Driving while black

[cole256 17,083]

If you think that's what's started this "movement" no wonder you don't understand. This is on video, the man shot in the back, the other guy shot in his head sitting in his car. Don't be so naive to think people are ok with that because some of you say nothing happened in Ferguson.

Personally my experiences with being constantly harassed by some police started years before the Ferguson incident took place. Black lives matter is a culmination of different events not just one incident that you want to debunk and say it doesn't happen.

[Weegle777 78]

I'm not saying that there are no bad cops, I am saying that the entire responsibility doesn't rest on them.

[cole256 17,083]

Responsibility as far as what?

[cptau 169]

The Dayton police claim this Stop was part of an OVI reduction effort.

http://www.fox45now.com/news/top-stories/stories/Dayton-Police-Mediation-to-Help-Resolve-39-Eye-Contact-39-Traffic-Stop-192122.shtml

DAYTON -- Police officials say they are using mediation to help work through the issue of a contentious traffic stop that was recorded on cellphone video.

A statement from the city of Dayton said a Dayton police officer, who they didn't identify, pulled John Felton of Michigan over Aug. 15, 2015, for failing to signaling within 100 feet of a turn.

"During the stop the Officer additionally acknowledged that Mr. Felton made sustained direct eye contact prior to being stopped," the city's statement reads. "The traffic infraction was verified by the video; however making direct eye contact with an officer is not a basis for a traffic stop."

Dayton police have been in contact with Felton since the video went viral and they say Felton has agreed to a conversation with the officer, facilitated by the Dayton Mediation Center.

In its statement, the city indicated the officer was acting as part of a three-day traffic enforcement effort to reduce OVI-related fatalities and injuries.

[TitanTiger 20,482]

LEO are at an all time high when it comes to a heightened sense of alert and stress because of what has been happening with the cop killings and violence. Who are the ones calling for violence against cops? You blame cops for being overly cautious and more inclined to pull over a certain race, but what you should be doing is telling these idiots who are calling for this violence and making it hard for the rest, to shut their mouths and stop this madness.

The two are not related. If this guy had given any actual indication that he was up to violence, you might have a point. But pulling someone over for looking at you too long isn't from "being overly cautious" due to cop killings.

They aren't related? If I pass you and stare at you in the eyes for an extended period of time without saying anything or nodding, or waving, you would not perceive that as somewhat hostile?

Even if you did, it's not an offense worth stopping someone over.

[alexava 6,973]

Regardless of why he was pulled over, and you can be pulled over anytime because you can't prove you signaled soon enough or didn't swerve(like i didn't). the real problems come from the stop and what happens during the interaction. this is being blown out of proportion FOR NO REASON. the cop was not an a**hole, the driver was not either and no citation was given. people are usually not mistreated or killed until they start trying to argue, run, or resist. almost all of the shootings were people with lengthy rap sheets and warrants trying to flee or fight. being an ass to a cop, especially when he is being respectful will not help. the cop had suspicion, checked it out and sent him on without a fine and was not disrespectful or condescending to the man. the only flaw i saw was telling him that the eye contact lead to the suspicion.

[cole256 17,083]

So it doesn't matter if you keep getting harassed, sit back and take it, be sure to smile and if you have a rap sheet sorry buddy but your life doesn't matter...and fleeing is the same threat as trying to fight

[alexava 6,973]

So it doesn't matter if you keep getting harassed, sit back and take it, be sure to smile and if you have a rap sheet sorry buddy but your life doesn't matter...and fleeing is the same threat as trying to fight

cole, i did not see harassment in this video. i saw a traffic stop that resulted in the driver getting a meaningless piece of paper. and we know ALL LIVES MATTER, lol. a rap sheet is an indication of a troubled person. that is why we keep records, yes you will be judged on what you have done in the past. these folks who have been arrested dozens of times did not just quit committing crimes. they usually don't know what case might have been put on them but they know what they did, so they run, fight or resist. those are the ones in the news getting dead.

[Texan4Auburn 1,626]

Because unless the cop just comes out and says he pulled you over because you're black, it isn't true.

