HELP WANTED: POLICE

With the way things are going in today’s society do you think anyone who is aware of current events would fill that application out?

I worked as a sworn officer for 35 years. Until recently I encouraged young people to follow that career path. I felt it was a good, honorable and fulfilling profession offering many varied and exciting paths.

I would not wish this job on my worst enemy now. I am angry that celebrities, the media and many politicians are distorting the actions of the brave men and women who have chosen to serve and protect their communities even when that choice puts them in harms way.

When I applied for the job I understood that as long as I acted within the law I would be protected by that same law. I do not see that occurring anymore.

I will name a few recent instances in which, I believe, officers have been forced to use deadly force and the press and some politicians have turned against them. Heck, even celebrities speak out against the police!

On June 12, 2020 two Atlanta Police Officers were called to a Wendy’s drive thru reference a man sleeping in a car there blocking other patron’s access. The first officer, Devin Brosnan, wakes the subject (Raushard Brooks) twice and allows him to pull the car to a parking place. Brosnan calls for a DUI certified officer after smelling alcohol and Officer Garrett Rolfe responds to the scene. Both officers are cordial and respectful with Brooks and he is the same with them for most of the encounter. Reports I have seen stress that Brooks was respectful and do not mention the officers behavior unless quoting the now former officer’s attorneys.

As one of the videos I viewed showed, over 40 minutes into the contact Officer Rolfe attempts to place Mr. Brooks under arrest. At that point Brooks is no longer pleasant or compliant. He resists the lawful arrest. After a struggle Brosnan pulls out his taser in an attempt to bring Mr. Brooks under control but Brooks takes the taser from him and runs. Brooks turns and fires the taser at Brosnan who falls and hits his head on the pavement in an attempt to avoid being tased. According to his lawyer Brosnan was treated for injuries received and it was determined that he had suffered a concussion and had burns from the taser and other injuries (WSBTV Atlanta Newstaff report).

According to Rolfe’s attorney, Brooks became violent when Rolfe was attempting to handcuff him after telling him he was under arrest for DUI. He continued that despite the violent resistance Rolfe and Brosnan attempted to handcuff Brooks using the least amount of force necessary. Rolfe’s attorney listed additional charges Brooks was committing by resisting such as felony robbery (taking the taser) and felony obstruction of a police officer (the violent resisting). The lawyer’s statement goes on to advise that Rolfe pursued Mr. Brooks and attempted to tase him, using less than lethal force in another attempt to complete the arrest. His statement adds that instead of continuing his escape Brooks turned and fired at Rolfe, who saw the flash and thought his life was endangered. At that point Rolfe drew his handgun and fired at Brooks striking him in the back.

According to the same report from WSA TV Atlanta Paul Howard, the District Attorney at the time of the incident, said, “Brooks never presented a threat. Even though Brooks was ‘slightly impaired’ (The video shows that Brooks was not oriented to location- he named three cities he thought he was in-all incorrect. He said he was driven to the Wendy’s and denied driving a car even though Officer Brosnan came upon him as the only occupant of his rental car sleeping in the driver’s seat) his demeanor during the event was almost jovial.” Howard went on to say, “For 41 minutes and 17 seconds he followed every instruction, he answered the questions. Mr. Brooks never displayed any aggressive behavior during the 41 minutes and 17 seconds.” 

I would think that a District Attorney would know that resisting arrest and firing a taser at police officers is considered aggressive behavior.

Brosnan was charged with aggravated assault and 2 other charges. Rolfe, has been charged with 11 counts including felony murder.

This, to me, does not sound like the officers enjoyed the benefit of a fair and impartial investigation. I got the impression they were treated worse because they were police officers.

Stay tuned, there’s more.

On March 29,2021 Chicago Police were dispatched to a complaint of shots fired. One of the first officers on the scene, Eric Stillman, observed two subjects in the area where it was reported that the shots had been fired. He saw that one was holding a gun. 

