Ferguson Mayor Defends Police: 'I Can't Second-Guess These Officers'

[DonViejo]

Source: TPM

By DYLAN SCOTT Published AUGUST 14, 2014, 11:47 AM EDT

Ferguson, Mo., Mayor James Knowles defended local law enforcement amid growing criticism about their tactics during the protests sparked by the police shooting of an unarmed African-American teen.

Knowles said Thursday on MSNBC that there is "a lot of unlawfulness going around these peaceful protests." Two police officers have been shot at during the demonstrations, he said, which started on Sunday after the shooting of Michael Brown and have resulted in tear gas and rubber bullets being fired into the crowd.

"That's why we have to be vigilant and I can't second-guess these officers. They are the professionals. They have learned from many years of dealing with these incidents across the nation," Knowles said. "Now we're just going to have to try our best to maintain order, and we ask the citizens to help us comply with that."

"I am confident that all the law enforcement agencies that are participating are professionals," he said. "and if there is some videos that show someone losing their temper in a highly stressful situation, I'm sure they're under a great deal of stress and though it does not make it okay, they are human and I can understand their frustrations as well. Just as the protesters are frustrated."

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Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/ferguson-defends-police-officers

[Voice for Peace]

1. video shows "someone losing their temper in a highly stressful situation" really?

really? I think they need to retire the mayor.

[HooptieWagon]

4. "highly stressfull situation"...

"Patriots", "we tortured some folks"..... seems to be a pattern.

[Blue Idaho]

2. Sounds like the end of a political career to me.

If you want to be mayor - you need to be responsible for all the actions of local government - including the pigs. If you want to wash your hands of your responsibility - expect to see that used against you the next time you want to run for office.

I say throw the bum out.

[sendero]

25. I heard that the majority of the city being black.

..... but does not vote hence a white mayor and police dept.

Maybe someone will get mad and VOTE these assholes out.

[madashelltoo]

3. When do they change his batteries?

I saw this man on MSNBC, and he obviously grew up in an alternate universe where all is well. He never witnessed any of the racism being reported. He went to school in Ferguson and it was wonderful. Obviously, the Ferguson Goldie Taylor (MSNBC affiliate) grew up in was a different Ferguson. One where black people had to be off the street after sundown. I would laugh if this situation wasn't so fucking pathetic.

[BillZBubb]

5. If Ferguson is predominately populated by people of color, this guy is toast.

Who would vote for this boob?

As to the claim that police have been shot at, has that been verified? Or is it like the "snipers" in New Orleans during Katrina that the police there made up out of thin air?

[billhicks76]

16. Robot

He wouldn't second guess Hitler if he lived in 1930s Germany either. Time to think for yourself idiot.

[Fred Sanders]

6. Elected by acclamation....no one else ran....make of it what you will....I will say....VOTE...RUN!

[Lobo27]

8. Can't second guess????

And this is one of the biggest issues we have in our government. Dumbasses are running it.

[SwankyXomb]

9. "Someone losing their temper in a highly stressful situation"

Aren't police supposed to be specifically trained to remain calm and defuse these situations?

[PatSeg]

10. Evidently someone needs to "second-guess these officers"

It appears that it is the police who are lawless and apparently accountable to no one. Not second-guessing law enforcement is inviting chaos and violence.

[Ash_F]

11. Doesn't he appoint the police chief? The buck stops where? /nt

[cstanleytech]

14. I thought that varied from city to city with some voted to the position and others

appointed to it?

[Ash_F]

19. That's true. In my city, the city manager appoints the police chief

And the city council votes on city manager. People vote for their city councilmembers. Not a great system in my opinion.

[otohara]

12. They Are Not Professionals Mr. Mayor

not in your city or in any city in America.

They treat us like terrorists, call us names, they dress like they are in a war zone, tanks, big scary guns, and WTF up with the camouflage outfits?

While at an Occupy protest once, I spoke to a couple of police and they called the protesters, scumbags, dirt-bags, slime-bags and more. When I mentioned I had never been called a slime-bag, they backed off saying "oh not you mame, them"

There were plenty of women in the crowd who looked like me.

[blackspade]

13. Um, yes you can.

James Knowles is a coward.

[GeorgeGist]

15. It's like patriots torturing folks ...

we shouldn't get sanctimonious. It's hard.

[elleng]

17. You sure as hell CAN 'second guess' them;

its your goddamned JOB!

[surrealAmerican]

18. ... can't second-guess these officers ...

... but more than willing to second guess the citizens, you know, the people who gave you your job as mayor.

I like the way he describes tear gas and rubber bullets as being a "result" of the demonstrations, rather than any sort of "action" on the part of the police.

[otohara]

20. Scumbags, Dirtbags, Slimebags, Garbage

that's what 2 of our local police said about the "Occupy" protestors when I chatted with them as I walked back to my car. I said, WoW I've never been called a Scumbag before. Oh not you mame - them!

I was one of them.

[blkmusclmachine]

21. Disgusting

[hopemountain]

22. putridly weak elected leader

everyone is having to come in and cover up for his weakness and idiocy. the police chief has more power than the mayor? whoa.

[poster123]

23. Frustration

Just as the protesters are frustrated." If was a kid, assuming indoctrination into a midwestern police department, having a hefty-looking and obviously furious kid jump in rhe car and attempt to wrestle a service revolver out of my posession, would I take the time for well-reasoned 'press release quality' statements?
Get real. St. Louis is not, and has never been, the town James Garner occupied in the TV series The Virginian. That's a romantic and dated impression of a town with no industry and no education, a dirt road strip mall of gambling, drinking and whore -houses. I consider many postings here, to have been after reflecting on the local town, and assuming that it is,in fact, an abysmal southern pit.
When my sister's boyfriend was put in intensive care for six months in 1968 by a shotgun blast from an Alameda County sheriff's deputy, the locals did not storm Berkeley calling for S.I. Hayakawa's indictment. (He called that ultraright county enforcement agency and asked to quell student protest marches.) Governor Reagan, always the suburban middle-class hero, honestly called in the National Guard to avoid escalating the violence; this was during Vietnam, with lots of real nut cases and the still-terrifying Black Panthers arming and training military-style. Take your pick, deep south or elsewhere, it's not right for rational adults to permit their emotions to surface and rule in large public (herd rule) settings. Of course, it's as presumptuous and wrong of me to address others feelings as it is Ferguson' s mayor. My hopes that St. Louis quickly recovers and returns to the most depressing city in the nation, where 'show-me' means having tp prove yourself day in and day out, without hopes for a better future. I'll gladly (my feelings) leave it to those poor souls living there, to sort out and deal with their issues. A story here of road rage to me, and a message of what violence begats. They can have it, I'm not buying today. And please don't jump into my car!

[Brigid]

24. I, Brigid, do hereby claim the right to second-guess . . .

Anybody who shoots an unarmed person standing there with their hands up.

[bravenak]

26. Idiot.

What. An. Idiot.

[Efilroft Sul]

27. I'm sure some Roman emperors spoke well of their Praetorian Guards, too.

Job security, of sorts.

[VanGoghRocks]

28. More like "life insurance," i would think. :)

[Efilroft Sul]

29. You know it!

Welcome to DU, VGR!