there's no witness remaining. By the way, it was the second time that the cop who killed him had dispensed deadly force while on the job.

[soulster]

Beew away in the last three or four days, and need to catch up on this thread. But, has anyone yet mentioned the update about the cop who shot Philando Castile? First, he says he shot him because it was about the presence of a gun, not his race. Well, the problem with that is cops panic when they see a Black man. That's a fact. There is no doubt in my mind that had the driver been white, he would be alive and well today. Why? because the cop then claimed that he pulled Castile over because he looked like someone who was about to commit a crime. Oh, but, what about that alleged broken taillight? He just admitted he racially profiled him. Add that to his itchy trigger finger, and you've got a racially-motivated shooting.

What further angers me is people are [[rightfully) honoring cops being shot, but where was all of this support and holding vigils when the two innocent men were shot? And, why is it OK for white people to brandish guns, but as soon as a black man does, he's labeled a suspect, gets his photo plastered all over the media, and interrogated?

No justice, man! And, the far-right and Fox still goes after the Black Lives Matter movement, calling them a terrorist group. Not that I condone it, but I can see why Micah Johnson went radical.

[Jerry Oz]

Have you seen this? What do you guys think of this?

She's right regarding people protesting when shooting is justified. But to suggest that we should look the other way when Freddie Gray's neck is broken as he ran away from another "humble" [[Baltimore cops call the arrest of people for offenses such as looking them in their eyes while walking down the street - or avoiding eye contact with them - a humble), when Eric Garner was choked to death for selling loose cigarettes when all they had to say was "move along or you'll be arrested", LaQuan McDonald was shot for walking down the middle of the street, Tamir Rice is killed in less than 2 seconds after a pig sees him with a BB gun, or a dozen other names that I'm upset to know in this country of 300 million.

When people try to suggest that Black on Black crime is a justification for police brutality, it blows my mind. Here's why: If I shoot you, then I will be arrested and tried in a court of law. If a cop shoots you, in well over 95% of the time, there will be no punishment, let alone charges filed. And when charges are filed, they are typically less than those filed against a civilian and the cop is found not guilty more often than not.

DO NOT CONFUSE THESE TWO ISSUES. People who protest when someone precipitated their own death by attacking the police with deadly force are idiots. But they have rules and guidelines for how to do their jobs. When they violate those rules, wouldn't you think they should be held to a higher standard? Well, they are not. In fact, they are encouraged to be more aggressive by a system that protects them even when they have committed blatant crimes while in uniform.

I agree with a lot of what she said in the video, but she's confused. Her perspective will change when it happens to her.

[Jerry Oz]

Beew away in the last three or four days, and need to catch up on this thread. But, has anyone yet mentioned the update about the cop who shot Philando Castile? First, he says he shot him because it was about the presence of a gun, not his race. Well, the problem with that is cops panic when they see a Black man. That's a fact. There is no doubt in my mind that had the driver been white, he would be alive and well today. Why? because the cop then claimed that he pulled Castile over because he looked like someone who was about to commit a crime. Oh, but, what about that alleged broken taillight? He just admitted he racially profiled him. Add that to his itchy trigger finger, and you've got a racially-motivated shooting.

What further angers me is people are [[rightfully) honoring cops being shot, but where was all of this support and holding vigils when the two innocent men were shot? And, why is it OK for white people to brandish guns, but as soon as a black man does, he's labeled a suspect, gets his photo plastered all over the media, and interrogated?

No justice, man! And, the far-right and Fox still goes after the Black Lives Matter movement, calling them a terrorist group. Not that I condone it, but I can see why Micah Johnson went radical.

Soulster, the transcript of the stop has him telling the dispatcher that he's going to stop the car because the driver looks like a suspect in a robbery because of his "wide-set nose". I'm itching to find out what robbery he was concerned about. I'm thinking that there are too many robbers who commit crimes with four-year olds in the back seat. He absolutely profiled him and murdered him for being Black.

