Standing up to injustice.

[EUBlink]

I've really enjoyed my time here over the years and I appreciate all the fun threads I've laughed at that have helped me escape from reality at times.

I say that to say that my life may be altered soon. As some of you know, I'm a police officer. I do my best to have a positive impact on those around me and I go out of my way to change folks' lives when I can. I'll preface by saying that the community I serve has several homeless individuals who have mental illnesses. However, the politicians of our state see no importance in investing in mental health and have, instead, closed many of our mental health facilities.

Last week, I responded to an officer requesting assistance close to where I was. I was first to arrive and recognized the subject that the officer was dealing with, as I have had many encounters with him in the past and have established an exceptional rapport with him over time. He and I eat meals together, talk and spend time together because I have taken time out of my day and invested in making him feel appreciated and not looked down on. So I get out on-scene and the officer, for whatever reason, shouts "Stay back!" to me as if this man was a threat... and he could be. He's 6'10 and probably 300 pounds. He could do whatever he wants to me at any moment. But I calmly walked up to him, my face inches from him and I placed my open hand reassuringly on his chest, said his name, and told him that everything was going to be alright. He calmed down immediately. At this time, the officer barks an order that he is under arrest for disorderly conduct. I hear this, remove my handcuffs and he calmly allows me to handcuff him. I tell him that I don't know the circumstances of the arrest but that I am assisting and will see to it that he is treated appropriately.

As I am escorting him to my patrol unit, I recognize another officer arriving that I know has a colorful past with the subject I am escorting. This officer has, time and time again, gone out of his way to antagonize this mentally ill man to the point where he gets a reaction and can make an arrest. It is a disgusting game that some of these officers play and admin refuses to correct it. Well, this officer exits his patrol unit and comes straight toward myself and the subject and begins making conversation with him, knowing that it will escalate the situation. The mentally ill man, like clockwork, starts cussing the officer and telling him to leave him alone. Once I have gotten the subject into my backseat, the officer interjects himself and shoves the subject forcefully, further into the backseat of the patrol unit then jumps into the backseat on top of him. Keep in mind, he is handcuffed behind his back and he has a history of back problems so I loosen the cuffs for comfort. We all know he has a bad back. Even the officer that just jumped on him while he was handcuffed. I calm the situation down and tell the officer to bug off, in different words.

I get him to the jail, get him inside and I offer him some cold water. He is homeless, ill, heated and has now been arguably assaulted by a police officer while he was detained.

I make a complaint to admin about the officer and his conduct. I am called into internal affairs, sat down and told, point-blank, that I had better keep my nose down and lay low for a very long time and that I have lost the trust of my fellow officers. Admin is seeing and agreeing with the perspective that the officer was correct in shoving and then jumping on a subject that was already peacefully detained.

My career here is inevitably at a dead end and I have some doubts for my safety when I return to work this coming Friday. We shall see what goes down. I'm not done and I'm not sitting down. My department has a terrible problem with racism and looking down on the mentally ill. This officer gratuitously attacking a mentally ill black man is just a small gear in the large machine of corruption that has been established. I'll expose it in time, but I'm taking a moment to plan my moves. I have too much of my dead mother's spirit in me to stay quiet when I see injustice.

Buckle up, ladies and gentlemen. This ride may be a little bumpy. I will keep you updated.

[Blzer]

Re: Standing up to injustice.

This is the kind of stuff that I hate hearing about. It really makes my blood boil.

I hope for your sake that everything works out, but at the same time it would be great if this kind of stuff did not occur internally. In this day and age, I'm kind of surprised that it does.

"Lay low"? I guess for the sake of your career you might have to, but man if there was a decent way to be vocal and combat this head on.

I'm sorry, man. Please keep us posted.

[Jolly Roger]

Re: Standing up to injustice.

I'd love to ask you some questions if I could.

I am not excusing the behavior of your fellow officer, but do you think some officers might be aggressive due to the fact that your job often involves responding to conflicts with potentially dangerous people? I could see that causing various forms of anxiety in some officers and, depending on their personality, it could result in aggression as a defense mechanism.

I really feel for you officers; society expects you to be perfect in one of the most dangerous jobs out there, at a pay rate that does not at all match the difficulty of the job. The thing that makes me angry is the fact that all these woke people would probably call you a pig and lump you in with the bad apples. It sounds like you really go above and beyond in your duty. Honestly, they don't deserve you.

[EUBlink]

Re: Standing up to injustice.

I'd love to ask you some questions if I could.

I am not excusing the behavior of your fellow officer, but do you think some officers might be aggressive due to the fact that your job often involves responding to conflicts with potentially dangerous people? I could see that causing various forms of anxiety in some officers and, depending on their personality, it could result in aggression as a defense mechanism.