I think it's indicative of the sorts of silly standards black people live under when it comes to police that just don't happen to white people.

Cops look for single males who are driving in cars w/ out of state plates. That's a given, regardless of skin color / race. He came right out and said he followed him because he looked at him, but won't do the same w/ regards to his race ? Again, that's creative interpretation as to what really was in the mind of the cop.

hearsay

[AUFAN78 3,906]

The Dayton police claim this Stop was part of an OVI reduction effort.

http://www.fox45now....op-192122.shtml

DAYTON -- Police officials say they are using mediation to help work through the issue of a contentious traffic stop that was recorded on cellphone video.

A statement from the city of Dayton said a Dayton police officer, who they didn't identify, pulled John Felton of Michigan over Aug. 15, 2015, for failing to signaling within 100 feet of a turn.

"During the stop the Officer additionally acknowledged that Mr. Felton made sustained direct eye contact prior to being stopped," the city's statement reads. "The traffic infraction was verified by the video; however making direct eye contact with an officer is not a basis for a traffic stop."

Dayton police have been in contact with Felton since the video went viral and they say Felton has agreed to a conversation with the officer, facilitated by the Dayton Mediation Center.

In its statement, the city indicated the officer was acting as part of a three-day traffic enforcement effort to reduce OVI-related fatalities and injuries.

Like I asked earlier, before drawing conclusions, why is this happening in the city? Now we know.

[JoeBags7277 734]

You're still making excuses for something you know is bull****.

He didn't swerve. And the cop is changing his story. First it was over a turn signal. Then it became "you looked at me for too long." The cop is lying. And this is not something that normally happens to white people.

the cop should have stuck with his original lie. No harm no foul. The next stop on suspicion might have a child sex slave tied up in the trunk. It does happen to white people who look suspicious.

Plenty of foul. I have a serious problem with the police lying when their mere word is generally considered the equivalent of infallible in court. The next stop on suspicion might have a child sex slave tied up in the trunk, or it might not. His next two hundred stops on suspicion may yield nothing before he gets to liberate the child sex slave, or he may never (my money is on never). The endless possibilities of what could possibly be in a space the size of a trunk are not justification for arbitrary police intrusion. That is the logic behind a police state, not a free one.

[JoeBags7277 734]

The one area where you guys and most people absolutely fail with these threads where you, having never left your homes and families wondering if today will be the day that some thug idiot with an agenda will take your family's breadwinner away, is that you forget that these men and women are HUMAN BEINGS, that have every bit the capacity to mess up, do things wrong, have a bad day and treat someone badly, say the wrong thing, pass judgment too quickly, and behave in a bad manner just like YOU do, and you want to come home from your mundane, safe little 9-5 office job in your khakis and buttondown, driving your little car, and want to act like you know better than these guys on how to do their job while you peck away on your Macbook?

JUST STOP POSTING THESE IDIOTIC THREADS VILIFYING THE VERY PEOPLE WHO ALLOW YOU TO LIVE YOUR SAFE LITTLE LIVES BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE STONES TO DO WHAT THEY DO.

You guys don't have a clue what it's like to do what they do.

One cophugger nostrum that really needs to go away in order to save lives is the "just trying to make it to the end of their shift/ never know if I'll see muh wife agin/ do what I have to do to make it home" tripe. It is actively placing the lives of police officer and citizen alike in greater danger by making cops behave more on edge in spite of the fact that statistically it has NEVER BEEN SAFER to be a cop. Garbagemen, commercial fishermen, construction workers, extraction workers, truck drivers; each of these occupations are more dangerous and suffer from a higher number of injuries and deaths on the job than police officers, and that's without even taking into account that more cops die on the job due to heart attacks or car wrecks than from murder. None of those occupations have colored lines in their honor, none of them are unquestioningly held up as heroes by the "anti-cop"media, and none of them are allowed to cut corners nor are their on the job mistakes rubber stamped in their favor because they have tough jobs.

[JoeBags7277 734]

Since we are in the personal question mood, how many people in this thread have been harassed by the local constabulary on a consistent basis without doing anything wrong? How many have been arrested? How many have been wrongly arrested and held multiple days in jail without the ability to post bond?

boom

I've got a few personal questions of my own, if we're gonna go that route.