All that I want from this mess is open and transparent hearings and investigations when it occurs. Why are union members on the investigating commissions for use of force? Why are the hearings held in secret? And to that end, why don't cops police themselves? When you hear that "they aren't all bad", it's bullshit. Because if they don't correct the problem of bad police when they know about it, they allow bad cops to do what they do. And you will find that when cops report their brothers in blue for stepping over the line, the reporting cop is flushed out through a campaign of behavior that literally puts his life in danger. They find rats in their lockers. They make calls for assistance in dangerous situations that go unanswered. They find other cops parked outside their houses, observing them 24 hours a day. Their wives and children are given frivolous traffic tickets. Facebook messages begin to appear accusing them of foul play and infidelity.

I'm not trying to hear about good cops because good ones are fired or quit soon after they break ranks. I'm not saying that I'm not extremely aggrieved over the five cops who were killed in Dallas; I feel horrible about that. But the police are a necessary evil and criminal justice reform is long overdue.

[marv2]

If I reading this right.....the reason is the ability to carry and use guns.

Sounds like there is a simple solution! But clearly it ain't happening.

Getting guns off of the street and people's homes is hardly a simple solution here in America. The NRA is almost all powerful and they would use that power to prevent it.

[marv2]

Soulster, the transcript of the stop has him telling the dispatcher that he's going to stop the car because the driver looks like a suspect in a robbery because of his "wide-set nose". I'm itching to find out what robbery he was concerned about. I'm thinking that there are too many robbers who commit crimes with four-year olds in the back seat. He absolutely profiled him and murdered him for being Black.

All that I want from this mess is open and transparent hearings and investigations when it occurs. Why are union members on the investigating commissions for use of force? Why are the hearings held in secret? And to that end, why don't cops police themselves? When you hear that "they aren't all bad", it's bullshit. Because if they don't correct the problem of bad police when they know about it, they allow bad cops to do what they do. And you will find that when cops report their brothers in blue for stepping over the line, the reporting cop is flushed out through a campaign of behavior that literally puts his life in danger. They find rats in their lockers. They make calls for assistance in dangerous situations that go unanswered. They find other cops parked outside their houses, observing them 24 hours a day. Their wives and children are given frivolous traffic tickets. Facebook messages begin to appear accusing them of foul play and infidelity.

I'm not trying to hear about good cops because good ones are fired or quit soon after they break ranks. I'm not saying that I'm not extremely aggrieved over the five cops who were killed in Dallas; I feel horrible about that. But the police are a necessary evil and criminal justice reform is long overdue.

Isn't that at least a part of Christopher Dorner's story?

[soulster]

Soulster, the transcript of the stop has him telling the dispatcher that he's going to stop the car because the driver looks like a suspect in a robbery because of his "wide-set nose".

I did not see the transcript, and heard about what the cop stated second-hand, but thank you. Talking about his nose is still racial profiling!

I'm itching to find out what robbery he was concerned about. I'm thinking that there are too many robbers who commit crimes with four-year olds in the back seat. He absolutely profiled him and murdered him for being Black.

Right! And, just because the cop is Latino make no difference. There are plenty of racist or biased Latinos out there. You have dark skin? You're a suspect! Same goes for the legal gun possession I mentioned.

All that I want from this mess is open and transparent hearings and investigations when it occurs. Why are union members on the investigating commissions for use of force?

Some cities, like Los Angeles, now have citizen review boards.

Why are the hearings held in secret? And to that end, why don't cops police themselves? When you hear that "they aren't all bad", it's bullshit. Because if they don't correct the problem of bad police when they know about it, they allow bad cops to do what they do.

Exactly! A "good" cop is just a cop who doesn't narc on his comrades.

And you will find that when cops report their brothers in blue for stepping over the line, the reporting cop is flushed out through a campaign of behavior that literally puts his life in danger. They find rats in their lockers. They make calls for assistance in dangerous situations that go unanswered. They find other cops parked outside their houses, observing them 24 hours a day. Their wives and children are given frivolous traffic tickets. Facebook messages begin to appear accusing them of foul play and infidelity.

Yup It's intimidation. Why is it that cops have to have such a deep trust? Is it so they will get backed up if they do something illegal?

