Police: Officer Baited In Altercation That Injured Him (Racist Black Church!)

WRTV-6 ^ | 8-3-10 | WRTV

[tcrlaf]

INDIANAPOLIS -- Relations between the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and some members of the African-American community are still a sore spot in the weeks since the Brandon Johnson incident.

Case in point -- an altercation in which an officer was injured during a presentation to a youth symposium last weekend that officials said was staged, leading to the suspension of a parks manager and animosity among officers, 6News' Jack Rinehart reported.

Sgt. Matthew Grimes was asked to give a presentation to a church audience on July 24 at Municipal Gardens, in the 1800 block of Lafayette Road.

During the presentation, an altercation broke out in the crowd, and Grimes intervened. The officer was thrown to the ground and drew his Taser, ready to stun one of the people involved, police said.

At that point, someone stepped in and told the officer that the incident had been concocted to test the reaction of the officer to the situation, police said. Grimes suffered severe back spasms after the incident and was taken to Methodist Hospital for treatment.

James Harrington, pastor of the Mt. Vernon Missionary Baptist Church, said he set up the scenario to test a white officer's reaction to a fight between two black men.

[MrEdd]

Race relations right now are getting worse

That depends entirely on where you are. Here in north Texas, interracial mariages continue to become ever more common.

[dragnet2]

Race relations right now are getting worse That depends entirely on where you are. Here in north Texas, interracial mariages continue to become ever more common.

Got link?

[dragnet2]

The preacher is a lunatic.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

They do have a history of that dont they?

[sergeantdave]

“That’s all you got from this story? *sigh*”

Yep.

Didn’t explore eschatological nuances yet. Give me a minute...

[Amberdawn]

Yup-I hope he loses his “church” and the shirt off his back for this BS.

[texmexis best]

He down’t need a link. Interracial marriage is quite common in Texas. In Houston it is not all unusual.

In my family I have:
Black
Korean
Japanese
Cherokee

But mostly European.

[DJ MacWoW]

Didn’t explore eschatological nuances yet. Give me a minute...

LOL. Ok. It's a terrible story.

[dragnet2]

That's all very commendable, but I was just looking for a link...

Thanks.

[TNCMAXQ]

How vile. Yet somehow it’s evil Republicans who are responsible for keeping racial divisions alive?? Absurd.

[Bronzy]

It is a part of this: http://www.fox59.com/news/wxin-impd-investigate-brutality-claim-051810,0,1579982.story

and the IMPD’s outreach to communities to show how the police respond to aggression. This policeman was an outreach cop who was unaware of the staged fight. The "Reverend" Sharpton has been here. Yip,yip, yahoo.

[Cheetahcat]

Pardon me But what the hell is there to be proud of in Africa?
Thia whole African American thing is a joke.

[Blood of Tyrants]

It was a setup. They were looking to bring about a lawsuit for “police brutality” if he stepped in and knocked some heads (as he should have) and screams of “RACIST!”. If he did nothing they would scream “RACIST!” about how the police officer was going to allow two blacks to harm each other because he didn’t care and them sue the city. What they didn’t count on was the officer being injured and THEM looking like the racists.

[Islander2]

I am surprised there have been no references to the part of the article that said, *The officer was thrown to the ground*
Can anyone tell me how the cop should have reacted after being thrown to the ground?.......that is without calling for a beer summit.

[heartwood]

"Their job is to protect and serve, and even though they have families and children, that they don't put any regard to their safety," Harrington said. "I don't think it was dangerous because it was in a controlled environment."

The reverend gentleman is a fool. Police officers are trained to have a high regard for their own safety, and throwing an armed man to the floor when he's not in on the joke is always dangerous.

[heartwood]

"Their job is to protect and serve, and even though they have families and children, that they don't put any regard to their safety," Harrington said. "I don't think it was dangerous because it was in a controlled environment."

The reverend gentleman is a fool. Police officers are trained to have a high regard for their own safety, and throwing an armed man to the floor when he's not in on the joke is always dangerous.

[texmexis best]

I believe that pastor Harrington is about to find out the meaning of Tort law.

As will the actors
As will the board of directors of the church
As will the congregation

I cannot believe that adults actually did this. This is like something weird from Junior High.

[texmexis best]

One of things about Texas is that Texans still feel that “love conquers all”.

But that’s just us. Think of us as Romantics with large caliber weapons.

[csense]

James Harrington, pastor of the Mt. Vernon Missionary Baptist Church, said he set up the scenario to test a white officer's reaction to a fight between two black men.

Pastor Harrington would be well advised not to play test the stereotype game. Some things have a way of coming back and biting you in the ass....

[Slings and Arrows]

Here in Myrtle Beach (not in Texas, I know) I see interracial couples all the time. Every time somebody asks me about the “racism” down here I suggest they take a walk through some of the poor white neighborhoods in Chicago.