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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFormer STL COP: "Being a cop showed me just how racist and violent the police are."
By Redditt Hudson December 6
Redditt Hudson, a former cop, works for the NAACP and chairs the board of the Ethics Project. The views expressed here are his own.
Being a cop showed me just how racist and violent the police are.
.................
I wont say all, but many of my peers were deeply racist.
One example: A couple of officers ran a Web site called St. Louis Coptalk, where officers could post about their experience and opinions. At some point during my career, it became so full of racist rants that the site administrator temporarily shut it down. Cops routinely called anyone of color a thug, whether they were the victim or just a bystander.
This attitude corrodes the way policing is done.
As a cop, it shouldnt surprise you that people will curse at you, or be disappointed by your arrival. Thats part of the job. But too many times, officers saw young black and brown men as targets. They would respond with force to even minor offenses. And because cops are rarely held accountable for their actions, they didnt think too hard about the consequences.
* * *
The problem is that cops arent held accountable for their actions, and they know it. These officers violate rights with impunity. They know theres a different criminal justice system for civilians and police.
Even when officers get caught, they know theyll be investigated by their friends, and put on paid leave. My colleagues would laughingly refer to this as a free vacation. It isnt a punishment. And excessive force is almost always deemed acceptable in our courts and among our grand juries. Prosecutors are tight with law enforcement, and share the same values and ideas.
............
the rest:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/12/06/i-was-a-st-louis-cop-my-peers-were-racist-and-violent-and-theres-only-one-fix/
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)I couldn't take it and left a job partly because of it.
Not just a racist lean but also hatred and disdain for anyone who wouldn't worship (read compy) with whatever bullshit was being asked of them.
There was, for example, a status code casually used to apply to students who shall not be returning after a suspension.
"DNR". Charming, isn't it? They said it stood for "do not readmit" but they know better than that, really.
The police thing is worse but taken together we see that authority figures in our society are seriously fucking up.
Leopolds Ghost
(12,875 posts)Hi NYC SKP. I tried to post in DU2 but my post "could not be found" even though it was right there. Does it appear for you? I miss No Elephants...
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Good to see you, L.G.
I was at DU2 yesterday and had similar problems, I can post but I can't reply to anything.
I fear that they don't maintain the site at all, not at all.
You might ask skinner in the ATA group and get an answer in about a week unless you get lucky and catch him the same day he checks and replies.
Holidays are busy for everyone.
I miss everyone! Take care!
Leopolds Ghost
(12,875 posts)NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Leopolds Ghost
(12,875 posts)Yay!
Does DU3 have a new archive mechanism for displaying DU2 posts? Maybe it only shows posts from before 2012.
Pic saved. Aaand... I am out of pony picture ideas.