I'm not trying to hear about good cops because good ones are fired or quit soon after they break ranks. I'm not saying that I'm not extremely aggrieved over the five cops who were killed in Dallas; I feel horrible about that. But the police are a necessary evil and criminal justice reform is long overdue.

The Baton Rouge DA just recused himself of the case pending the federal investigation into the shooting there. It turns out that the DA is good friends of the parents of the cop who shot Alton Sterling, who just also happen to be former Baton Rouge cops. Quite telling, especially when you consider that that cop, and his partner, have been the subject of several internal investigations for misconduct. Police corruption and collusion.

And, i'll bet none of the cops involved in the shootings are from the areas they patrol. They don't know the locals, and it has been proven time and time again that community policing works.

[soulster]

Getting guns off of the street and people's homes is hardly a simple solution here in America. The NRA is almost all powerful and they would use that power to prevent it.

The NRA is usually quick to defend the Second Amendment, but they are mysteriously silent whenever it comes to people of color legally possessing and carrying firearms. They say they don't care who you are, but the NRA is overwhelmingly white, and everyone knows why white people arm themselves: to protect themselves from the black people.

I've had two radical NRA members admit to me that they literally write gun laws for the legislators to pass. With that kind of inside track, it is impossible to get anything to change in this country.

[theboyfromxtown]

http://www.breitbart.com/video/2016/..._medium=social

What do you think guys?

[Jerry Oz]

http://www.breitbart.com/video/2016/..._medium=social

What do you think guys?

I think that if I was to ask about crossing the thin blue line to report a cop who is tarnishing the shield by abusing suspects and ignoring protocol, I'd never again receive a positive employment review regardless of how well I performed my job. That man is uniquely positioned to earn the public trust by initiating reforms but he'd rather tell us how hard their jobs are then enlist half a million willing citizens who want nothing more than to trust the police. I heard that Dallas has a relatively progressive and transparent police department, but I know of abuses that they did as well.

[Jerry Oz]

Isn't that at least a part of Christopher Dorner's story?

Chris Dorner was a rising star until he told his superiors about the misdeeds of two fellow LAPD offices. Rather than discipline then, the department treated him as persona non grata and began pushing out the door. His union rep let management abuse him without supporting him. When he lost his dream job, he snapped and killed the daughter of his union rep and her fiance in addition to another officer. It's a fascinating story.

[marv2]

Soulster, the transcript of the stop has him telling the dispatcher that he's going to stop the car because the driver looks like a suspect in a robbery because of his "wide-set nose". I'm itching to find out what robbery he was concerned about. I'm thinking that there are too many robbers who commit crimes with four-year olds in the back seat. He absolutely profiled him and murdered him for being Black.

All that I want from this mess is open and transparent hearings and investigations when it occurs. Why are union members on the investigating commissions for use of force? Why are the hearings held in secret? And to that end, why don't cops police themselves? When you hear that "they aren't all bad", it's bullshit. Because if they don't correct the problem of bad police when they know about it, they allow bad cops to do what they do. And you will find that when cops report their brothers in blue for stepping over the line, the reporting cop is flushed out through a campaign of behavior that literally puts his life in danger. They find rats in their lockers. They make calls for assistance in dangerous situations that go unanswered. They find other cops parked outside their houses, observing them 24 hours a day. Their wives and children are given frivolous traffic tickets. Facebook messages begin to appear accusing them of foul play and infidelity.

I'm not trying to hear about good cops because good ones are fired or quit soon after they break ranks. I'm not saying that I'm not extremely aggrieved over the five cops who were killed in Dallas; I feel horrible about that. But the police are a necessary evil and criminal justice reform is long overdue.

The "wide set nose" comment really did it for me. That cop specifically killed Philandro Castille because he was a black man. He all but admits that.

[marv2]

Chris Dorner was a rising star until he told his superiors about the misdeeds of two fellow LAPD offices. Rather than discipline then, the department treated him as persona non grata and began pushing out the door. His union rep let management abuse him without supporting him. When he lost his dream job, he snapped and killed the daughter of his union rep and her fiance in addition to another officer. It's a fascinating story.

I would expect a film to be made about his story.