[cole256 17,083]

Since we are in the personal question mood, how many people in this thread have been harassed by the local constabulary on a consistent basis without doing anything wrong? How many have been arrested? How many have been wrongly arrested and held multiple days in jail without the ability to post bond?

boom

I have to all except I was held for hours instead of days. I've NEVER experimented with drugs, I don't drink, broke any laws (minus minor traffic citations), grew up in the middle of the hood kept my nose clean. Went to college, graduated, started a professional career, come back to home spoke at the freshman school, started tutor sessions at church, mentor at boys and girls club, did everything right as far as what many say is wrong with black people and when I try to talk about my experiences and things I've seen?? I'm looked at no different than an ex con who says he was treated unfairly. It really doesn't matter how you do it when you try to shed light on these particular subjects there's an agenda and people are going to roll their eyes and not care. As long as their families and friends are doing well who cares. Don't shake the boat.

People really do feel like if you don't talk about it it won't exist...

[alexava 6,973]

Since we are in the personal question mood, how many people in this thread have been harassed by the local constabulary on a consistent basis without doing anything wrong? How many have been arrested? How many have been wrongly arrested and held multiple days in jail without the ability to post bond?

boom

I have to all except I was held for hours instead of days. I've NEVER experimented with drugs, I don't drink, broke any laws (minus minor traffic citations), grew up in the middle of the hood kept my nose clean. Went to college, graduated, started a professional career, come back to home spoke at the freshman school, started tutor sessions at church, mentor at boys and girls club, did everything right as far as what many say is wrong with black people and when I try to talk about my experiences and things I've seen?? I'm looked at no different than an ex con who says he was treated unfairly. It really doesn't matter how you do it when you try to shed light on these particular subjects there's an agenda and people are going to roll their eyes and not care. As long as their families and friends are doing well who cares. Don't shake the boat.

People really do feel like if you don't talk about it it won't exist...

it exists. i hate you experienced what you did. THIS VIDEO in this thread was not an issue of any kind unless the driver made it an issue. he made something out of nothing. that is a fact.

[Weegle777 78]

The one area where you guys and most people absolutely fail with these threads where you, having never left your homes and families wondering if today will be the day that some thug idiot with an agenda will take your family's breadwinner away, is that you forget that these men and women are HUMAN BEINGS, that have every bit the capacity to mess up, do things wrong, have a bad day and treat someone badly, say the wrong thing, pass judgment too quickly, and behave in a bad manner just like YOU do, and you want to come home from your mundane, safe little 9-5 office job in your khakis and buttondown, driving your little car, and want to act like you know better than these guys on how to do their job while you peck away on your Macbook?

JUST STOP POSTING THESE IDIOTIC THREADS VILIFYING THE VERY PEOPLE WHO ALLOW YOU TO LIVE YOUR SAFE LITTLE LIVES BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE STONES TO DO WHAT THEY DO.

You guys don't have a clue what it's like to do what they do.

One cophugger nostrum that really needs to go away in order to save lives is the "just trying to make it to the end of their shift/ never know if I'll see muh wife agin/ do what I have to do to make it home" tripe. It is actively placing the lives of police officer and citizen alike in greater danger by making cops behave more on edge in spite of the fact that statistically it has NEVER BEEN SAFER to be a cop. Garbagemen, commercial fishermen, construction workers, extraction workers, truck drivers; each of these occupations are more dangerous and suffer from a higher number of injuries and deaths on the job than police officers, and that's without even taking into account that more cops die on the job due to heart attacks or car wrecks than from murder. None of those occupations have colored lines in their honor, none of them are unquestioningly held up as heroes by the "anti-cop"media, and none of them are allowed to cut corners nor are their on the job mistakes rubber stamped in their favor because they have tough jobs.

Are you a LEO?

[cptau 169]

Closer to home, an effort to communicate.

http://www.gallatinn...rship-cms-14492

The local NAACP hosted a community forum last Sunday evening to discuss "bridging the gap between the community and the police."

