Police use deadly force on black man not using sidewalk

[Takket]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/10/justice/missouri-police-involved-shooting/index.html?c=homepage-t&page=1

He was shot eight times (per the mother in the video). I wonder how many times a white person has ever been shot eight times, or even once, for not using the sidewalk.

[PowerToThePeople]

1. Ban all Guns!! n/t

[MohRokTah]

35. .

[IronGate]

48. ...

[Uncle Joe]

2. Every single police officer in the nation should be required to wear a camera and mic on their shirt

Thanks for the thread, Takket.

[FarPoint]

8. They need to get a license like a doctor or nurse.

Require a college degree and must report to a Governoring Board in each state. Establish a standard of practice...Liscense are suspended when such events occur and must meet with the Board to continue practice....Something along those lines.

[Dustlawyer]

18. They do have to have a police officers license.

[FarPoint]

23. I'm asking for a license with a valid, enforcing governing Board,..

A strick standard of practice which is enforced by the Board by each state....Its too easy to become a cop...nepotism runs rampant and training is maybe 6-9 months of technical school for most local officers and sheriff deputies... Maybe even less I believe. I'm looking for a higher standard of practice for all law enforcement officers.

[littlemissmartypants]

15. Exactly. eom

[RKP5637]

20. It's probably the simplest and most cost effective way to try to get a handle on

increasing police brutality and these inane murders cops seem to feel justified in doing for whatever bizarre and bellicose visceral reasons.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

26. +1000.

And they should have a backup system that constantly tests for a signal, so that the officer in question will know IMMEDIATELY if the setup stops working. And any 'missing 18 minutes' ala Nixon that occurs at the same time as the officer having an interaction with any member of the public that results in death or injury should be considered as intentional.

[Enthusiast]

47. PLUS ONE, a whole bunch!

[littlemissmartypants]

64. I am thinking microchips.

That track location, galvanic skin response, vital signs, body movement, neurological function, environmental conditions and any other thing that would be indicators of their actions and reactions.

We have the technology somewhere. Those trillion dollars in military spending go to who knows how many experimental designs.

Track our so called Peace officers on radar from space. I'm sure it could be done.

Farmers track livestock. Why couldn't we track LEO?

http://www.liveviewgps.com/gps+tracking+farm.html

They track us for covert ops. Let's turn it around.

The Republicans won't own us forever, will they?

Love, Peace and the Righteous Fight, Uncle Joe.

Lmsp

[Uncle Joe]

66. There is this as evidence "Police Brutality Statistics In The United States Fell By 60 Percent When"

Cops Wear Video Cameras"

On a thread by damnedifIknow.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025205873

Police brutality statistics apparently fell by 60 percent in one California town when all police officers were required to wear portable video cameras while on the job.

In a related report by The Inquisitr, a video of a CHP officer punching a fallen woman 11 times in the face went viral after it was filmed by a passing driver. But another video was even worse since it showed Albuquerque police shooting two suspects in the back, never mind when a homeless man was shot in the back.

The city of Rialto, California did a controlled study where the city’s 70 police officers were required to wear a video camera that recorded all of their interactions with the public. In 2012 alone complaints against Rialto police officers fell by 88 percent, while use of force by officers fell by almost 60 percent."

* Of course, one huge negative to outfitting every cop with a camera is public privacy concerns. But even the American Civil Liberties Union, which is usually quick to protest anything that might infringe upon personal privacy, says that the notable drop in police brutality statistics is worth it:

“Although we generally take a dim view of the proliferation of surveillance cameras in American life, police on-body cameras are different because of their potential to serve as a check against the abuse of power by police officers.”

http://www.inquisitr.com/1337944/police-brutality-statistics-in-the-united-states-fell-by-60-percent-when-cops-wear-video-cameras/

Love, peace and the righteous fight, littlemissmartypants.

UJ.

[HereSince1628]

3. Words were exchanged. Words are dangerous.

I suppose the cop believed his life was threatened with something akin to deadly disrespect.

Re eight shots...it's pretty obvious from news that cops across this vast land aren't trained to use either a minimum of force or a minimum of bullets.

[GeorgeGist]

11. Sgt. Pig needs a course in bigotry management.

[HereSince1628]

16. I suppose that's offered in prison...

but, really, I have low expectations of him having the opportunity to enroll there.

[FarPoint]

4. We are being terrorized by these militarized police.

Many are former servicemen/ Iraqi war veterans or have been trained by such. The outcome , the actions we see today are mirror images of war zone tactics... No longer are our law enforcement offices practicing the moto of Protect and Serve.

Let's not forget..less than a week ago, o 23 year old black male was shot down in a Walmart store in the Dayton Ohio area...he picked up s toy gun or say toy air rifle off the shelf...One couple went into George Zimmerman mode, called 911...Local police shot him down within the store. Interesting, none of the other customers felt threatened... Only this ex marine who followed the young man and who called 911. His 911 call was exaggerated and crested in his own mind...in my opinion.