[marv2]

http://www.breitbart.com/video/2016/..._medium=social

What do you think guys?

I think it is in incredibly poor taste that he would make that statement before they even bury those 5 dead cops.

[soulster]

http://www.breitbart.com/video/2016/..._medium=social

What do you think guys?

I saw that on CNN an hour ago, but, he's right. Change comes best from the inside. Here's the catch: the police department has to hire the new Black academy graduates. You can have every available Black person complete the police academy, but they still may not get the jobs.

[soulster]

The "wide set nose" comment really did it for me. That cop specifically killed Philandro Castille because he was a black man. He all but admits that.

Yup. He keeps digging himself in deeper and deeper. First, he changes his story, and then pretty much admits he racially profiled the victim.

[Jerry Oz]

The "wide set nose" comment really did it for me. That cop specifically killed Philandro Castille because he was a black man. He all but admits that.

Yet, ABC News just played the audio and stopped short of the comment to support the cop's lawyer's contention that it was a legal stop. Had they played three seconds more, it totally reveals that the stop was based on race. They showed a photo of the guy who robbed somebody the day before and as suspected, there was little resemblance beyond the color of their skin.

[Jerry Oz]

I would expect a film to be made about his story.

And show him being railroaded by those heroic saints in blue?! I wish.

[marv2]

I saw that on CNN an hour ago, but, he's right. Change comes best from the inside. Here's the catch: the police department has to hire the new Black academy graduates. You can have every available Black person complete the police academy, but they still may not get the jobs.

I don't know if you are old enough to remember, but I am. Right at the tail end of the sixties and into the early seventies, police depts. and other governmental agencies had this push to hire minorities in order to "change the system from within". It's been more than 40 years and look at the situation today!

[marv2]

And show him being railroaded by those heroic saints in blue?! I wish.

That's exactly what they would do. They will make him look like a crazed, deranged demon that went bezserk for no apparent reason.

[Jerry Oz]

It any of you [[especially our English friends) want a first person perspective of the issue, please visit David Simon's web site. He was a police officer and journalist in Baltimore before writing and producing incredible television dramas like "The Wire", "Homicide: A Year On The Killing Streets", and "The Corner". He is brutally forthright and has seen things that would destroy most people's idea of the noble policeman. The commentaries on his site are incredible. Link below goes to his thoughts after the first cop was freed in the Freddy Gray trials.

http://davidsimon.com/aint-no-justice-its-just-us/

[theboyfromxtown]

Ivy Jo Hunter shared this video with me. See if you can see this.

https://www.facebook.com/micah.p.lor...9286125807920/

[theboyfromxtown]

The video is by Micah Pierce.

[robb_k]

I don't know if you are old enough to remember, but I am. Right at the tail end of the sixties and into the early seventies, police depts. and other governmental agencies had this push to hire minorities in order to "change the system from within". It's been more than 40 years and look at the situation today!

But those added minority officers had to bend over backwards to look like they were doing their jobs "by the book", and not giving their fellow "hoodies" extra breaks and consideration, or they'd be laid off or fired after reprimands. So, it didn't help nearly as much as it should have.

[theboyfromxtown]

Mary Wilson speaks


http://www.iloveoldschoolmusic.com/e...ks-knew-place/

[marv2]

But those added minority officers had to bend over backwards to look like they were doing their jobs "by the book", and not giving their fellow "hoodies" extra breaks and consideration, or they'd be laid off or fired after reprimands. So, it didn't help nearly as much as it should have.

My best friend when I was growing up Dad was a cop. He was mean and did everything by the book. Other friend I grew up with Dad was a city detective, he was more relaxed in his dealings with people. Overall, it did not help as much,but put a public picture up that said.....we have changed!

[marv2]

Mary Wilson speaks


http://www.iloveoldschoolmusic.com/e...ks-knew-place/

She's got it right. Way back when, blacks in America mostly accepted poor treatment because they felt helpless. Later on all that changed. She's lived long enough to see most of it.

[Jerry Oz]

My best friend when I was growing up Dad was a cop. He was mean and did everything by the book. Other friend I grew up with Dad was a city detective, he was more relaxed in his dealings with people. Overall, it did not help as much,but put a public picture up that said.....we have changed!

