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Will Ferguson have a chilling effect on police?[W:144]

Will Ferguson have a chilling effect on police work in black neighborhoods?


  • Total voters
    28

Lutherf

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Mike Brown was unarmed, walking down the street, and a cop killed him.

There's more to the story and we don't have all the details yet but that simple assessment is what seems to be in play right now and it has caused riots, looting, destruction of property, curfews and at least one more shooting. This all begs the question.....if you are a cop working in a predominantly black neighborhood what are you going to do if you are in a situation where you may have to use force against a black suspect? If it's not a life or death situation are you just going to walk away?

In the Mike Brown scenario Officer Wilson could have just blown the whole thing off. Yeah, maybe he just made contact with the kid that robbed the liquor store but is it really worth his career to take action and risk being thrust into the public spotlight? If he says, "Come here, please. I need to ask you a few questions" and the kid tells him to **** off should he just walk away?

If a cop has his own interests in mind he would certainly, in light of the circumstances in Ferguson, have to think twice before having any kind of physical contact with a confrontational black suspect.

That might be a good thing for community relations between police and blacks. Certainly less confrontation would be welcome....wouldn't it?
 
I don't think it's going to make a big impact, at least not in the long run.
 
I personally believe that if people were more scared of police using a firearm, they would not feel so brave to confront them. The problem is, we seem to be making it more acceptable to confront an officer in a threatening manner or with disrespect. Then we are surprised when an officer turns into a human for 15 seconds and makes a fatal mistake. I think the expectations we are setting for officers are unrealistic. If you are constantly treated like garbage by people all day while trying to do your job, the probability to make a judgement error based on all that pent up emotion from the negative confrontations inceases. This is why incidents between officers and civilians are increasing. It's also interesting that many of the criminals who cry foul when an officer uses a little bit of physical force would not think twice to punch you in the mouth if you looked at them the wrong way. Its simply unrealistic to expect people to not act on emotion when you press their buttons.
 
.....if you are a cop working in a predominantly black neighborhood what are you going to do if you are in a situation where you may have to use force against a black suspect? If it's not a life or death situation are you just going to walk away?

In the Mike Brown scenario Officer Wilson could have just blown the whole thing off. Yeah, maybe he just made contact with the kid that robbed the liquor store but is it really worth his career to take action and risk being thrust into the public spotlight? If he says, "Come here, please. I need to ask you a few questions" and the kid tells him to **** off should he just walk away?

If a cop has his own interests in mind he would certainly, in light of the circumstances in Ferguson, have to think twice before having any kind of physical contact with a confrontational black suspect.

That might be a good thing for community relations between police and blacks. Certainly less confrontation would be welcome....wouldn't it?

If I were a cop, I don't know what I'd do, but I would tempted to walk away and say **** you to the community. In urban areas with significant crime rates, it's difficult enough to get cops to work in the first place. I'm sure incidents like this just make it worse. In Dallas, it's hard to find cops who will stay- it's a ****hole to work in, and it's mild as compared to other urban areas around the nation. I can't imagine doing that job in areas where gangs roam the streets, and punks would just as soon shoot you as to look at you.
 
...Or maybe it's because a certain segment of society doesn't know how to navigate social encounters without acting violently. That is the crux of the issue and it's something nobody wants to talk about.
 
Mike Brown was unarmed, walking down the street, and a cop killed him.

There's more to the story and we don't have all the details yet but that simple assessment is what seems to be in play right now and it has caused riots, looting, destruction of property, curfews and at least one more shooting. This all begs the question.....if you are a cop working in a predominantly black neighborhood what are you going to do if you are in a situation where you may have to use force against a black suspect? If it's not a life or death situation are you just going to walk away?

In the Mike Brown scenario Officer Wilson could have just blown the whole thing off. Yeah, maybe he just made contact with the kid that robbed the liquor store but is it really worth his career to take action and risk being thrust into the public spotlight? If he says, "Come here, please. I need to ask you a few questions" and the kid tells him to **** off should he just walk away?

If a cop has his own interests in mind he would certainly, in light of the circumstances in Ferguson, have to think twice before having any kind of physical contact with a confrontational black suspect.

That might be a good thing for community relations between police and blacks. Certainly less confrontation would be welcome....wouldn't it?