Those who expected verbal fireworks and intense testimony from citizens who had experienced unfair, discriminatory or even brutal treatment from local police were sorely disappointed.

The community forum is designed to be preventive, says event organizer Charles Brinkley of the Sumner County (Gallatin) branch of the NAACP.

"We don't want what happened in Ferguson to happen here," he asserts.

Brinkley acknowledges that although the first forum, held last summer, was a reaction to the events in Ferguson, Missouri, relations between the African-American community in Gallatin and the police department are "good, not great, but better than most (communities.)"

While it is trendy and politically correct to assume, fear and predict that almost any community in America is a racial time-bomb just waiting to explode, the demographics of Ferguson and Gallatin couldn't be more different: Ferguson has a population of 21,000, with 67% of the residents African-American. Gallatin has 31,000 people and blacks comprise 14% of the population.

Added into the mix is the fact that at the time of the Ferguson shooting of an unarmed black teen by a white police officer (later cleared of the crime), only three of the 50 police officers in the predominately black city were African-American.

By contrast, Gallatin has 70 police officers and three are black; still not representative of the population as a whole, but certainly not as skewed as Ferguson.

In a question and answer session at Sunday's forum, the majority of the queries concerned how parents should instruct their children to interact with police officers, a general concern that police did not "mingle" in the communities they serve, and that residents in predominately African-American parts of town were often stopped for minor infractions such as broken tail-lights.

Gallatin Chief of Police Don Bandy says the GPD has "mingled" at no less than 85 community events throughout the city, to date this year. Some of those events included the Obama Park dedication, West Eastland Church of Christ, where police donated 100 backpacks filled with school supplies to needy kids; K-9 demonstrations, seminars on "How Not to Be a Victim," to senior citizens groups, Career Day at Vena Stuart Elementary, anti-bullying discussions in the schools and countless others events designed to educate, inform and acquaint the community with the police.

Complaints that the police "stop my kid and ask where he is going," would be laughable if they did not demonstrate so accurately how some members of the community are all too eager to lapse into a 'victim mentality' rather than one of cooperation, compliance and personal responsibility.

"Sure, we ask kids all over the city if they are out late what they are doing," says Bandy. "Juvenile crime is up in Gallatin. We have a serious heroin problem, and we have 220 identified gang members on our streets," a statistic Charles Brinkley rightly finds "shocking."

On the other side of the coin, a recent frivolous case was brought in juvenile court: a teen was arrested for wearing a blue shirt, a known "gang color." The case was dismissed, but not before taxpayer dollars were wasted on a court-appointed attorney, prosecutors and all ancillary personnel involved in the criminal justice system.

These silly prosecutions are few and far between.

The reality is that police are being asked to not only keep an entire city safe from truly dangerous criminals, but to act as a substitute for solid parenting.

That parents have the temerity to ask what to tell their children if they are stopped by the police, boggles the minds of those of us raised in the middle of the last century. In the 'old days' a teen's access to a vehicle came with a lengthy parental lecture on how "getting a traffic ticket will result in your car keys being taken away." If you were stopped by a police officer parents told you that you were to sit there in frozen horror with your hands on the steering wheel and your mouth shut, unless you were answering questions put to you by the officer, and in that event, you were supposed to end every answer with "Sir."

Yes, times have changed. But Bandy said that recently a parent called 911 to ask for help because her six-year-old refused to go to school: police are not the parents, nor should they be.

"We know parents work, and work long hours. But you have to be involved every day in your child's life. Talk to them," says Bandy.

Bandy feels so strongly that family life is the basis of a responsible society that his officers have gone to eight-hour shifts instead of 12-hour shifts.

"If an officer is happy at home, he is happy at work, and vice-versa," he adds.

As for spending time in the neighborhoods police officers serve, bike patrol is one way officers across the country are becoming more visible, more approachable and in many cases doing better police work, such as chasing suspects in areas inaccessible by vehicle. Gallatin PD has two to three officers on bikes each shift, and plans to increase that number.

