Everyone knows that I have the utmost respect for police officers. Chief Kunkle is not perfect, but he is trying to the best he can. He did inherit a mixed bag of police officers. I disagree with one of the recent firings but I feel most are justified.
The harassment of the SMU player is particularly disturbing, however. I have cops in my family, and I understand that in the heat of the moment tough decisions have to be made. I know they have to protect the public. I've sat in a hospital because one of the officers in my family was shot in the line of duty.
To increase the public trust, we have to get a handle on the rogue policemen. They inhibit the effectiveness of the department and tarnish the reputation of those that want to do the job in a professional manner. The recent increases in salary and the $10,000 bonuses should help us recruit better officers and hopefully we can get rid of the rogues at the same time.
Here is the link to the story from Channel 8 (with video).
2 comments:
I couldn't disagree more with your assessment of "rogue" officers.
What is missing from this is the obvious contradiction in the story from the players. The player in question stated he touched the officer's shoulder. The witnesses stated he "grabbed the officer's shoulder."
When a Division I class athlete, 6'2" and 215 pounds, grabs you, as a police officer, you interpret that as an aggressive act. This was not some puny 95 pound weakling that the police beat up on. This was a world class athlete. He was tasered, which is painful, but does not last beyond the five seconds the taser is working.
The DPD force continuum calls for a 1+1 reaction. The suspect acts. You meet that level of action and move one level higher.
On Greenville Avenue, as well as in Deep Ellum, officers are faced not with the two or three people involved in the encounter, but with hundreds of by-standers, all drunk to varying degrees, who would like nothing more than to take a cheap shot at an officer busy with making a lawful arrest. Many times the "friends" will attempt to distract the officers with varying arguments in order to effect an escape, or as they see it, a "rescue" of their friend from the police.
The problem is not the officers. It is the public's lack of understanding of how we do our jobs, our training and our tactics in dealing with a large crowd of drunks. Quick and decisive action must be taken to prevent further breach of the peace.
Thanks for your comment. I welcome opposing points of view.
The officer had plenty of backup. If he feels threatened by one unarmed individual, he shouldn't be a cop. And you certainly shouldn't be patrolling lower greenville after hours.
In police academy training, I am sure there are many exercises taught to take someone down, other than using a taser. Tasers are becoming the action of first, rather than last, resort.
The officer is the professional in a sitation and has a higher standard that he/she should be held to, and should make some attempt to diffuse a situation.
Exactly what did the second person (who was filming) do? What was his crime? I have seen officers ignore such comments when they make an arrest.... did it require the videotaper to be accosted and arrested? Probably not.
This is why we need cameras on Greenville Avenue.
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