I voted "No" but I think I'm wrong. I think it will have a chilling effect on white officers trying to do their jobs in black neighborhoods. Personally? I think they should have certain neighborhoods patrolled by black officers. We'd have a lot fewer problems. Cities could make it work by selling the public on the department's desire to be "racially sensitive" or some-such crap like that.

What white cop wouldn't think twice in certain confrontations with blacks in black neighborhoods? Or white neighborhoods, for that matter? Who'd life wouldn't flash before their eyes? Horrible publicity. Personal threats to himself and his family. Being hounded by the media. Being burned in effigy in the middle of the street. Who would want to risk that?

I can picture a lot of cops saying simply, "Today's your lucky day. GTF outa' here."
 
I voted "No" but I think I'm wrong. I think it will have a chilling effect on white officers trying to do their jobs in black neighborhoods. Personally? I think they should have certain neighborhoods patrolled by black officers. We'd have a lot fewer problems. Cities could make it work by selling the public on the department's desire to be "racially sensitive" or some-such crap like that.

What white cop wouldn't think twice in certain confrontations with blacks in black neighborhoods? Or white neighborhoods, for that matter? Who'd life wouldn't flash before their eyes? Horrible publicity. Personal threats to himself and his family. Being hounded by the media. Being burned in effigy in the middle of the street. Who would want to risk that?

I can picture a lot of cops saying simply, "Today's your lucky day. GTF outa' here."

I'm not so sure that segregated departments are really the answer. That's more like slapping a bandaid on a severed artery. A viable community requires that people of all races, faiths, etc. work together for the good of that community.
 
Mike Brown was unarmed, walking down the street, and a cop killed him.

There's more to the story and we don't have all the details yet but that simple assessment is what seems to be in play right now and it has caused riots, looting, destruction of property, curfews and at least one more shooting. This all begs the question.....if you are a cop working in a predominantly black neighborhood what are you going to do if you are in a situation where you may have to use force against a black suspect? If it's not a life or death situation are you just going to walk away?

In the Mike Brown scenario Officer Wilson could have just blown the whole thing off. Yeah, maybe he just made contact with the kid that robbed the liquor store but is it really worth his career to take action and risk being thrust into the public spotlight? If he says, "Come here, please. I need to ask you a few questions" and the kid tells him to **** off should he just walk away?

If a cop has his own interests in mind he would certainly, in light of the circumstances in Ferguson, have to think twice before having any kind of physical contact with a confrontational black suspect.

That might be a good thing for community relations between police and blacks. Certainly less confrontation would be welcome....wouldn't it?

I voted no because I think the question underestimates the institutional arrogance that permeates police forces these days. It would be a welcome surprise if it actually did have a chilling effect because it would imply that serious investigations were being conducted and penalties actually levied, with officers taking it seriously for once.
 
I'm not so sure that segregated departments are really the answer. That's more like slapping a bandaid on a severed artery. A viable community requires that people of all races, faiths, etc. work together for the good of that community.

Yeah, well, we've tried that.
 
I voted no because I think the question underestimates the institutional arrogance that permeates police forces these days. It would be a welcome surprise if it actually did have a chilling effect because it would imply that serious investigations were being conducted and penalties actually levied, with officers taking it seriously for once.

While I certainly believe that there are occasional of police overreaction I also believe that those cases are both rare and handled pretty well when encountered. Contrary to popular belief cops generally DO NOT just get a free pass when they screw up.
 
I'm not so sure that segregated departments are really the answer. That's more like slapping a bandaid on a severed artery. A viable community requires that people of all races, faiths, etc. work together for the good of that community.



If your life is in danger just for being a different race, and the general population can't be trusted not to lose their **** whenever something goes terribly wrong, then segregation may be the only viable option for the time being. It's a bad enough job as it is.
 
If your life is in danger just for being a different race, and the general population can't be trusted not to lose their **** whenever something goes terribly wrong, then segregation may be the only viable option for the time being. It's a bad enough job as it is.

Race is not really the issue. That's blaming an object. Segregation is pointless and harmful, cops would still make mistakes and be hated the same.
 
Mike Brown was unarmed, walking down the street, and a cop killed him.

There's more to the story and we don't have all the details yet but that simple assessment is what seems to be in play right now and it has caused riots, looting, destruction of property, curfews and at least one more shooting. This all begs the question.....if you are a cop working in a predominantly black neighborhood what are you going to do if you are in a situation where you may have to use force against a black suspect? If it's not a life or death situation are you just going to walk away?