Brinkley says, "The door is open to us when we go to complain about something, but sometimes we don't see results. We have to work together. We don't want anyone to be afraid of the police. There are going to be misunderstandings. There is some 'attitude' sometimes on both sides. We have to have good communication that goes both ways."

Panelists at the Sunday forum included Sumner County Sheriff Sonny Weatherford as well as District Attorney General Ray Whitley, attorney Jim Hawkins, county executive Anthony Holt, County Service Officer of Veterans Affairs Darryl D. Eubanks and Gallatin Mayor Paige Brown.

There is work to be done in Gallatin and in the county in terms of increasing the hiring of qualified minorities. The hiring of Eubanks, an African-American, by the county is a significant step. Currently only 4.77% of city employees are African-American.

For progress to be made in any endeavor willingness, openness, and communication are essential. A large dose of honesty about shortcomings and the need for improvement doesn't hurt either.

The "gap" between the police and the minority citizens of Gallatin is not impossibly wide, and it is getting narrower every day.

Gallatin is not Ferguson, and likely never will be. The demographics are different and potential problems are being thoughtfully addressed on all sides.

Leadership is key, and evident at Sunday night's forum was the earnest desire by Mayor Paige Brown, the police chief and other officials to listen, to thoughtfully consider, and to work to make changes where changes are truly needed.

These public servants are working hard for the community's confidence.

Let us all do our part.

Donna Hartley is a retired newspaper reporter and editor, and currently is a mediator and writer, and publisher of The Old Sumner Times Record.

http://www.gallatinnews.com/sumner-county-naacp-hosts-forum-cms-14491

The Sumner County NAACP held a forum with community leaders Sunday night at First Baptist Church on East Winchester Street in Gallatin.

About 50 people attended the event, which was entitled, "Bridging the Gap."

In opening remarks, NAACP President Beverly Staten said, "Many things have happened across the nation that we don't want to happen in Sumner County."

Staten was referring to events which have taken place in sites such as Ferguson, Mo., Baltimore and New York City in which black people were killed at the hands of law enforcement authorities.

"If we could be on the same page in the type of relationship that would move Gallatin forward, what a wonderful world that would be," said organizer Charles Brinkley.

The format was a panel discussion which included County Executive Anthony Holt, Sheriff Sonny Weatherford, District Attorney General Ray Whitley, Gallatin Police Chief Don Bandy and Gallatin Mayor Paige Brown.

Panelists described their jobs and the members of the audience submitted questions, which ranged from programs available to young people to voting rights, and from how to handle a traffic stop by police to how bonds are set for those who are arrested and programs for those who are released from jail.

Both Weatherford and Bandy said they have an open-door policy for handling complaints.

"Please call my office and leave me a message," Bandy said. "If I'm not there, then first thing in the morning, I'll call you back and we'll bring you up and watch the video or listen to the audio. Call and talk to a supervisor. Please don't argue with us on the side of the road. You may be right, but please take the time to come see us the next day and we'll sit there and talk about it."

"The way we deal with a complaint is we investigate it quickly," Weatherford said. "We're under Civil Service, so we're required to do things in steps to be fair to the officer and to be fair to the citizen. We have steps...and if the officer is found at fault, we deal with him or her quickly and fairly."

Bandy said the police department has recently added body cameras to their equipment to further the information about an incident for the protection of both the police and the citizen.

The Sheriff's office has not yet gone that far, but Weatherford said his department does use audio recorders for the same purpose.

"Any time that you make contact with the Sheriff's Office - we've probably done this for about 15 years - you are probably being recorded," Weatherford said.

Bandy said the department has had community meetings and tries to attend community events.

Whitley, meanwhile, was asked about how bond amounts are determined after a person is arrested.

"There are certain factors that have to be determined by the judicial commissioners and the judge - they are the one that make that decision," he said. "The criteria - just off the top of my head - are the seriousness of the offense, the person's criminal record, the evidence and strength of the case, where the person lives (whether or not they are likely to appear in court or is a flight risk)...ties to the community and family ties, (and) whether or not a person has a job. They are all factors."

Near the end of the nearly three-hour forum, Sumner County resident Franklin Harper said he was not satisfied with the way the forum was going.

