In support of our police.
 

Here is a great moment in television that explains why police sometimes shoot people when it doesn't seem necessary.

Too Late You're Dead Blue Bloods - YouTube

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I must say - personally I find it so hard to believe what the police and all LEOs are going thru these days. We've all seen the videos from the 'affected cities' - LEOs in an area, sometimes surrounded by "peaceful demonstrators". With bricks, flaming molotov cocktails, stones - you name it - being thrown at them.

I would NEVER want to have a friend or family be a 'Law Enforcement Officer' under these horrible conditions. In most every one of these areas - the Gov, Mayor, Council DOES NOTHING and paralyzes Law & Order. It is truly disgusting. And worse - IF Nov 3rd DOES NOT 'go their way' - our country will probably be ablaze.
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The police have. tough job. The mob attacking them from the front and politicians stabbing them in the back.

I honestly don't think so, someone forcefully will not let it happen...

Thank them every chance you get.

Horrible they get no backing.

I suspect that the cities where the rioting has been going on will likely find it far more difficult to recruit police, and they may see existing officers, with minimal seniority, leave to go elsewhere

Agreed.
In order to attract replacements for the experience ones that leave they will have to offer a higher starting salary and benefits.

I have friends and several relatives who are or have been Policemen. I have sat down with some of them and all of them say the same thing. There are “bad apples” within police departments and the answer is to do a better job of weeding them out during the “vetting process.”. Those are their words. They all agree changes need to be made in the hiring process and also in training. It won’t happen over night but I believe it has already started in some places. Politicians will spin this to suit their constituents both left and right. That’s what they do.

I enjoy(ed) Blue Bloods
 

One of my favorite scenes, IMO Danny waited too long here:

Blue Bloods: The Greater Good - Grand Jury Testimony | MRCTV

Too bad the focus is on some bad apples, so many good ones.

I was watching some of the videos of protest and rioting against the police, and one of them literaly had me burst out laughing.
A group were throwing stuff at passing cars, and generally being a pain.
They hit one car, which stopped, turned and came back to them.
First thing one of the girls shouted out was "Call the Police!" "Call the Police!!"

Why is this so hard for some people?

A few things...
Before I respond to your post. I hear nobody on this forum OR anywhere condemning police in general. YET, you folks lay that on everyone as if the were under attack. I have supported the police with money, time, and actions for over 50 years, and still do...certainly much more than those on here who profess such undying support (I am sure many are sincere)... sort of like supporting vets and enabling those who steal from them.

But to respond directly.....you folks speak of the adreline running in a police officer, yet NEVER mention that same fluid in a black man suddenly in the defense. Doesn't mean they don't deserve a lot of what happens, but you folks don't even think if black people as human, having similar or wise fears.

If I am harsh, I apologize, and sincere apology to those who are sincere, but recent events have proven to me beyond a doubt that this forum is infected with so many false and phoney patriots and police supporters.

While I disagree with you, you’re certainly entitled to your opinion but criminals of all colors cause the same problems for themselves. You can call it an adrenaline rush if you like but it’s still a major cause of what happens during an arrest. No matter what your color, if Fight the officer or you go for a weapon, it’s not going to turn out well

You make my point.

I responded to a post that implied " why is this so hard for some people".......for the same darn reason a police officer shoots someone in the back....he knows he should not, but as all the poster on here like to say..."the adrenaline"

You immediately treat a police officer as human and anyone with black skin as something different.

Again, I will always support police officers, but so many are simply keeping this thing alive to demean other skin color.

I hear almost no specific criticism of police, yet all the ranting and raving goes on.

Police do not need defending, but these threads do allow everyone to malign anyone with black skin.

Race relation between police and black is very complex....man, I know that well....not nearly as simple as those of you who enjoy referencing television shows. Rioting is counter productive as is ignorant accusations.

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You are wrong in your assertions.
First - A small fraction of police officers make the wrong decision. They shoot a black person in the back, or kneel on the neck of someone for X minutes and cause his death. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S DELIBERATE, but it's wrong. It's wrong and should be punished.

I understand that a black person is worried if he's pulled over by a cop. He might not get the same treatment as a white person. He has a harder time in many circumstances than his white counterpart. I do get that. I believe that it's true.

But, because I'm white, I'm SO tired of being told I'm racist because I want black people (actually... race is irrelevant to me... I want ALL people) to follow the law.
I want rioters to stop burning down cities and decimating businesses. I want people to stop throwing fireworks or bottles at police.

It's not one or the other. Police need to crack down on the "bad apples" in their ranks. They need to enact some better tactics when dealing with a hostile situation.