Black cops in Baltimore and LA see among the worst. Presumably because those with White partners can do the dirty work without being called racist. Others are simply on a power trip, making up for things their past that affected them significantly. Cops who live in other communities tend to treat the people the areas they patrol with disrespect.

[marv2]

Black cops in Baltimore and LA see among the worst. Presumably because those with White partners can do the dirty work without being called racist. Others are simply on a power trip, making up for things their past that affected them significantly. Cops who live in other communities tend to treat the people the areas they patrol with disrespect.

Here's something I have to say and to be honest and fair. The Suffolk County Long Island cops were the very best I ever had interaction with over a 20 year period! True, they are the highest paid in the nation, but those guys were all friendly, professional and most of all helpful to me whenever I had reason to interact with them. They changed flat tires at least 4 times in rush hour traffic and once late at night for me. They would never write me up for tail lights or expired registration,etc. They came running to my house one day after 9-11 when my landline got stuck and called 911 by mistake. They were there when some jerk stole the halogen headlights off of my car, etc,etc,etc. I always had great admiration for the Suffolk County Police force because they lived in the community. They knew about what life was like living on Long Island and they always treated me with respect.

They never approached me with their guns drawn or with the attitude that I'm black and must be up to something. After experiences with other police like the Chicago police that searched me, frisked me and went all through my car in front of a crowd of people because they said they believed I had a gun, I had a greater appreciation for Suffolk County cops overall.

[Jerry Oz]

I've been stopped by police a total of five times. Two were exceedingly professional, one was kind of snooty, another was a huge jerk [[the guy who stopped me for not having a front tag). The jerk, coincidentally, was the only Black one in the group. The last one stopped me making a rolling stop on my way to work about five years ago, the first time I was stopped since 1989. He was kind of funny, making sure I knew that Officer Fitzpatrick had the pleasure stopping me. I was as polite I can be at 5:30 am, kept my hands on the wheel, looked him in eyes, and called him "sir". He let me go with a warning.

I've also worked with cops who were very cool. When I call one a "pig", I'm specifically referring to those who overstep their authority or behave in an abusive manner. It does upset me that the bad cops are allowed to do bad things because the others do nothing to stop them.

[soulster]

I don't know if you are old enough to remember, but I am.

I'm the same age as you. Remember?

[soulster]

Black cops in Baltimore and LA see among the worst. Presumably because those with White partners can do the dirty work without being called racist. Others are simply on a power trip, making up for things their past that affected them significantly. Cops who live in other communities tend to treat the people the areas they patrol with disrespect.

It reminds me of the scene in the film "Boyz In Da Hood" where the Black cop with the White partner acts more racist than his partner toward the Black citizens, showing de white man how good a neegro he iz!

[marv2]

I've been stopped by police a total of five times. Two were exceedingly professional, one was kind of snooty, another was a huge jerk [[the guy who stopped me for not having a front tag). The jerk, coincidentally, was the only Black one in the group. The last one stopped me making a rolling stop on my way to work about five years ago, the first time I was stopped since 1989. He was kind of funny, making sure I knew that Officer Fitzpatrick had the pleasure stopping me. I was as polite I can be at 5:30 am, kept my hands on the wheel, looked him in eyes, and called him "sir". He let me go with a warning.

I've also worked with cops who were very cool. When I call one a "pig", I'm specifically referring to those who overstep their authority or behave in an abusive manner. It does upset me that the bad cops are allowed to do bad things because the others do nothing to stop them.

A black cop stop me on I-475 in Toledo, OH in 2007.
I was rushing to the hospital where my Dad was in his final stages of life and this asshole pulls me over because I went above 10 mph of the posted speed limit1 He used a laser gun to track me. When I told him of my situation, he was like that's his problem and spent more 15 mins writing me a speeding ticket!

[soulster]

A black cop stop me on I-475 in Toledo, OH in 2007.
I was rushing to the hospital where my Dad was in his final stages of life and this asshole pulls me over because I went above 10 mph of the posted speed limit1 He used a laser gun to track me. When I told him of my situation, he was like that's his problem and spent more 15 mins writing me a speeding ticket!