Both subjects fled. Stillman chased the one he knew was armed. After a foot pursuit the person Stillman was chasing stopped near an opening in a fence. Stillman who, at this point was in a vulnerable position in the middle of an alley with no cover, yelled to the person to drop the gun. The offender did not comply. He yelled at least one more time. The gun was still in view in the subject’s right hand. The person then made a fast movement that blocked his hand from Stillman’s view. The person was turning and bringing his hands up. Stillman shot him. He was not able to see the hand that had held the gun and thought the offender was preparing to shoot him. It was then discovered that in that fraction of a second the 13 year-old boy, Adam Toledo, had thrown the gun behind a fence and was bringing his hands up.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said, “There is no evidence Adam Toledo fired the gun at police officers.” I guess it’s not enough that he was in the area where there were reports of shots fired, he was holding a gun, he ran instead of speaking with police, he did not drop the gun when ordered to do so. Somehow, in a dimly lit alley, the police officer should have been able to assess his age, his degree of culpability and his intent. The officer should disregard the fact that he was responding to a shots fired call and this person had a gun. It was unknown, at the time, if there was a murder victim in the area. It was unknown if there were others with guns in the area. The only thing known was that there were reports of shots being fired and this person had a gun. Oh, and that he had not fired it at the officer- yet.

A question I have for Mayor Lightfoot and all of the media that is stressing that Toledo is 13 years old is, would officer Stillman be less dead if the gun yielding 13 year-old had shot him than if Toledo’s associate, a much older man, had? Is a gun less deadly because it is in the hands of a 13 year-old? From my experience there is no evidence that that is the case.

Just a suggestion but if Mayor Lightfoot is serious about lowering the crime rate, particularly murders, in Chicago she might try supporting the police who are chasing gun wielding juveniles down dark alleys while those who will judge them are sleeping in their warm beds. 

How about this one?

On April 21, 2021 Columbus Ohio Police were dispatched to a complaint of a knife attack. The first responding officer’s body camera shows that within seconds of his arrival Officer Nicholas Reardon is faced with a deadly force situation. He sees a female juvenile (16 yoa) who is attempting to stab another female.

Reardon’s body camera shows he arrives, runs towards a group in a residential driveway and asks what is going on? As he is starting his investigation Ma’khia Bryant runs towards a girl and knocks her down near where Reardon is standing. Ms. Bryant then goes after another girl dressed in pink. Bryant is seen brandishing a knife and Reardon is heard repeating an order for her to get down. Bryant raises the knife towards the girl in the pink and Reardon shoots Bryant. It is obvious to me, and most, from the video that Officer Reardon saved that girl’s life.

The story is covered on CNN and their reporter says, “Police say…” and “What appears to be a knife” Another CNN reporter declares, “It all happened in seconds. A police officer opens fire. Shooting and killing 16 year-old Ma’khia Bryant as police say she lunged at someone with a knife…” Maybe I’m too thin skinned on these things, but does my paragraph match the CNN story?

I got the impression from the CNN report that the police officer got out of the car and just shot the poor girl. Their coverage uses terms like “police say she lunged at someone with a knife…” while we are watching a video of her lunging at someone with a knife! Why would they qualify that? I do believe it would be more editorially honest to say, “The video shows…” instead of “police say…”

Oh well, it gets worse.

In the same report Columbus Mayor, Andrew Ginther, says, “We don’t have all the facts but we do know that a 16 year-old girl, a child of this community, tragically died last night. Bottom line: did Ma’khia Bryant need to die yesterday? How did we get here? This is a failure on the part of our community. Some are guilty, but all of us are responsible.” 

I ask, “Who is guilty besides Ma’khia?”

I do believe that this story should be more like, “A brave Columbus police officer responded to a complaint of a knife wielding assailant and, with no thought of his own personal safety, saved the life of a woman who surely would have died if not for his quick and decisive actions….”

Labron James posted a tweet targeting Reardon, “YOU’RE NEXT. #ACCOUNTABILITY with an emoji of an hour glass. I guess police are not supposed to save Black Lives- I would say I hope Reardon doesn’t get punished too severely, but if the other stories are any indication, he might be.

I fully understand that no one is above the law, especially the police. 

I know that all lives are precious and the taking of a life is tragic. I am truly concerned, however, that the media no longer even mentions that the people killed by police are usually committing crimes, they are refusing to obey lawful commands. 

Mr. Brooks was not killed because he was driving under the influence. He was killed because he resisted arrest, fought with the officers, stole a taser from one of the officers and fired it towards them. 

Adam Toledo was not killed because he was unlawfully possessing a weapon. He was killed because he unlawfully possessed a weapon, ran from the police, refused to obey the lawful orders to stop running and to drop the weapon and then covertly threw the weapon instead of dropping it as he had been ordered to do.

Ma’khia Bryant was not killed because she was having a domestic incident. She was killed because she was trying to stab someone and did not drop the knife when ordered to do so by a uniformed police officer.

There’s many more stories like this. If you want I could go deeper into it in future blogs.

For now I would just like to say thank you to all of the police officers who continue to do their jobs despite the way they are treated.

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Thank you.