Quote:
Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan
Truthfully......
....that the narratives presented/depicted by the media regarding use(s) of force are bullshit. If I could take every person I knew on a ride along - all liability waived - and have them handle the dangerous calls, they would finally have perspective. Tonight we pulled a gun off of a 13 year old Hispanic female runaway; 105 lbs. soaked and wet. She called dispatch claiming she was lost and didn't know how to get home. A search of her person netted a gun; I noticed a suspicious bulge under her black hoodie. You would've never guessed somebody like her would have a Walther tucked in her underwear.
I think the community could be more supportive by just allowing investigations to take their natural course before vilifying the cop. A body cam doesn't paint the entire picture and the insight it provides is helpful, but limited.
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I'm there. I recognize that not all use of force is "pretty". And if it is justified someone could get injured seriously. Or if forced to escalate someone might get dead. I withhold judgement both ways until the evidence is completely in.
I remember the Rodney King incident. The media should be sued into non-existence for their role in the riots and deaths that happened when they showed the short clip of what happened. Did Rodney get a few licks he shouldn't have? Yes. Should some of the cops there have been given demotion and/or remedial training? Yes. But Rodney was clearly a scary dude high on something and brought much of it on himself. He was not an innocent motorist pulled over "driving while black". My guess is had he not resisted he would not have been hit at all. We will never know.
On the flip side if an officer is clearly shown to use inappropriate force I want that SOB in prison for a long time. We accord police a level of power in order to allow them to protect us. One abusing that power needs to be handled harshly. But until it is clear the cop was in the wrong I am inclined to believe the cop over the perp.