Of course! They treat us like we're less than human, like animals. They don't care if one of us dies.

Although I know better, this is the kind of thing that makes me hate cops, and...well...let's just say that it's enough to make one hate a whole group of people when one experiences this attitude all the time.

[Jerry Oz]

Profiling is a bullshit tactic. A long time ago, my Dad and my uncle drunkenly tried to talk me into their belief that Black people shouldn't be trusted. "You're more likely to be killed by another Black man," my uncle told me on my way out the door. I told him that he was wrong, and here is what I laid out:

If you watch TV, you'll learn a ton of statistics about the troubling state of Black men. You'll hear that the rate for AIDS is higher for me because I'm Black. But I'm neither a drug user nor someone who engages in unprotected sex, so my chances are minimal.

They say I'm likely to father kids by multiple women. But I already told you why that wouldn't happen.

They say I'm more likely to do drugs, but I've never even smoked a joint, let alone done hard drugs.

They say I have a better chance of being alcoholic, but I learned from my Pops and my uncle why that's not cool and I've never been a drinker.

They say I'm more likely to be incarcerated, but if I've done good to keep my nose clean.

They suggest that I'm more likely to drop out, but I was already in college by then.

And they say that more likely to die at the hand of another Black man, but I don't associate with people who are likely to kill me. Most murder victims knew their assailants, so associations are the biggest variable for that and I keep an g&geye on my friends.

They didn't have answer, but they were a little drunker by then. If you look at it closely, 99% of the problems faced by Black people are behavioral. And those behaviors are influenced by socio-economic circumstances. Rather than address Black folks' standard of life, they paint me with the same brush as the worst of us. That's what makes me the angriest. "All cops aren't bad," people say but they give them a pass for assuming that all Black people are. What a lazy assed understanding of the world.

[marv2]

Profiling is a bullshit tactic. A long time ago, my Dad and my uncle drunkenly tried to talk me into their belief that Black people shouldn't be trusted. "You're more likely to be killed by another Black man," my uncle told me on my way out the door. I told him that he was wrong, and here is what I laid out:

If you watch TV, you'll learn a ton of statistics about the troubling state of Black men. You'll hear that the rate for AIDS is higher for me because I'm Black. But I'm neither a drug user nor someone who engages in unprotected sex, so my chances are minimal.

They say I'm likely to father kids by multiple women. But I already told you why that wouldn't happen.

They say I'm more likely to do drugs, but I've never even smoked a joint, let alone done hard drugs.

They say I have a better chance of being alcoholic, but I learned from my Pops and my uncle why that's not cool and I've never been a drinker.

They say I'm more likely to be incarcerated, but if I've done good to keep my nose clean.

They suggest that I'm more likely to drop out, but I was already in college by then.

And they say that more likely to die at the hand of another Black man, but I don't associate with people who are likely to kill me. Most murder victims knew their assailants, so associations are the biggest variable for that and I keep an g&geye on my friends.

They didn't have answer, but they were a little drunker by then. If you look at it closely, 99% of the problems faced by Black people are behavioral. And those behaviors are influenced by socio-economic circumstances. Rather than address Black folks' standard of life, they paint me with the same brush as the worst of us. That's what makes me the angriest. "All cops aren't bad," people say but they give them a pass for assuming that all Black people are. What a lazy assed understanding of the world.

5 Star post here!!!!

[144man]

The "Black Lives Matter" demonstrations and marches have spread to the UK. There have now been three in London.

[marv2]

I'm the same age as you. Remember?

That's right, I am sorry.

[marv2]

The "Black Lives Matter" demonstrations and marches have spread to the UK. There have now been three in London.

They are becoming prominent in Canada as well.

[Jerry Oz]

The "Black Lives Matter" demonstrations and marches have spread to the UK. There have now been three in London.