In the Mike Brown scenario Officer Wilson could have just blown the whole thing off. Yeah, maybe he just made contact with the kid that robbed the liquor store but is it really worth his career to take action and risk being thrust into the public spotlight? If he says, "Come here, please. I need to ask you a few questions" and the kid tells him to **** off should he just walk away?

If a cop has his own interests in mind he would certainly, in light of the circumstances in Ferguson, have to think twice before having any kind of physical contact with a confrontational black suspect.

That might be a good thing for community relations between police and blacks. Certainly less confrontation would be welcome....wouldn't it?

Then why bother with having police at all? I mean, if they are afraid to confront a suspect, then they are in the wrong line of work. I don't care if a suspect is black, white or purple. If he fits the description of someone who just strongarm robbed a store, and he is stupid enough to carry the stolen goods with him -- if the cop is too scared to confront him, then the cop should be looking for another job.
 
If your life is in danger just for being a different race, and the general population can't be trusted not to lose their **** whenever something goes terribly wrong, then segregation may be the only viable option for the time being. It's a bad enough job as it is.

I understand the feeling and, frankly, if I was running things in Ferguson I'd be tempted to just pull up stakes in town and let them sort it out for themselves but I also know that wouldn't solve anything.
 
Then why bother with having police at all? I mean, if they are afraid to confront a suspect, then they are in the wrong line of work. I don't care if a suspect is black, white or purple. If he fits the description of someone who just strongarm robbed a store, and he is stupid enough to carry the stolen goods with him -- if the cop is too scared to confront him, then the cop should be looking for another job.

I don't think the bolded is what he's referring to. It's the response from the general public to a situation gone bad. Rather than acting like adults and taking the matter up in the legal and justice system, the response was one of rioting and destruction. Nobody with a rational mind would want to work in that type of environment.
 
Race is not really the issue. That's blaming an object. Segregation is pointless and harmful, cops would still make mistakes and be hated the same.

You're right. Race isn't the primary issue but we are seeing a situation where it seems to be an aggravating factor and that's what I'm getting at.

Aside from Ferguson I'm looking at something that's happening here in Tucson. The cops will pull someone over for an illegal turn or a broken headlight, the guy won't have any ID and can't speak English so they call ICE then all of a sudden a a dozen protesters show up. I'm pretty sure that most of these incidents are staged just so that they can get pics of "police abuse".
 
I don't think the bolded is what he's referring to. It's the response from the general public to a situation gone bad. Rather than acting like adults and taking the matter up in the legal and justice system, the response was one of rioting and destruction. Nobody with a rational mind would want to work in that type of environment.

I don't think that there is anything rational going on right now in Ferguson anyway, if you want to be honest. Who is stupid enough to destroy their own town?? These idiots are destroying the place they live, and work, and shop every day, just because they are pissed that a cop shot a kid who, at this point, may or may not be the perfect angel that the people of Ferguson are making him out to be.

Sorry, going off topic, I know, but this whole thing just pisses me off. I guess as a middle-aged, middle class white woman, I just don't understand the dynamics of rioting, and ultimately, destroying where you live.
 
Then why bother with having police at all? I mean, if they are afraid to confront a suspect, then they are in the wrong line of work. I don't care if a suspect is black, white or purple. If he fits the description of someone who just strongarm robbed a store, and he is stupid enough to carry the stolen goods with him -- if the cop is too scared to confront him, then the cop should be looking for another job.


I'd agree that's what's supposed to happen but if the situation deteriorates there is a very real chance that the cop's career will be over and he and his family will be in serious danger just because he did what he's supposed to do.

This cop has been tried and convicted in the media and in the public sphere even though the evidence hasn't come out yet. He is looking at a federal indictment on civil rights crimes and it's pretty much a given that he will be charged with murder. The public has demanded it and the state authorities seem to be leaning in that direction just as a measure to sate the public venom. You have to admit that's a pretty ****ty situation to be in just because you're doing your job and it's exactly that kind of thing that might make another cop think twice before getting involved at all.
 
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I'd agree that's what's supposed to happen but if the situation deteriorates there is a very real chance that the cop's career will be over and he and his family will be in serious danger just because he did what he's supposed to do.