"The topic was how to bridge the gap between the police and the community, and I have heard very little from the police to inform us as citizens as to what they are doing to bridge this gap," he said. "These officers are going out here and racial profiling, doing unwarranted searches and stuff. That's what this meeting should be about."

Harper talked about a specific case in which a black man was pulled over for having a tail-light out on his vehicle.

"On the north side, there's a great fear among young black males," he said. "A fear of the police officers. A great fear...and there is a lot of hate, and that bothers me because when there is a lot of hate there is going to be something that doesn't happen right.

"It appears to me and the citizens of the north side when the trainers (let them) out of school, they send them to the north side for training. They're unprofessional. They say, 'Where are you going?' Well, it's none of your business. It's not your job to see where I'm going if I'm not breaking the law. They don't have the manners that law enforcement should have. They should be our friends...but the young black males don't see them as friends because of the way they are treated. It's profiling."

Brown had a different perspective on the situation.

"When somebody says, 'What are you doing?' or 'Where are you going?'...that's been a discussion that (Bandy) and I have had numerous times," she said. "Get your police officers out of the car and let them interact with the public. Have these conversations. Get them to get to know one another. Don't just drive by and stare - get out and talk to them. Build a relationship and they're not going to have that fear. Hopefully they will have respect and a great relationship with them and they'll be partners in our community.

"That is the goal of this," she continued. "We want our police department and our citizens to be partners so we have a fabulous, safe, respectful community where people have the participation to buy in to what is going on, and I know that not everybody does, but we're trying to get there. I think we're starting to get closer - I think we have already gotten closer."

The NAACP said they plan to hold another forum next year.

[TitanTiger 20,482]

The one area where you guys and most people absolutely fail with these threads where you, having never left your homes and families wondering if today will be the day that some thug idiot with an agenda will take your family's breadwinner away, is that you forget that these men and women are HUMAN BEINGS, that have every bit the capacity to mess up, do things wrong, have a bad day and treat someone badly, say the wrong thing, pass judgment too quickly, and behave in a bad manner just like YOU do, and you want to come home from your mundane, safe little 9-5 office job in your khakis and buttondown, driving your little car, and want to act like you know better than these guys on how to do their job while you peck away on your Macbook?

JUST STOP POSTING THESE IDIOTIC THREADS VILIFYING THE VERY PEOPLE WHO ALLOW YOU TO LIVE YOUR SAFE LITTLE LIVES BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE STONES TO DO WHAT THEY DO.

You guys don't have a clue what it's like to do what they do.

One cophugger nostrum that really needs to go away in order to save lives is the "just trying to make it to the end of their shift/ never know if I'll see muh wife agin/ do what I have to do to make it home" tripe. It is actively placing the lives of police officer and citizen alike in greater danger by making cops behave more on edge in spite of the fact that statistically it has NEVER BEEN SAFER to be a cop. Garbagemen, commercial fishermen, construction workers, extraction workers, truck drivers; each of these occupations are more dangerous and suffer from a higher number of injuries and deaths on the job than police officers, and that's without even taking into account that more cops die on the job due to heart attacks or car wrecks than from murder. None of those occupations have colored lines in their honor, none of them are unquestioningly held up as heroes by the "anti-cop"media, and none of them are allowed to cut corners nor are their on the job mistakes rubber stamped in their favor because they have tough jobs.

Are you a LEO?

Not a requirement.

[tgr4lfe 220]

Well then you should also understand how that can be aggravating, especially if this is the third or fourth time but then there's the chance of getting shot because you are "angry" and a threat. You're a threat when you were minding your own business. But that's part of the game. It's a crap shoot you don't have control of, better just hope it's a good cop that pulls you over and hope for the best. Don't show any emotion, don't ask questions, do or don't make eye contact because either way you're screwed, give up your dignity, and you get to live another day to probably go through it again (if it's a bad cop)

Hell, a police officer isn't safe putting gas in his police cruiser!! You realize the VERY, VERY, VERY small percentage of deaths from arrest?? According to FBI stats, 461 died during arrest or while in custody in 2013. Now 9,014,635 were arrested in 2013. So, 0.00005114 or 0.005114 % of ALL arrests resulted in a death. I would bet a lot of those are while affecting an arrest or while suspect is actively resisting, and Federal or state LE agency rules it justifiable. In comparison, there were 49,851 LEOs killed or assaulted in 2013, total LEO population of 533,895 officers, or 9.3% of LEOs.