I really feel for you officers; society expects you to be perfect in one of the most dangerous jobs out there, at a pay rate that does not at all match the difficulty of the job. The thing that makes me angry is the fact that all these woke people would probably call you a pig and lump you in with the bad apples. It sounds like you really go above and beyond in your duty. Honestly, they don't deserve you.

I'll offer some more context because it's certainly due, sorry.

The officer in question has had no less than 10-11 documented points of contact with this homeless man in the last calendar year. During that time, all but two was "self initiated", or initiated by the officer calling out with the subject while not responding to a request for response in regard to him. The homeless man typically stays within a four-block area, geographically, so he is never hard to find. He goes back and forth between two laundromats where he has permission to "set up" and stay behind for shelter. He hasn't caused problems at those laundromats.

In the last year, only two officers have documented having any issues with this homeless man... the officer that called out in this event [that I responded to] and the officer that I was speaking about that went beyond the scope of response. The officer that called out with the homeless man on this date is, in fact, a Lieutenant and is the next-line supervisor to the officer that went hands-on. The two of these officers are the only officers in the department in the last calendar year that have had any documented use-of-force with the homeless man. They have each used a taser on him at least once on two different occasions, once because he would not stop walking away and stop and talk to the Lieutenant and the other because he used "increased, threatening volume" with the officer in a conversation and would not quieten down. Each of those times, it was not documented that the homeless man was being physically aggressive but that he was being loud or simply walking, not running, away.

One issue I observe and have observed is that these two men are cowards and have forgotten how to initiate basic human interaction and use their mouth, voice and presence as tools for deescalation. They see it as easier to "pop" a taser and get a response. However, as with most mentally ill, the pain compliance that a taser brings to the table is not always what is to be expected... mentally ill people do not process pain in the same way as mentally stable people. Further, their "fight or flight" could and usually does turn more polarizing.

Last, it is important that I emphasize that the situation during the arrest was completely under control. My Sergeant had joined my presence during the escort back to the patrol unit and the homeless man was being completely compliant. The entire scene was under control. Only when the officer interjected himself verbally and then physically did the situation become loud and then violent, albeit one-sided violent.

This officer that made the physical contact has a personal vendetta toward this homeless man and it has been observed by an overwhelming majority of other officers in the department. The officer and his Lieutenant have made numerous comments about "running off" the homeless population and ridding the city of them out loud, as recent as the day after the event took place while they were laughing about the matter at a retirement ceremony.

Had the officer not interjected himself verbally, the homeless man would have remained quiet and calm just as he was already doing. Had the officer not interjected himself, no injury would have occurred.

The main issue we have is that some cops have forgotten basic human compassion and empathy, and they would rather escalate a situation to draw glory to themselves. When a man gets verbally and then physically aggressive with someone while they are detained physically (handcuffs), that, to me, shows cowardice. It shows that the officer is, in fact, fearful of the homeless man for whatever reason and knows no other way to process or stamp out that fear than by being a bully when the opportunity allows.

[Caulfield]

Re: Standing up to injustice.

I say that to say that my life may be altered soon. As some of you know, I'm a police officer. I do my best to have a positive impact on those around me and I go out of my way to change folks' lives when I can. I'll preface by saying that the community I serve has several homeless individuals who have mental illnesses. However, the politicians of our state see no importance in investing in mental health and have, instead, closed many of our mental health facilities.

I don't have a lot I can add except this burns me up as well. I live in Alabama also and mental illness is one of those things that hit close to home for me. my pop and his mom (my grandmother) both spent some time in Bryce Hospital in Tuscaloosa back in the 80's, and it's always in the back of my mind it could easily be me with mental well-being issues

in any event, good luck and thanks for going above and beyond the call of duty. there needs to be more men like yourself protecting and serving. thanks again and Godspeed

[Jr.]

Re: Standing up to injustice.

@EUBlink you don't know how appreciated your actions are to the general public. It really sucks that doing the right thing and being a good person goes against your career standing. That supports the view of the state of policing as just about anything that's happened in the last few years.

Stay safe and I hope things work out okay for you.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Operation Sports mobile app

[EUBlink]

Re: Standing up to injustice.

Some tidbits worth knowing and some cause for concern.

The officer that did this to the homeless man, he has been Officer of the Year for two of the last three years. Further, I wasn't aware that he was on the "track", so to speak, to advance to an admin position in the near future. I've been at this department for just shy of two years and, having worked at other departments prior, I've learned the beauty and art of keeping my business to myself. So I've thrown a huge kink in the plans for this officer's path, or at least I've tried to in the Brass' eyes. It wasn't my intention to derail anyone's career path, per say, I was just looking out for those who can't help themselves when they are detained and being taken advantage of.