You are right, but the problem doesn't stop with the cop. It was bad enough that this started in the first place. Then it snowballs, because the video was released? Seriously? I read that people were pissed that the video was nothing more than a smear campaign against Brown. How is it a smear campaign if it's the truth???? This is pissing me off - like a lot. The kid was seen on video, practically picking up the store clerk by the neck, and we are supposed to believe that he's an innocent victim who was bullied by the cops? The governor needs to get ahold of this. Is the National Guard there yet? If not, why?

This cop has been tried and convicted in the media and in the public sphere even though the evidence hasn't come out yet. He is looking at a federal indictment on civil rights crimes and it's pretty much a given that he will be charged with murder. The public has demanded it and the state authorities seem to be leaning in that direction just as a measure to sate the public venom. You have to admit that's a pretty ****ty situation to be in just because you're doing your job and it's exactly that kind of thing that might make another cop think twice before getting involved at all.

You are right on that as well. And now Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are getting involved, too. Yeah, that makes the entire stupid situation even more credible. :roll:

I feel badly for the cop. They should have never caved to public pressure and released his name.

I guess I just don't have an answer. Honestly, in this situation, I think Brown was dead wrong, and if what I heard was correct, the cop had no recourse but to shoot, because Brown was coming after him, even after repeatedly being told to stop. But this is the problem -- Rodney King. Amadou Diallo. Abner Louima. Trayvon Martin. Jordan Davis.

This bullcrap has been going on for so long, that when there is a guilty black man, nobody can say anything about it without it turning into a freaking civil rights issue. There are too many innocents that have been killed, so now all black men who are shot by white cops are going to be martyrs, whether they are guilty or not.
 
You are right, but the problem doesn't stop with the cop. It was bad enough that this started in the first place. Then it snowballs, because the video was released? Seriously? I read that people were pissed that the video was nothing more than a smear campaign against Brown. How is it a smear campaign if it's the truth???? This is pissing me off - like a lot. The kid was seen on video, practically picking up the store clerk by the neck, and we are supposed to believe that he's an innocent victim who was bullied by the cops? The governor needs to get ahold of this. Is the National Guard there yet? If not, why?



You are right on that as well. And now Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are getting involved, too. Yeah, that makes the entire stupid situation even more credible. :roll:

I feel badly for the cop. They should have never caved to public pressure and released his name.

I guess I just don't have an answer. Honestly, in this situation, I think Brown was dead wrong, and if what I heard was correct, the cop had no recourse but to shoot, because Brown was coming after him, even after repeatedly being told to stop. But this is the problem -- Rodney King. Amadou Diallo. Abner Louima. Trayvon Martin. Jordan Davis.

This bullcrap has been going on for so long, that when there is a guilty black man, nobody can say anything about it without it turning into a freaking civil rights issue. There are too many innocents that have been killed, so now all black men who are shot by white cops are going to be martyrs, whether they are guilty or not.

I don't know if the shooting was justified or not. I suspect that it was but that's pure speculation on my part.

I'm looking at video of more crap going on tonight. Apparently there's been more shootings and more tear gas and more destruction. We've got "citizen journalists (and maybe a few professional ones) who seem to be causing as much of this **** as anyone else. The crowds see cameras and want to be on TV or something I guess. It's really just disgusting behavior.
 
This bullcrap has been going on for so long, that when there is a guilty black man, nobody can say anything about it without it turning into a freaking civil rights issue. There are too many innocents that have been killed, so now all black men who are shot by white cops are going to be martyrs, whether they are guilty or not.

Which is pretty much why I'd opt to segregate cops into neighborhoods where they are the same race as the neighborhood majority. If you can't even trust the populations to keep their **** together when something like this happens, then you have to placate them like the children they are. That's one of our societal problems these days- people lose their minds when anything pisses them off. I get freaking tired of it.
 
If your life is in danger just for being a different race, and the general population can't be trusted not to lose their **** whenever something goes terribly wrong, then segregation may be the only viable option for the time being. It's a bad enough job as it is.

Ah, but you know how "for the time being" can go.

The thing is that Brown "bum-rushed" the cop, which is why the toxicology report may be important. If he had just committed robbery, he might have been just naturally pumped up/full of it anyway, and maybe the cop's uniform was the problem rather than race.
 
Well, looks like when I mentioned "citizen journalists" I was only part right. I'm watching a live feed and the guy filming just had a cop come up and tell him to "Get the **** out or I'll shoot you with this!". That wasn't exactly appropriate behavior from law enforcement either.

What a damned mess.

-edit-
I should note that a supervisor came right over and handled things well but that first cop was definitely a piece of work.
 
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