Professionalism and the Police

[markpkessinger]

in addition to the horror of a summary execution of a citizen whose arms were raised in a sign of surrender, and the outrageously heavy-handed and militarized response to demonstrations, the attempts to quash reporting on the demonstrations, and overall bungling of the entire situation by the Ferguson Police Department, something else has really bothered me about all of this.

Yesterday, I watched a clip (see http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/17/police-threaten-reporters-ferguson_n_5686674.html ) in which police were telling the media to "get the fuck out of here," and threatening to 'shell' them if they didn't comply. In the initial encounter between police and Michael Brown, a cop is alleged to have said to Brown and his friend, "Get the fuck off the street!" Look, I'm no language prude, and am certainly not beyond dropping an occasional f-bomb of my own; but when did it become acceptable for police to address citizens in such a manner? When did standards of professional conduct fall so far that this became an acceptable way to address a citizen under ANY circumstances? I have to wonder how differently things might have played out had the cop said to Michael Brown something like, "Excuse me,. guys, but I need you to move off of the street and onto the sidewalk."

It seems as if police, not just in Ferguson but around the country, have become mighty thin-skinned about being 'disrespected.' Maybe my view of things is quaint or old-fashioned, but I was always taught that if one wished to be treated with respect, one first had to show it. Has anyone else been bothered about this aspect of the whole mess?

[burnsei sensei]

1. Even corrupt authorities can be quite professional.

The problem is not professionalism, but both personal and professional ethics.
Ethics in conduct toward those OUTSIDE the organization.
The public.
Professionalism can be framed such that it protects corrupt practice. Obviously, the understanding of professionalism in Missouri protects corrupt practices, and the more closed the system is, the more capable it is of perpetuating its corruption.

[markpkessinger]

2. Good point n/t

[markpkessinger]

3. Maybe "professionalism" isn't the right word for it . . .

In any case, my point was not so much about the term, per se, as it was about upholding a basic standard of civility on the part of police in their dealings with citizens.

[BuelahWitch]

10. Seems they also use it to goad other people into a fight

so they can take out their rage on them if the other person objects or "disrespects" them. Schoolyard bullies grown up.

[MohRokTah]

4. IF they were worthy of respect, they would get respect.

Says something about them, eh?

[markpkessinger]

5. Indeed it does! n/t

[Rex]

6. Better watch out! We have some FPD apologists onboard!

No doubt you will be corrected that the FPD has had nothing to do with said rioting. Seriously...I wish I was kidding.

[woo me with science]

7. Absolutely. Those behaviors are part of a deeply disturbing pattern of authoritarianism

coming from our government toward the people.

Police are not higher-level citizens with license to berate or dominate the public. They are public *servants* hired to serve and protect all of us. Courtesy and respect must be an integral part of their interactions with citizens, as part of the job we choose to entrust them with.

K&R Important post. Thank you.

[gldstwmn]

8. Yes there certainly seems

to be an attitude that you can just talk to people any old way if you're a cop in Ferguson. Someone must be perpetuating this behavior. I've definitely noticed a difference in the behavior of police officers in the last 10 or so years. It's almost like everyone is a combatant to them now. They just want you to STFU and do what they say or else. That said I realize it's a generalization. I don't believe every cop everywhere is like this. But in my experience it has become more and more prevalent.

[RobertEarl]

9. Cops these days are taught to be scared

With all the weapons floating around and given the dangerous conduct of so many police, they have reason to be scared.

I have been asked several times to get my hands out of my pocket. Have noticed they are looking closely at where your hands are and are you carrying.

We can blame a large part of that on the gun-slingers and the other part on that cops know cops are distrusted. Slippery slope we are going down. Certainly next time a cop comes toward me, my hands will be up and i'll be asking them to "don't shoot".

[msongs]

11. how sad is it that we have to beg for our lives when a "police" person looks at us nt

[RobertEarl]

12. Did not used to be so extreme

I've had dozens of close encounters. Never been shot at. But there is always a first time. One thing to remember is not to scare or surprise a cop. They almost always get away with shooting someone. The best defense is to make sure they don't feel they have to go for their gun. If they do, back away quickly.

I even told one once who i saw had his hand on their gun that they didn't need to do that and they saw my eye was on their gun.

[Dems to Win]

13. Yes, I'm a quaint old fogey, too.

In addition to the unprofessional language and demeanor we've seen, the very tactics being used are unprofessional writ large, imho.

I first became aware of how counter productive these police tactics are during the the Battle of Seattle, which has proven to be the model of how police deal with large scale protests.

The police operations were ineffective in 1999 in Seattle at the WTO protests. Rows of police stood and watched black-masked provocateurs break windows and set fires -- they did not break ranks and arrest the few troublemakers. Instead of chasing down and arresting the couple hundred people who had actually broken the law and destroyed property, they tear gassed 50,000 people. Repeatedly.

They tear gassed the crowd, causing people to run in blind panic,with many injuries in the melee.

Police in Ferguson are doing the exact same thing today. Instead of chasing down and arresting the few vandals, they are gassing the entire crowd.

This is a problem of police professionalism and ethics and makes me question their intentions. Their methods are ineffective and antiAmerican.

If police were truly wanting to serve the community, they would have long ago realized these methods of crowd control are totally counterproductive and unjust.