I signed up to get the monthly newsletter from the National Police Foundation. It just issued its statement on the Atlanta murder of Rayshard Brooks. Interesting to me was that it did not mention Mr. Brooks by name at all. But then look at the comment to it.
https://www.policefoundation.org/statement-on-atlanta-police-shooting-of-rayshard-brooks/?utm_source=Master+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=7390a0eb48-June_Policing_Updates&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_cc7e50d847-7390a0eb48-109382161June 16, 2020—As we struggle to process our thoughts and emotions after viewing yet another video involving a deadly police encounter, we try to understand why this happened again. Without regard to perspectives, our skin color, or whether we are wearing a uniform or not, we must agree that none of us want to see another tragic and painful loss of life and acknowledge that our communities and our country can’t afford another.
We must come together and work together for change. While there are many changes that can and should be made, such a list requires more than a statement such as this can afford, however important the statement is. Instead, we urge all involved to consider what we view as essential for effective and sustainable change:
-Let us come together and move quickly – there can be no higher priority today than stopping these tragedies
-Let us embrace science (and innovation) – we must ensure that the changes we make are sustainable and effective
-Let us not overlook the issue of race as we address reform – organizational, policy, training and other changes are important, but overlooking or failing to understand and address the different impacts experienced by black Americans and other communities of color (certainly including racism in all forms) would be a mistake and one of the most significant losses of opportunity within our lifetime.
We cannot restore the lives lost, but it is our duty and obligation to ensure that nothing is left undone or unexamined in our pursuit to end these senseless tragedies.
The Comment:
S J
JUNE 16, 2020 AT 10:19 AM
If THIS is the statement you are putting out, please say this is YOUR personal opinion. Any trained and experienced LEO can see this is a justified use of force issue here. Ifj an officer is stood over, beat, has their taser stolen then gives chase to have the suspect turn, POINT the Taser right at the officer AND SHOOT it at them, this is a justified use of force. No LEO EVER wants to take someone’s life or lose their own or even get hurt! Most are actually hoping there is life after this job. This is NOT about race. It’s a societal, criminal, demonizing the police across the board issues. Continuing to say these things in this matter, makes it appear to be an across the board admittance and play into the false narratives that across the almost 1 MILLION police officers in this country, there is an across the board racism problem. George Floyd should never happened like that at all! NO ONE ever argued that and bad cops should be punished. However, did the world not judge the situation immediately by the color of the officer’s skin and ran with it, ie true racism?? Why couldn’t he just be a horrible person, ego problem, temper problem or who knows maybe he doesn’t care for black persons, but we DON’T KNOW why it happened. No one does except that officer. Spreading false narratives that are purely emotionally driven and most of the time, lies, because actual statistics and evidence don’t support the narrative, only is putting targets on officer’s backs. Just this morning, NYPD officers are in the hospital believed to have been poisoned in their milkshakes that could have killed them! We need to be responsible here! Lives are being effected!