But I can't give black people a pass just like I don't give the police a pass. Rioting and looting isn't acceptable. It should be punished just like a cop that wrongly causes the death of a black person should be punished.

Sort of like so many people focus on the rioters instead of the peaceful protestors?

I generally agree with you and it would not have come to this if the peaceful protests had been effective. Not only did things like peacefully marching in the streets and taking a knee during the anthem not work, they were also condemned right here in TotV and the right-wing propaganda outlets.

Targeting black people by the police is a serious issue and it must be addressed. Wake up everyone! Black citizens are terrified of the police and they fear they might die any time one comes near. Their fear/flight systems overwhelm the rational parts of their brains. Cops need to be more sensitive to this. Unlike black citizens, police get training and if the training isn’t effective they need to find another line of work. We need to quit protecting those cops who show lack of self control and beat the crap out of terrified citizens or shoot an unarmed, fleeing person in the back who isn’t posing an immediate threat to anyone.

If people want the rioting to stop, then start cleaning up the police force and get rid of the racists. That’s all it takes.

Bad apples? So why don't the "good" police turn in the "bad apples?" Remember the movie "Serpico?" Where have all the heroes gone?

A new police culture must be created. Starting with more than just a hs diploma. Better screening to eliminate rascists. More than a few months of a police academy.

All the response’s I would bet are people on both side Monday morning quarter backing. Unless you are a cop or a black person you can only say what you think While siting home and not in the moment While it is happening. But change takes time and can not be done overnight so the burning and rioting with not help at all.

Someone that shoots somebody in the back is a coward. Someone that shoots somebody in the back while They hold them is an executioner!

Don’t resist arrest! It’s that simple!
Don’t resist arrest
Have your day in court!
Cops have very high stress job - they have to make life (their life) decisions in seconds. Once a cop is murdered, they don’t get a redo!

Only people that need retraining are criminals!
Don’t resist arrest don’t threaten the police!
This racist police nonsense is a hoax!

Such a shame where we are in this country. This has been an increasing problem that somehow started 10 years ago. Now we look like a 3rd world country.

Protest constantly. Don't these people ever work? Where do they get their money? Maybe that is the problem, they don't work and we give them FREE money.

Suspects resist for many different reasons. There is no need to kill suspects that resist.There is no need to leave a handcuffed naked suspect on the ground covering only his head when the snow is falling. Some cops are just bad that’s all there is to it. The police unions need to step up and help weed them out.

Because the news media only chooses to cover stories of blacks being shot by police, you might actually believe it happens disproportionately. However if you look at the demographics of violent criminals vs the general population and the demographics of police shootings, you’ll see that it simply isn’t true.

If the police were Doing their job properly there wouldn’t be any protest. Many people had to suffer a great deal in order to use that white only drinking fountain.We need to rid law-enforcement of the judge, jury and executioners!Protests are one of the tools we use to achieve this.

In support of our police
 

Can we support out police and still criticize when they shoot an unarmed man in the back seven times?

There are 18,000 police departments and just under a million cops in the country ... some will make errors of judgement, some will react in fear and do things that are just plain wrong. Are they accountable?

"A true patriot is a lover of country who rebukes and does not excuse its sins." Frederick Douglas

We armed our police for war time after 9/11. We need to provide them with a different weapon. A mentally I'll, naked man runs through the streets. He is spitting, waving his arms and ranting gibberish. The police need units to help them in these situations. Bagging the man's head and kneeling on his neck controls him. But can the police do better. Police need help to handle the mental health crisis in this country.
They are overwhelmed.

True! And look who is doing the focusing. Uneducated, illiterate, unemployed, entitled people. You have a beef with cops? Instead of looting and burning down your own local businesses, how about you go out and take a law enforcement job. Oh wait! Can you pass the “vetting” process?? I highly doubt it

that's a sweeping generalization.... you completely ignore the peaceful protesters who, btw, far outnumber the rabid mob.

Exactly!!!
I see so many of these posts referring to television shows, like that’s how it happens in real life!!! Do you also refer to TV shows, like Greys Anatomy for how your doctors should act & respond?!?!?!
Ridiculous.......
Bottom line, OBEY THE LAWS no matter who you are!!! I bet then you would see less people being killed by officers!!!
Quit acting like you all could do a better job....no one knows what they would do in any situation!!
Officers are there to uphold the laws, if you are breaking them, you alone are choosing to bring forth consequences of those choices!!! I pray for all of law enforcement and for the families of the CRIMINALS who Choose to make poor choices!!!