Now for cause for concern. I was informed by a fellow officer today, whom I trust, that I probably need to watch my back due to some talk that has been overheard in the station and passed on. The officer I trust is a black man. It shouldn't matter, but this department is on the verge of creating an unfortunate violent divide within itself that will be decided by color of skin. It's disgusting, really... but this is Alabama.

I had recently started a self-funded project for several of the homeless in the area that I'd already successfully helped three of them get current state ID cards and helped them open their own banking accounts so that they could possibly get government benefits and carry a debit/check card on them instead of cash, which is much more convenient and is safer, given their daily environment. I had even made shirts to some day sell for fundraising but had not gotten to that point... the name is The Compassion Project and underneath that reads Make a Difference Today. That said, I may have to put a halt on this now because of the admin Captains has been speaking to many others and it has, therefore, gotten down the line to me that this could raise questions on terms of state ethics. I have all receipts, have not requested any outside funding, and have completely funded this project with my own financial sacrifices because I believe in these people and I believe they deserve a second, third, fourth, or whichever chance they're on when their lives are crossing my path. Some people don't want help and with some, it is evident that the help would be in vain. I'm pursuing the ones that I see potential in, first and foremost. Through meditation and patience, I'll move forward once more when the time is right.

[Jolly Roger]

Re: Standing up to injustice.

In all seriousness, have you considered becoming a social worker instead of a police officer? It sounds like you really enjoy helping and working with these people, and then you wouldn't have to deal with the police politics.

[kehlis]

Re: Standing up to injustice.

In all seriousness, have you considered becoming a social worker instead of a police officer? It sounds like you really enjoy helping and working with these people, and then you wouldn't have to deal with the police politics.

I can't speak for him but the required degree to be a social worker is very specific to the job and is a very targeted degree. Can't just transition to it without the necessary requirements. (He may have them, just thinking out loud)

[EUBlink]

Re: Standing up to injustice.

Funny you say that. My initial major was social work, I really enjoyed the classes and I intended to go into the hospice side but had second thoughts. Following an event that took place with a family friend, it sparked a passion in me to go into law enforcement and try to be an exception to the norm.

I still try and be that every day. I catch hell for not writing citations or making arrests when I have the option of using officer discretion unless absolutely necessary because I don’t feel that I should be held accountable for being a faucet of financial income for the municipal court system by giving folks one ticket after another, when I can stop them and have a simple conversation with them and it prove even more effective than slapping them with a financial debt for speeding, road rage or other issues that can be resolved with basic human compassion, conversation and reflection. I write tickets for DUI, no insurance and parents who don’t have their kids in their car seats IF it is obvious the parent did it intentionally. Some people can’t afford car seats, though. Those get a break. I’ve lost a number of family members and friends to DUI drivers and take no sympathy for them. That’s my one vice, perhaps, that I am hard against and take no exception to.

Some go into law enforcement to “make stats” and advance their career to the top by getting high scores on arrests for petty drug charges such as a joint or some marijuana shake in the floorboard of a car. A simple event like that can derail a kid for life. It can hit a person so hard that they will never recover. That type of cop doesn’t need to be a cop at all. They were probably bullied themselves and are now taking it out on people “beneath” them because they wear a badge and have a misplaced god complex.

I don’t see myself getting out. Maybe I’m a glutton for punishment, maybe I still have things left to do before I recognize it’s time to hang it up. My mother passed away January 2020 after a very brief, unexpected, painful battle with colon cancer. Growing up, she protected me best she could from my abusive father. He would beat us until we quit screaming because he could and because he, himself was abused as a child. Be it a bad day at work or him making a bad bet due to his gambling addiction, he took it out on us. Mostly me.

My mother cried the day I told her I was going into law enforcement but she understood why. If someday I can be the difference for a kid or a young man or woman that can help them turn their lives around, I’ll do whatever I have to do within my means to make an impact for them. My mother was that difference for me, taking pain so I didn’t have to when she could until finally, one day she got the courage and took me and my sister and left. Her courage showed me then what a single person can do to change a life, and I remember it every day. I would rather risk losing my life and reputation than turn a blind eye to crooked cops that take their frustrations out on people that need help, such as the mentally ill and homeless. They’ll get theirs when life comes full circle, sure, but someone has to at least try and be a look out. The national outrage over police brutality isn’t entirely a mislead agenda by the media. There are some absolutely terrible people that wear a badge and carry a gun. But there are some that remember why they got into it for the right reasons, and they need to wake up and stand up and make a difference, else they’re part of the problem themselves due to fear of retaliation.

[bigbob]

Re: Standing up to injustice.

