Posted on 08/20/2014 2:35:47 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
In a single column, a veteran police officer has catapulted himself into the national debate over the death of unarmed teen Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
Im a cop. If you dont want to get hurt, dont challenge me, the Washington Post headline blares. The piece was written by Sunil Dutta, a 17-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department.
Even though it might sound harsh and impolitic, here is the bottom line: if you dont want to get shot, tased, pepper-sprayed, struck with a baton or thrown to the ground, just do what I tell you, he wrote.
Dutta cautions against arguing, insulting, or screaming at officers, and dont even think of aggressively walking towards me. Most field stops are complete in minutes. How difficult is it to cooperate for that long?
If you believe an officer is violating your rights or bullying you, Dutta says, dont challenge him then save that for lodging a complaint later. Do what the officer tells you to and it will end safely for both of you.
It took no time for the anger over his message to explode.
The outrageous thing is not that he says it. The outrageous thing is that we accept it, writes Ken White of the blog Popehat, which tracks American legal issues.
Do we have a justice system? By name, yes. Is it effective in deterring cops from abusing citizens or punishing them when they do? No
If you hope the cop will be charged criminally for misbehavior, youre going to be waiting a very long time for no result.(continued)
(Excerpt) Read more at fox17online.com ...
Hes right thou, do what he tells you to do, and don’t try to attack him. You will in theory get a chance to defend yourself later.
Otherwise its going to be a fight right then and there, and your probably not going to be equipment to win that fight, nor will you see the end of it if somehow you did.
I am bigger than the late Michael Brown and undoubtedly much more experienced in meting out pain and anguish, yet I am polite to everyone, including officers of the law, unless that proves ineffective.
But he's right.
Later in the article, Dutta does mention that you're within your rights to refuse search without a warrant. The headlines, though, are coming from the other things he said.
I agree with you.
Since another Freeper, “Uncle Chip”, gave me such a hard time several days back, I have refrained from posting much, spending my time in thought.
It might be helpful if the media would bring on some wise talking heads to discuss the difference between racism and prejudice.
I am not racist, but I am prejudiced. I would assume that the police, who have to go into neighborhoods I avoid at all costs, might be even more prejudiced, considering what they have to face every day.
For those of you who want to ignore the common sense contained in this officer’s advice, please spend some time thinking about what the average police officer must deal within a daily basis, and why it might be wise to be polite and responsive when stopped or challenged.
We had a fine neighborhood police officer shot to death in a routine traffic stop here in the twin cities several weeks back. He was approaching the car, and the criminal just shot him in cold blood, leaving his widow and children without him.
This kind of incident affects all officers,and is why they may not be as “friendly” as we might wish.
Please read the officer’s letter. It is balanced and well thought out. But the extracts of the letter, make him sound like a Bully.
I encourage folks to read this cop’s editorial too.
The part that scares me is that he is one of the “good guys”.
"no replies" to a most excellent post.
Very thoughtful.
Exactly. Mixed in with “I really didn’t know officer”. I cannot count how many tickets I got out of just by being respectful and deferential.
No. I claiming the author is suggesting HE as an officer is allowed to violate the constitution, and we had best roll over. Otherwise he (the author) might kill us. Just because we offended his sense of subservience.
Thank you sir.
I really don’t need a reply, what I am hoping is that the idea gains traction and gets implemented somewhere. The idea just needs a toe-hold, the results will then speak for themselves.
Regardless, thank you very much for taking the time to post.
Uncle Chip got banned from FR about a week ago.
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