I agree.
 

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Finally African Americans, mixed races, Hispanics, Asians, LGBT are being recognized as evidenced by TV programs/commercials. From a straight Caucasian Senior Citizen Woman!

Good! It's important to acknowledge what is true. This really does happen sometimes.

The wording you choose is unfortunate. By saying "I want black people to follow the law" you are implying a belief that black people don't follow the law. By implying that, you imply that black people - generally speaking - in the majority - as a group - as a whole - do not follow the law.

That is where the problem starts. It starts with the wording. I am assuming you mean otherwise. But that is exactly what your words mean. When you state "I want X to behave like Y" you are implying that it doesn't already.

MOST black people are law abiding - or at the very least - don't get caught. Astoundingly, the exact same thing can be said for MOST white people, MOST brown people, MOST yellow and MOST red people.

The ones you see on the media are the exceptions, not the rule. They make the news because they're more interesting than "random black guy mows his lawn outside his house and nothing happens." Or "random cop stops a random traffic violator without incident."

Other than the unfortunate wording you choose, I agree with the sentiment of your post.

EVERYONE needs to either a) not disobey the law, b) not get caught if they disobey the law, or c) not give sass when they get caught disobeying the law.

That includes police, for whom the law is sometimes subjective and not clear. It should be common sense. No law should need to exist. But perhaps it does. Because even if you're a cop, you don't kill a suspect and then continue keeping your knee on his neck for 3 minutes after he's already dead. It shouldn't NEED to be against the law. But apparently it does.

I
grew up when police were proud of the fact they never had to draw their gun, now it seems that its the first thing they do, "Sad"

Everybody is on edge in our country, so I understand that.

The pot is kept stirring, and no help in peace at all.

No. It is not because they are terrified of the police. They are terrified of going to jail. Many of the people we see resisting arrest (black OR white) are 3rd timers and are facing serious jail time which is why they are fleeing and resisting arrest.

There are many, many reasons for a police officer to shoot a perp in the back. And it appears that every "uninformed" critic in America feels the need to make it worse for them to do their job to PROTECT.
I have a good friend (Deputy) that responded off duty to an armed robbery. The suspect was fleeing from the scene when he arrived first. As he took up the chase, the suspect started shooting at him while running away. He returned fire, shooting him in the back. JUSTIFIED shooting. Did not kill him, though. Too bad. The perp went down. He had been at the shooting range that day, as do many police officers and still had wad cutters in his revolver. Wad cutters are used at the range to better mark the target. At least they used to be used. They punch a nice round hole in the paper target, where a pointed bullet punches through like a pencil and the hole sometimes closes back up, making it hard to see where one shot entered or another. The wad cutter went in the suspects back and hit a rib, following it around to the front. Put him in the hospital, but he was unable to be a threat to anyone else for a while, ten years I think.
If someone is about to shoot you or is threatening you with a gun and the police are behind him, do you want them to ask the bad guy to turn around so he can shoot him, or do you want him to take action immediately? That is a rhetorical question. Personally, if I see a threat to a victim, I plan to take action regardless of what direction the dirtbag is facing.
An officer shot a teenager that was involved in a felony when the suspect reached into his pocket and brought out an object and pointed it at the officer. It was a cell phone. The officer was justified in shooting him. It happened at night and the officer feared that a gun was pointing at him. This stuff happens and then the Monday morning quarterbacks sit there and criticize these great public servants.
I have no sympathy for ANY of these dirtbags with long records of violent behavior. If the officer made a mistake in the heat of the moment, the subject should not have put himself in that situation. I will always give the officer my support if I am on the jury. One less dirtbag, regardless of rehab is one less threat to society. Most of them should not be out on the street anyway. They get way too many "second chances."

Police officers get gunned down when making simple traffic stops. Lets give that job to Social Services.
Police officers get shot or stabbed on domestic calls. Give that to Social Services too.
Police officers might make a bad judgement call and shoot someone that is not a bad guy. Give him rubber bullets so he can't kill anyone.
Police officers should not use choke holds. They have been trained to use them for decades and they are used in the Judo tournaments, but we should outlaw them as they might harm someone.
Police are taught to put a violent and resisting subject on the ground and hold him down while attempting to secure/arrest him. Knees are used, but a person died (of drugs) so they should reason with him or maybe call a Social worker instead of being physical.

Some of us get just a bit impatient with those that are safe in their homes at night, that feel the need to criticize HOW the police perform their duty.

Well said. There are far too many people in TV who have blinkered views of race and police issues.