Here's the thing about "Black Lives Matter": The problem with devaluation of Black lives in the US [[and probably England) is the after effect of most being caught in the cycle of poverty. White and Brown people have the same issues when they are in or beyond the third generation of having to deal with substandard educational opportunities, high unemployment, and poor living accommodations. When we came north to cities like Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, and New York after World War 2, things were initially better than what we left behind in the south. But soon afterward, we began to be herded into housing projects and were kept in our "place" by overbearing police who had no problem knocking heads to make sure dark peoples didn't wander into light peoples' domain. That standard of policing was so common, it has become the standard for policing to this day. Anyone who believes that Black people are treated the same as White people by cops is naive. And anyone who believes that one man should be treated in a harsh manner because someone who looked like him caused a crime is a racist.

Here's the upshot: If you want to reduce racism and police overreaction, you have to increase the level at which we are included in society. As I pointed out before, it starts with education and housing. There is a significant amount of people, many of whom are politicians who recognize the fact that we need janitors, groundskeepers, and blue collar workers to grease the gears of industry and society. People who have college degrees won't likely do that work, so how better to ensure the workforce is available [[even when there's not enough work), than by keeping them from having better opportunities? Racism is systemic. The end result of generations of it is that one part of the spectrum claims and is intent on keeping the high ground while the other end is expressing increasing levels of rage.

[Jerry Oz]

For those who point to arrest rates of Black people as a valid justification for profiling, please view this video. It's a commentary of an audio tape of a police supervisor telling another cop in NYPD to only target "male Blacks" because they commit "all the crime in this city". The supervisor is pissed off that Officer Birch has only arrested two Black men. Doesn't it stand to reason that if you only target one group, that group will seem to be the one committing the most crime? The sad thing is that nothing will come of this beyond Officer Birch being forced into quitting.

[marv2]

For those who point to arrest rates of Black people as a valid justification for profiling, please view this video. It's a commentary of an audio tape of a police supervisor telling another cop in NYPD to only target "male Blacks" because they commit "all the crime in this city". The supervisor is pissed off that Officer Birch has only arrested two Black men. Doesn't it stand to reason that if you only target one group, that group will seem to be the one committing the most crime? The sad thing is that nothing will come of this beyond Officer Birch being forced into quitting.

This video is the truth! It tells you what black men have been saying for decades! Thank you Jerry.

[Jerry Oz]

Finally! DL Hughley says it for me/us. Goes into the devil's lair fully prepared and unapologetically shoots those treacherous snakes. He's supposed to be on again tomorrow but I'll bet they cancel.

[marv2]

Finally! DL Hughley says it for me/us. Goes into the devil's lair fully prepared and unapologetically shoots those treacherous snakes. He's supposed to be on again tomorrow but I'll bet they cancel.

She was incredibly rude! I cannot believe what I just saw. "Don't wow me....."? come on!

[Jerry Oz]

Yeah. It tells a lot about Faux News that they pay a man like Fuhrman to spew his racism. He is a proven liar who broke the law while trying to prove Simpson guilty. I wonder how many people were sent to prison on his word. SMH. And just today, I read where there have been over 1,300 complaints filed with LA's police review board and they sided with the cops every single time.

[marv2]

Funeral services were held today in Minnesota but the national media has all but completely ignore it. There has been no real coverage nationally.

[Roberta75]

Funeral services were held today in Minnesota but the national media has all but completely ignore it. There has been no real coverage nationally.

The funeral was covered by CBS and aBC and CNN and NBC and hundreds of news outlets online. The reason its not on the evening cable shows is because 70 plus people were murdered by a truck driver in France.

[Roberta75]

Yeah. It tells a lot about Faux News that they pay a man like Fuhrman to spew his racism. He is a proven liar who broke the law while trying to prove Simpson guilty. I wonder how many people were sent to prison on his word. SMH. And just today, I read where there have been over 1,300 complaints filed with LA's police review board and they sided with the cops every single time.

I refuse to watch Fox News there disgusting and 150% bigoted.

Roberta

[marv2]

The funeral was covered by CBS and aBC and CNN and NBC and hundreds of news outlets online. The reason its not on the evening cable shows is because 70 plus people were murdered by a truck driver in France.

How many seconds of it? No, it was not covered!