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Monday, December 08, 2014

Being A Cop Showed Me Just How Racist And Violent The Police Are. There’s Only One Fix.

As a kid, I got used to being stopped by the police. I grew up in an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis. It was the kind of place where officers routinely roughed up my friends and family for no good reason.

I hated the way cops treated me.

But I knew police weren’t all bad. One of my father’s closest friends was a cop. He became a mentor to me and encouraged me to join the force. He told me that I could use the police’s power and resources to help my community.

So in 1994, I joined the St. Louis Police Department. I quickly realized how naive I’d been. I was floored by the dysfunctional culture I encountered.

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7 comments:

Gerald, retired Detroit cop said...

As a retired cop in one of America's worst crime ridden cities, I witnessed first hand the senseless violence, and total disregard for human life, and the law. After 25 years of patrolling this sewer, you have seen it all, and it will turn your gut.
Dealing with the sewer rats, and a very few good people you become jaded and hard, it is a defense mechanism to live day in and day out with the shear senselessness of their actions. There is a certain element in society that absolutely refuses to follow the law or aseminate into the community standards as a productive citizen. This element turned out to be the 90% black community I was forced to police. Almost all of my interactions with the members of this community were bad, and they acted like animals, so when exposed to them and the few good ones, what conclusion are you going to draw? If all of your experiences are negative, then you believe then that they are all bad. Then you read or watch the news, and these beliefs are reenforced daily. So, you are called a racist for following your gut, your instincts, and your past experiences.

JoeAlbero said...

Gerald, We're all so glad your off the streets and no longer a part of the problem in America.

Racist Cops need to step down.

Anonymous said...

Yea but he also touched on an important issue.

"Then you read or watch the news, and these beliefs are reinforced daily."

The media actually helps to perpetuate the sterotype

Anonymous said...

The Media is most definitely not helping the situation. In the Ferguson and NYC protests, all that was shown was the riots and looting. What needs to be understood by all is that the people that are rioting and looting don't give a damn about either case...they are opportunistic idiots that have no other goal than to steal and destroy . What the media didn't show was all of the meaningful and peaceful demonstrations that were going on at the same time. If all you see is dirt, that you think everything is dirty and that is not the case. I am so sick of the media attempting to divide us with misrepresentation of what is really going on. Police are not the military, but they have been trained as such. If you have the ability to take another life legally, there should be additional psychological training to also learn how to deescalate a situation.

Anonymous said...

Hard to fault a cop that has actually had to deal with the "Animals", and has first hand experience in just how they really act. Our opinions are formed by our life experiences. If for the first few times a dog bite you, then next time you see one you are going to be specious of it, and ready to defend yourself against an attack. It is called "self preservation". Officers have to deal with the scum of society, if every time they interact with a certain race is negative, what do you expect?
Before condemning Cops, walk in their shoes for a while.

Anonymous said...

1:51 AMEN!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for your service, Gerald. I doubt anybody on this site has the remotest idea what you have dealt with in your career. Enjoy your retirement.