Yes, I know there are times when a death is not justifiable and flat out murder, i.e. the SC case, but the vast majority are justified. Just don't make it out like there is some raging epidemic happening when there is not. Bottom line is, ALL people, LEOs and citizens need to act right. More and better training is needed in LE, they do a lot, but so much more is needed. All the training can definitely help with an officers response, but it can never simulate what the real deal is like. The stress and fear of real life scenarios can't be adequately simulated, but the training can help officers learn tactics and techniques to possibly better handle the situation.

People need to do the right thing, if you're not involved in criminal activity then you won't have any worries, if you break a traffic law then own up to it and let the officer write it or not, arguing on the side of the road, no matter how right you might be, is not worth it. IF, big if, you are falsely arrested, you will have an opportunity for recourse.

I know there have been and probably are LEOs, even black ones, who racially profile, even in the backwoods, where the common meth head is not black. When I policed, if it was 2 or 3 am and a car of white kids, I'd look for a traffic violation to stop them, i judged on time and location as much as anything. I think most officers do the same, they KNOW the crime trends in their areas, they KNOW the criminals in their areas, they KNOW the drug dealers, the burglars, the sex offenders, and they watch for them too. I don't believe any officer starts off his/her shift out looking to hurt or kill anyone.

The biggest problem needs to be how to address the violence in America's poorest communities. LEAs are grossly under funded and even more understaffed than ever. I think a lot of this translates to the thread about Carson's article about poverty and education. There is significant link b/t those things and crime, and not just in the poor black communities. There is a cataclysm of many factors that leads to unnecessary and unwanted violence everywhere.

[cole256 17,083]

That's the thing though, you can't even TALK about a policeman doing anything wrong without all this. Cop kill a guy you speak on it it's let's get rid of the policeman!! You were a policeman so of course you're going to take up for them no matter what. I grew up in the rough part of my area and I was constantly harassed so I'm going to speak on it. I'm careful to say bad cops when I'm talking about policemen so you don't have to tell me not to make anything out of anything.

Some of you need to understand when talking about a bad cop that you don't have to run in and try to save the day. I haven't seen ONE person on here say anything bad about a policeman who does thing the right way

[Weegle777 78]

This political forum has taken a turn that has made it worse than it was. You know who you are. Censoring posts while leaving your snark, what a joke.

[alexava 6,973]

That's the thing though, you can't even TALK about a policeman doing anything wrong without all this. Cop kill a guy you speak on it it's let's get rid of the policeman!! You were a policeman so of course you're going to take up for them no matter what. I grew up in the rough part of my area and I was constantly harassed so I'm going to speak on it. I'm careful to say bad cops when I'm talking about policemen so you don't have to tell me not to make anything out of anything.

Some of you need to understand when talking about a bad cop that you don't have to run in and try to save the day. I haven't seen ONE person on here say anything bad about a policeman who does thing the right way

do you know any good cops? Have cop friends? I know several good ones and some a**holes.

[cole256 17,083]

Have one friend from the past that became one, and he was a good dude. But I'm scared of what he may become because he was picked on alot growing up...

Another guy wasn't my friend but I had a class with him and he was the biggest a hole you'd ever meet. Have a couple of firemen friends but I don't know if that counts

[AUFAN78 3,906]

This political forum has taken a turn that has made it worse than it was. You know who you are. Censoring posts while leaving your snark, what a joke.

What? Has Hillary made a donation to the forum?

[alexava 6,973]

Have one friend from the past that became one, and he was a good dude. But I'm scared of what he may become because he was picked on alot growing up...

Another guy wasn't my friend but I had a class with him and he was the biggest a hole you'd ever meet. Have a couple of firemen friends but I don't know if that counts

those are absolutely the worst ones.