[[makes me wonder about what has happened in previous cases]]
Yep
we had a high speed chase, that ended in a crash and the perp running into the woods where the snow was 4 feet deep- cops were screaming to the scene in droves, there was a river between perp and the deep woods, so he wasn’t going anywhere- a female police officer and young rookie cop hit the scene first, run into the woods, and shoot the dude DESPITE the fact that droves of police were screeching to a halt just as the shots rang out- The dude was mired in snow, couldn’t run anwhere- had a river stopping him, and was unarmed- he was only 30-40 feet into the woods, stuck in snow, yet the police maintain that ‘he went for our guns’? There were like 15 cops on the scene as the shot rang out- what the hell was a tiny female cop and a rookie cop doing getting close to him In the first place when there was so many police just arriving on the scene? There were no witnesses, so of course no one will ever know what really happened, but I did go to the scene and there was no way that dude was going ANYWHERE In that deep snow, and could have been very easily subdued via taser IF the female and rookie felt they couldn’t wait 20 seconds for the rest of the crew to exit their vehicles-
Tragic death blamed on the victim because there were no witnesses other than people who heard everything but weren’t close enough to see-
Anyways-
It is very well known that cops feel a very, very strong emotional need to stand by their brother cops even when they’re in the wrong. Even to lying for them.
In fact, cops who don’t do so have broken the code and are often shunned by other cops. “Us against them.” “My brothers right or wrong.”
This arises from the very real danger they face and their need to depend on each other, much the way military units develop a sense of brotherhood.
And that’s all to the good in many ways. I think of one of the Batman movies, where the Joker murders some cops and the rest cower in fear. Actual fact is that 30,000 cops would have been heading in to avenge their brothers, orders or no.
But it’s foolish to expect people with such a code of honor to investigate their brother or sister impartially.
Is it possible the cops are taking the “occupation mentality” they’ve always been accused of having in the black community out into the broader society?
speculation
cops have incentive to shoot in ambiguous scenarios involving perps because
(1) involuntary paid time off after all shootings
(2) shooting is regarded as ritual, increases fraternal bonding and trust with fellow officers
it would be interesting to know if there was a correlation between cop shootings and cop promotions