I can't speak for him but the required degree to be a social worker is very specific to the job and is a very targeted degree. Can't just transition to it without the necessary requirements. (He may have them, just thinking out loud)

Unless you want to be a clinical social worker, or work in a hospital or fancy places like that, some places just want a degree in a Human Services field to do social worker-type jobs. But, it also depends on the state.

I am a social worker (Child Protective Services) in Virginia, but I have a Criminal Justice degree. There is no requirement for me to be a licensed social worker. If I jump the border and go to West Virginia, they are less strict on who they hire for the same job (because they are super desperate for people), but require you to become a licensed social worker (they set you up with a restricted license for your specific job, and then if you work with them for two years, it becomes unrestricted and you can "take it with you.")

[PVarck31]

Re: Standing up to injustice.

Dude, you sound like an awesome cop. A credit to the profession.

It's disgusting how horrible our mental health system is in the country, the same with the homeless and homeless veterans.

I don't know if my insight would mean anything more because my dad was a cop for 33 years and reached the rank of chief. But he always told me to distance yourself from the crappy/bad/*** hat cops. For a while, they had an issue with a group of cops in the department that were not exactly the best at their jobs. Tons of complaints, treating people like **** who just wanted to be left alone. Basically the stuff you are talking about.

My dad and a few others fought the department to try to get rid of these guys. Unfortunately, as you probably know, it's not just that easy to get rid of a cop. The Chief at the time was complicit in their activities, or at least just didn't care to do anything about it. However, my dad, the group of his colleagues who were tired of this, kept trying to make it right. Eventually, the chief had to leave due to health reasons, and my dad then became chief and was able to get these officers fired and replaced by genuine good guys and a girl, who wanted to help the community.

He's been retired for around 10-12 years now. But the officers he hired are still there, and the department is now well respected and does a lot for the communities less fortunate. What's really cool is that the department is very diverse. My dad wanted it to be that way to represent our diverse community.

So basically all I'm saying is hang in there. All it takes is one change in a leadership position for positive change. Just keep doing what you do.

[EUBlink]

Re: Standing up to injustice.

I decided that I’m going to let them continue to make their own bed to sleep in. It is obvious to me that I’m blackballed by our admin from getting past this whole event with my career at this department. I’ve already had numerous contacts and conversations with the ACLU, NAACP, three of our local/regional news outlets, the Alabama Ethics Commission, the Alabama Democratic Party offices in Montgomery, the Democratic Party Headquarters in the nearest major city and DC, the Republican Headquarters in the nearest major city, Montgomery and DC, the FBI offices in the nearest major city, Montgomery and DC, the DOJ Civil Rights offices in Montgomery and DC, the FlexYourRights office in DC, and the DOJ Whistleblower Hotline which handles retaliation or threats of retaliation regarding government agencies trying to hide when employees report illegal activities.

It’s excessive to have made this much effort, perhaps, but I see it as necessary. The man arrested should have been released this past Wednesday, per the judge. He is still in our jail and has been in the drunk tank since he got here. He is only allowed to exit the tank to shower. I’m pretty certain us making him stay in the tank like that goes against even our own policies and is almost certainly grounds for violations pertaining to cruel and unusual punishment.

I’m not seeking to watch a city burn, not at all. I just want them to understand the consequences for ****ing with the wrong person or the wrong people. I want our admin and our city to fully understand that times are changing and that they can either change with the times and enforce punishments for civil rights violations or they can continue to face wrath from people who refuse to back down to them. Sorry not sorry.

[EUBlink]

Re: Standing up to injustice.

Not a long update but a credible one, nonetheless. I was ordered to turn in my issued laptop, bodycam, external hard drives and in-car camera hard drive today. I'll have them given back to me when I return to work Tuesday once they are "cleaned up", as it was told to me. Basically, all camera footage and evidence of the event are going to be removed from all of my tech. Bummer...

...except, wait, I suspected this would happen and, therefore, backed all of the footage pertaining to the event on a department-issued USB drive that we keep our case studies on. I'm not going to put anything on a personal drive and risk legal backlash, but I still know how to be a little sneaky if it means securing some justice in the end.

[Jr.]

Re: Standing up to injustice.

Not a long update but a credible one, nonetheless. I was ordered to turn in my issued laptop, bodycam, external hard drives and in-car camera hard drive today. I'll have them given back to me when I return to work Tuesday once they are "cleaned up", as it was told to me. Basically, all camera footage and evidence of the event are going to be removed from all of my tech. Bummer...

...except, wait, I suspected this would happen and, therefore, backed all of the footage pertaining to the event on a department-issued USB drive that we keep our case studies on. I'm not going to put anything on a personal drive and risk legal backlash, but I still know how to be a little sneaky if it means securing some justice in the end.

How is that legal? How can they just remove evidence of a reported civil rights violation?