Having been a police officer for 30 years, I have a different perspective than others commenting on this topic. Everyone is influenced by their own life experiences and social biases. As I have watched the various incidents from Ferguson to this Texas pool party unfold, a common thread ties them all together. Without exception, each incident would have had a different outcome if the subjects involved had complied with the police during the interaction. I am not siding with any specific officer's actions, as some of the police tactics were unprofessional, up to and including criminal. My point is, like it or not, we live in a country of laws, and the police are charged with enforcing those laws. Just because we may not agree with a certain law, doesn't exempt us of having to follow the law. If we don't agree with the law, we need to work to have that law changed. Challenging or refusing to comply with the police only escalates a situation. The police are legally empowered to "use whatever force is necessary to effect an arrest". Use of force is never a pretty thing, and when seen on a video can be shocking to the average citizen. I have personally experienced countless acts of disrespect and outright contempt of the law. I would ask a question of the most vocal critics...what should the police do when people refuse to follow the law and resist the efforts of police to peacefully enforce the law? Should the police just give up and leave the scene? If people refuse to comply and follow verbal commands, should that end the continuum of enforcement? Bottom line, it never is as easy or simple as people not involved in any given situation think. In the case of the McKinney incident, crowds can become dangerous quickly...even if they are teenagers at a pool party. I am not going to judge the officer's actions, but rather have you place yourself in that situation. What I saw on the video was a large group of people involved in a some type of volatile situation. When police arrive, they don't know what the situation is, they can only process what they see upon arrival. Police are human, and can feel scared in volatile scenarios. No amount of training can prevent all types of emotional responses by an officer. In the current environment of police distrust, the police are "damned if you do, and damned if you don't". I personally am glad that I am not starting my career in law enforcement...it is not a "good" career any longer. I go back to my simplistic bottom line...if people comply, the majority of situations resolve peacefully and without harm to the participants.
McKinney Texas pool party?
by Marvin Shilmer 305 Replies latest social current
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Billyblobber
Racism and sexism are still alive and well on JWN I see...
It should be surprising to see the violent assault of a teenage girl who broke no laws and exhibited no violent or threatening behaviour not just defended but praised, but when that teenage girl is black it's basically par for the course around here.
I'm not even sure it's racism. It's known psychology for people to attempt to put systematic blame on the individual. This is because it's an uncomfortable thought for them to realize that their life is luck of the draw, and if they were born in slightly different conditions, they would have ended up as screwed up as those people. The illusion of control is really important for many.
Keeping a whole illusion of control up is important for people to feel that life is less random. It's the same psychology that leads people to victim blame the person raped or robbed, and other such things. It's easier to jump on "that person must have done something wrong that I would not have done in that situation" as opposed to confront the fear that you could be on the receiving end of complete bad luck outside of your control. That showcases itself as an automatic defense of authority and skepticism of the person who states they're wrong.
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_Morpheus
Your doing a fine job making yourself look like an idiot. you also clearly dont understand how communities are structured in the USA. No land is "public" in a community. Land is owned by specific people (in the case of houses) or by the community in the case of so called "common areas". That land is governed by tenants all agree to and sign when moving into the community. They were both trespassing and disturbing the peace.
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paulmolark
Morpheus you call someone else ignorant when you are hopelessly unaware of the history of the very city that you supposedly grew up in ROTFL.
You proceed to refer to a historically factual interview and article as race baiting when you haven't even read it???? NOW THAT IS IGNORANCE
like you I grew up in one of thee worst cities in America , Newark NJ. I made it out and made a success of my life as well. However I would never be so arrogant as to insinuate that because I did everyone else could. With anyone all it takes is one bad mistake to keep someone from moving ahead. This is why in MY city I still go back there and support the youth. I spend 3 weeks every summer mentoring young men there. I have donated plentifully and I have helped 20+ young men start businesses. They have my phone number and we talk. I help because I know how hard it is to make it there. Yet you praise yourself for getting out of Baltimore then criticize those still there?
PATHETIC
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zombie dub
So, in the USA, all sidewalks are private property, and anyone walking on them is trespassing. You are hilarious. -
Marvin Shilmer
...what should the police do when people refuse to follow the law and resist the efforts of police to peacefully enforce the law? Should the police just give up and leave the scene?
Alternately, should the police stay on the scene and just leave themselves as standing targets in the face of refusal to reasonable instructions to bring order to the crowd?
The only option I see for the officers sent to the McKinney pool party incident was for them to initiate attempt to restore order to the scene and not stop until that order was obtained. Otherwise everyone's safety remains in needless danger.
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zombie dub
tenyearsafter - you probably just need to look at how other country's police force act. I don't like how the UK is becoming USA-lite, but you [generally] never, ever, see that kind of behaviour here. If you can get past your US-centric views it's obvious to most of the planet there are SO many ways to deal with a situation without literally running in, shouting, swearing, swinging a weapon around and handcuffing people.
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zombie dub
How do people walk on them to get home then, without being arrest for trespassing?
Who are they trespassing against?
How does a courier or postman delivery anything, do they have to teleport to the house and back out again?
Deeming roads & sidewalks as private and saying being on them is trespassing must make life extremely hard!
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Marvin Shilmer
So, in the USA, all sidewalks are private property,...
For the most part, sidewalks in the USA are on public right of way. There are exceptions, but generally that is the case. But that does not matter in relation to police called to a scene with an unruly crowd, and particularly when violence has been reported in that crowd. In this case the police rightly act to restore order to protect public safety, which is everyone's safety. The police know walking in to the situation that they have exposure to harm, which is one reason why they wear protective gear and weapons. They are being put in harms way to keep everyone as safe as possible. This is why the public (on "public land") has an obligation to respond to reasonable instructions from law enforcement to restore order. Standing idly by pointing a video camera is pretty much a sure sign that that individual represents no threat and is not fomenting more misbehavior or getting in the way of restoring order. But obnoxiously failing to either disperse or sit down when requested to do so in this kind of circumstance is just plain stupid, and arguably an interference of a peace officer attempting to keep the peace, which is a punishable offense should an officer wish to pursue it.
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zombie dub
For the most part, sidewalks in the USA are on public right of way.
You say they are public right of way, Morpheus says they are private land - who is right! I suspect you are, as being private land makes zero sense!