These incidents need to be logged and collected ....the pattern is now evolning into acceptable murder.

[woo me with science]

6. ^^^^This is the correct answer.^^^^^

We don't live in America anymore.

[cantbeserious]

13. "Protect And Serve" Only Applies To The Oligarchs, Corporations And Banks

eom

[RKP5637]

21. Well said!!! We are watching IMO something occurring akin to the SS during WWII. The point you

brought out well might be the underlying reason, and excellent IMO ... "We are being terrorized by these militarized police. Many are former servicemen/ Iraqi war veterans or have been trained by such. The outcome , the actions we see today are mirror images of war zone tactics... No longer are our law enforcement offices practicing the moto of Protect and Serve."

[BadgerKid]

24. You say these are war vets.

I wonder if cops' violent overreactions is a result of their training and war time experience. I won't go so far as to label it PTSD, but clearly something is wrong with them and possibly with those who are hiring them.

[FarPoint]

25. I know it's a plus on the police job application...

Military background.... I know a few who were also in the r
Reserves. They would get called to do a tour in Iraq or Afghanistan then return to duty as an officer.

[8_Point]

45. Ooh... The scary veterans might go all boogies boogies crazy..

Way to perpetuate that stereotype based on nothing...

[FarPoint]

46. Stereotypes ...hahaha...head in the sand again?

It's a fact...do your research.

[8_Point]

54. Only a few hundred thousand veterans or so...

... Combined with relatively few incidents equals excellent odds.

Does the extra .00001‰ or so chance really concern you or do you just appreciate the chance to attack people?

[FarPoint]

59. You have a peculiar imagination.

Issue of my discussion relate to those veterans who enter law enforcement. Military mindset continues while employed as a police officer.

[8_Point]

65. Are you referring to the tens of thousands of veterans...

... who were trained from the earliest part of their adulthood to conform to rules of engagement and the limits of physical force? Even at the cost of their personal physical safety?

The ones who went on hundreds of thousands of patrols with enough firepower at hand and on call to remove entire grid squares at best you end up with ones and twos at the far end of the bell curve who chose poorly?

Those guys?

[IronGate]

50. It's not based on nothing.

In my job, I interact with the cops all the time and most of the younger ones are combat vets who are arrogant, steroid filled assholes who view the citizens as serfs to serve them, not the other way around.
The older ones? Not so much, although there are a few douchebags among them.
Most of the city cops I know, I wouldn't trust them with a water pistol, much less a real one.

[8_Point]

55. So what you are telling me is that..

... Younger guys are cocky know it alls while older guys are more mellow and more respectful.

Will wonders never cease!?

Someone should do a study

[IronGate]

58. Really?

How often is your interaction with the cops on a daily basis?
The younger ones aren't just cocky, they view the public an us against them attitude, they think of the people they serve as nothing more than serfs who are to be viewed with such distrust, and most of the older cops, they're just marking time until they pull the pin.

Cops are viewed with deep mistrust in this country because of the militarization of the police forces, the "fuck the public" attitude of cops, the brutality of cops, and the lack of the cops to police themselves.

[woo me with science]

5. Authoritarians and fascists have a problem with disrespect.

Fear is a tool to keep people in line.

The post above mine is correct.

[stillwaiting]

32. And when they hold positions of power and authority they want to be idolized and worshipped.

Failure to do that IS disrespectful in their minds. I have clashed with this mindset a few too many times in my life. A few bosses and one professor hated me when I didn't bow before them, but I was most certainly not being disrespectful to them. Every one of them were experts at creating strong cults of personality around their power position and authority.

[Enthusiast]

49. +1

[8_Point]

7. It's a shame that the crowd prevented the timely collection...

... Of evidence.

[DiverDave]

10. Seriously? The crowd?

Oh, and I bet only the cops "heard gunfire" So, they would have been justified to fire back?

A young man is dead and you point out "the crowd". Shame

[2pooped2pop]

40. I don't think he was blaming the crowd

but just pointing out that any chance of convicting the cop, may have been destroyed in the near riot. I don't think it was a "damn crowd" thing, but a wish to see the cop prosecuted. Most of the other "damn cops" type things had already been said.

[GeorgeGist]

12. It's disgusting that Sgt. Pig instigated a near riot ...

by wasting Mike Brown.

[IronGate]

51. Police criminal acts apologist?

Blaming the crowd for the criminal act of the police?

BTW, welcome to DU, enjoy your stay.

[8_Point]

56. You see what you want to see...

An accurate reading of my post would draw the obvious point that it will be more difficult to prove what happened, for either side, since the crowd stepped on the evidence for a few hours.

Casings, forensic evidence, witnesses etc.. Etc... All tainted or gone.

