I'll probably piss off some people here, but so be it. This needs to be said.
When you wear a uniform and swear an Oath to the Constitution, you're charged with upholding ALL of it, not just the parts you like. When you take someone into custody, you are thereafter responsible for their safety regardless of what may have transpired beforehand. If they resist or continue to resist detention, there are approved methods for maintaining control and gaining compliance. There is a Use of Force policy. I'm not aware of any policy anywhere in the nation that approves of stepping on someone's neck. If they're actively trying to kill you, sure. Then you do whatever you must to stay alive. Otherwise? No.
I didn't need to know anything about MPD Officer Derek Chauvin beyond the initial video to know he was WAY outside policy and accepted practices. I didn't need to see video of George Floyd being compliant with the MPD officers before he was proned out and knelt on with both knees/full weight. I didn't need to know Floyd was being arrested for a counterfeit $20 bill. I didn't need to know that MPD has a long history of racism and excessive force, so much so that even its current Chief has previously sued the department for it. I didn't need to know that Chauvin had 17 previous excessive force complaints prior to this, two of which were upheld and grounds for disciplinary action. I didn't need to know that his wife is probably relieved that this event gave her an excuse to file for divorce, which she did almost immediately.
I watched the video, and it sickened me. All I have to do is put myself on the ground in Mr. Floyd's position to understand how wrong all four of these officers were. I also knew in my heart this wasn't a first time event for them either. Maybe I’m jaded, but it didn’t even phase me to discover all this supporting information after the fact. I’m just like “Yep…”
I don’t need any “experts” to see that Chauvin is not a Good Guy, he’s a bad guy masquerading as a Good Guy. A bad guy who’s been enabled by the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis for many years. The same Federation which is helmed by an officer with a long history of documented excessive force and allegations of white supremacist activity himself. Chauvin straight up killed that man through an unsupportable and utterly excessive use of force. By what specific physical mechanism he died is of no importance. Any reasonable person can see that the officer’s unconstitutional violations precipitated George Floyd’s death. No one and especially not a highly trained, 19 year veteran police officer may kneel on someone’s neck for 8 minutes and 45 seconds and assume they’re not using lethal force. Worse yet, Chauvin continued to kneel on his neck for almost three minutes AFTER George Floyd became completely unresponsive. Worst of all, Chauvin refused to reposition his victim for medical necessity, despite being prompted to by another officer at the scene.
Officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd in cold blood, in broad daylight on a public street in middle America, with three other officers refusing to aid his victim. I don’t care who you are, that’s ****ed up. That and many other documented instances point to a systemic issue that in today’s political climate, is utterly incomprehensible.
I have been a law enforcement supporter all my life. I have sworn the Oath many times, both in military and law enforcement uniforms. All my years of experience and knowledge of way too many LEO culpable tragedies have led me to this conclusion. We have a nationwide systemic disregard for the law and the Constitution by the law enforcement community.
Agencies want to shield themselves from blame resulting in lawsuits and police unions overzealously defend bad officers, to the detriment of good officers. Good officers are forced to remain silent for fear of not just a hostile work environment, but a much greater risk of physical harm if they speak out. In more than a few cases, prosecutors are dragged into protecting the rank and file through use of overzealous prosecution as a bargaining chip against lawsuits. An aggressive officer seriously injures or kills someone who in no way deserves it? No problem, just hide the evidence, tarnish their reputation and threaten them with trumped up charges that will bankrupt if not imprison them.
Qualified Immunity has in practice become Absolute Immunity. Unless the public gets to see video evidence the police can’t control, they get away with it more often than not. It’s past time to reexamine qualified immunity laws. When departments like MPD can’t fly straight, then bring in the feds to take over while the bad apples are thrown in the garbage. If departments, officers and their unions can’t police their own ranks, then they need to be relieved of the process.
When you wear a uniform and swear an Oath to the Constitution, you're charged with upholding ALL of it, not just the parts you like. When you take someone into custody, you are thereafter responsible for their safety regardless of what may have transpired beforehand. If they resist or continue to resist detention, there are approved methods for maintaining control and gaining compliance. There is a Use of Force policy. I'm not aware of any policy anywhere in the nation that approves of stepping on someone's neck. If they're actively trying to kill you, sure. Then you do whatever you must to stay alive. Otherwise? No.
I didn't need to know anything about MPD Officer Derek Chauvin beyond the initial video to know he was WAY outside policy and accepted practices. I didn't need to see video of George Floyd being compliant with the MPD officers before he was proned out and knelt on with both knees/full weight. I didn't need to know Floyd was being arrested for a counterfeit $20 bill. I didn't need to know that MPD has a long history of racism and excessive force, so much so that even its current Chief has previously sued the department for it. I didn't need to know that Chauvin had 17 previous excessive force complaints prior to this, two of which were upheld and grounds for disciplinary action. I didn't need to know that his wife is probably relieved that this event gave her an excuse to file for divorce, which she did almost immediately.
I watched the video, and it sickened me. All I have to do is put myself on the ground in Mr. Floyd's position to understand how wrong all four of these officers were. I also knew in my heart this wasn't a first time event for them either. Maybe I’m jaded, but it didn’t even phase me to discover all this supporting information after the fact. I’m just like “Yep…”
I don’t need any “experts” to see that Chauvin is not a Good Guy, he’s a bad guy masquerading as a Good Guy. A bad guy who’s been enabled by the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis for many years. The same Federation which is helmed by an officer with a long history of documented excessive force and allegations of white supremacist activity himself. Chauvin straight up killed that man through an unsupportable and utterly excessive use of force. By what specific physical mechanism he died is of no importance. Any reasonable person can see that the officer’s unconstitutional violations precipitated George Floyd’s death. No one and especially not a highly trained, 19 year veteran police officer may kneel on someone’s neck for 8 minutes and 45 seconds and assume they’re not using lethal force. Worse yet, Chauvin continued to kneel on his neck for almost three minutes AFTER George Floyd became completely unresponsive. Worst of all, Chauvin refused to reposition his victim for medical necessity, despite being prompted to by another officer at the scene.
Officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd in cold blood, in broad daylight on a public street in middle America, with three other officers refusing to aid his victim. I don’t care who you are, that’s ****ed up. That and many other documented instances point to a systemic issue that in today’s political climate, is utterly incomprehensible.
I have been a law enforcement supporter all my life. I have sworn the Oath many times, both in military and law enforcement uniforms. All my years of experience and knowledge of way too many LEO culpable tragedies have led me to this conclusion. We have a nationwide systemic disregard for the law and the Constitution by the law enforcement community.
Agencies want to shield themselves from blame resulting in lawsuits and police unions overzealously defend bad officers, to the detriment of good officers. Good officers are forced to remain silent for fear of not just a hostile work environment, but a much greater risk of physical harm if they speak out. In more than a few cases, prosecutors are dragged into protecting the rank and file through use of overzealous prosecution as a bargaining chip against lawsuits. An aggressive officer seriously injures or kills someone who in no way deserves it? No problem, just hide the evidence, tarnish their reputation and threaten them with trumped up charges that will bankrupt if not imprison them.
Qualified Immunity has in practice become Absolute Immunity. Unless the public gets to see video evidence the police can’t control, they get away with it more often than not. It’s past time to reexamine qualified immunity laws. When departments like MPD can’t fly straight, then bring in the feds to take over while the bad apples are thrown in the garbage. If departments, officers and their unions can’t police their own ranks, then they need to be relieved of the process.