[FarPoint]

60. I totally agree with your assessment.

I need a flyswatter too.

[DiverDave]

9. YAY COPS!!

Remember, they work for YOU.
Do I really need a sarcasm thingy?

[littlemissmartypants]

14. Kicking. nt

[surrealAmerican]

17. The info from the link:

Dorin Johnson said he was walking with Brown down the middle of the street when a police car pulled up. The officer told the teens to use the sidewalk, according to Johnson.
After an exchange of words, the officer shot Brown even after he raised his hands in the air, Johnson said. The police chief declined to comment on what preceded the shooting and other specifics of the case.

Do you ever get the feeling that the public would be safer without a police force?

[alcibiades_mystery]

36. "Failure to comply" will be the catch-all excuse for violent police assault on a citizen

From what I've seen on Twitter, the cop was annoyed that Mr. Brown and his friend were crossing the street in his way. He said something to them, which caused an exchange of words.

Notably, this is the exact same narrative as what happened to Dr. Ore, the professor at Arizona State who was thrown to the ground and arrested for virtually the same "walking in the street - words exchanged" offense earlier this summer. These are essentially racist road rage incidents, with the cops as the racist road ragers. Dr. Ore ended up with nine months probation. Mr. Brown ended up with what the racists who infect this board will call a "good grouping."

[2pooped2pop]

41. more and more every day

Do you ever get the feeling that the public would be safer without a police force?

When I think back to the times I really needed a cop to save me, I can't think of any. I recently told a friend, "if you didn't call them, they are not there to help you," in a case of answering cops questions. Now more and more it seems that even if you were the one that called them, they are not really there to help you.

They work for the people. The rich people. The rich people only. It's becoming clearer daily.

[IronGate]

52. Not safer without a police force,

but safer with a police force that has their military toys taken away, a police force that's closely watched by a civilian review board consisting of regular citizens, not retired cops.

[beemer27]

19. Reality Check

Something about this story does not ring true. Nothing said so far makes any sense. I would really like to see the video from the car that stopped them. Some of our cops are wound too tight, and over react, but this would be an extreme case of that. There are facts that we haven't seen, and until they come out, I am gong to reserve my judgement.

[mark67]

22. I tend to agree...

Let's get all of the facts first. A tragedy all the way around, but with the headline, this is just being thrown out there as red meat.

[bowens43]

31. oh another one! Surprise!

bow down to the police state you helped to create

[alcibiades_mystery]

37. Police shoot unarmed black teen dead...let's calm down and investigate further

Needless to say, the claims that the racist internet and cop supporters put on whatever black teenager (or middle aged man) need never be investigated for a moment).

[redqueen]

42. Exactly. That difference tells us all we need to know about such commenters. nt

[2pooped2pop]

43. We gave them tasers for non lethal use.

They seem to reserve those for grandmothers and grade school kids; people who should not need any type of weapon to control. They still use their guns, it seems, for cases that a taser should have been used. And in this case, I am just saying IF there was a need at all, a taser would have sufficed.

[JaneyVee]

28. This isn't extreme. This is common. Welcome to

Post-racial America.

[bowens43]

30. here we go, I knew it would be long until a low post count apologist shows up......

[etherealtruth]

38. Three of them at this point

[mark67]

53. Do your find comfort in your outrage?

Since when does asking that we make sure we get all of the facts right make one an apologist? Doesn't excuse the police officer or his actions.

[JaneyVee]

27. There's a war going on outside.

My condolences to the family of 17 yr old Mike Brown.

[bowens43]

29. Cops in this country are out of control

[2pooped2pop]

44. yep

more so daily. I'll bet they are actually being encouraged too.

[fredamae]

34. What is it about Not

walking on a Sidewalk?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/29/asu-professor-arrested-ersula-ore_n_5540768.html

[Takket]

57. update...

now the police are saying that the victim reached into the car to try and attack the officer and take his gun....

hmmmmmmmmmmmm....

we'll see

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/10/justice/missouri-police-involved-shooting/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

[alcibiades_mystery]

61. What else can you say when you shoot an unarmed teenager: "He was trying to take my weapon!"

Yes, an unarmed 18 year old kid walking down the street in the summer and committing no crime decides to get into a physical altercation with an armed police officer, reaching into a car to steal the police officer's weapon.

It's so laughably implausible that only actual video of such an event would persuade me. I mean, honestly.

[Takket]

62. +1

[DiverDave]

63. Just heard that too, my jaw is still on the floor.

The chief of police said that he wrestled with the cop in the car, one round fired in the car, somehow the young man backs away and then attacks again?? Then the cop shoots.
This stinks, but I can see the outcome now. The cop gets a paid vacation and in a couple of months he will be found to have done everything by the book.

[geomon666]

67. This is getting so disgusting, it's beyond belief.

Have we had enough as a society? Break the Blue Wall down already.