One of the worst crimes one could commit against an American cop is contempt of cop. But, of course, contempt of cop is [not] a real offense. Still, to the little men and women who are empowered to take life, given guns and badges, a few months training basically on how to abuse and kill, blanket immunity from accountability, you commit that offense at the peril of death.
Cops commit heinous crimes every single day against citizens, black, brown, and white. Under no illusion that they will be held accountable, they commit crimes at will.
For Black citizens, the level of violence is always greatly aggravated, the level of venom even after the unlawful assaults shocking to watch.
But it is not only Blacks that suffer from police abuse; whites do too. Not all egregious actions by police end up in death, but a lot do.
Regardless of the heinous nature of police actions, police departments drag their feet or do nothing on the better end of the spectrum or falsify evidence and reports to justify the crimes their members commit even when they kill outside of what is permissible by law. Otherwise, their crimes are investigated by other neighboring police departments, which are equally or more corrupt. So much for their departments, not investigating themselves.
These atrocities are possible because the greatest brunt of police violence is felt by people of color or, more to the point, blacks.
As long as blacks are kept in their place, there is no reason to change anything. The universe, however, has its own ideas on justice and fairness. As Martin Niemoller, former German U‑Boat commander and prominent Lutheran pastor during Adolph Hitler’s reign of terror wrote in his screed,
(First, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me) Martin Niemoller.
In the video below, you will see and hear the media refer to the incident refer to the pit maneuver as a clear case of excessive force, language never used when the victims are black.
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Last June, Arkansas resident Nicole Harper was driving near Jacksonville, Arkansas when Arkansas State Police trooper Rodney Dunn pulled in behind her and signaled to her to pull over. Nicole Harper then did exactly what the Arkansas Driver License Study Guide tells drivers to do: she slowed down, put on her hazard lights, and looked for a safe place to pull over. Since the highway shoulder was very narrow at that location, Harper began to drive toward an exit ramp.
But although she did what she was supposed to do to “comply,” she didn’t comply fast enough for trooper Dunn. Within two minutes of flashing his lights, Dunn used a so-called “PIT” (precision immobilization technique) to cause Harper’s car to spin out and flip over. Dunn rammed his front bumper into the left rear edge of Harper’s car. Harper, who was pregnant at the time, then careened across three lanes of traffic and flipped over.
Dunn then approached Harper’s car and informed her that she got what she deserved, stating that because she didn’t stop fast enough, “this is where you ended up.”
Harper is now suing Dunn and other members of the Arkansas State Police for “negligently” using a PIT maneuver which put Harper’s life and the life of her unborn child at risk.
Naturally, rather than admit the officer acted rashly in response to what was a “textbook” and recommended response to a police traffic stop, the State of Arkansas will now use taxpayer funds to fight the lawsuit in court.
State police claim that Harper chose to “flee” and that she was a danger to other drivers. Of course, many rational people viewing the dashcam footage of Dunn’s actions could just as easily come to the conclusion that by flipping Harper’s car, it was Dunn who was endangering the public.
Harper’s attorney correctly notes that Dunn chose to use deadly force against a pregnant woman who was in the process of slowing down and looking for a safe place to pull over. Moreover, it is unlikely that Dunn had any knowledge of who was in the car and whether or not small children were inside.
Unfortunately, this is just the latest case of police employing deadly force on citizens in the process of complying with police orders. For example, in the case of Philandro Castile — who did exactly what he was supposed to do as a concealed-carry driver — was shot dead while complying with police orders. And then there was the case of Atatania Jefferson, who was shot dead in her own living room without even being given a chance to comply. One might also consider the case of Phillip White, a 77-year-old, 140-pound blind man whose face was slammed into a ticket counter by police because he wasn’t complying fast enough with police orders. White was already handcuffed at the time.
In the Arkansas case, Harper’s lawsuit is unlikely to have any personal effect on Dunn, who, in accordance with Arkansas law, enjoys immunity from any personal responsibility for his actions. Dunn, who has received a taxpayer-funded government salary for more than thirty years, enjoys immunity from any personal liability in virtually all cases.
The Supreme Court gives those criminals immunity from personal civil liability. State Prosecutors give them immunity from criminal culpability.
As they continue to engage in those activities that are resulting in serious injury and death, it is important to remember that the reasons for the stops in the first place are usually non-violent minor infractions.
However, as you heard the cop, the cardinal sin she committed was not stopping when he [commanded] her to.
Be careful never to commit the unforgivable sin of contempt of cop, even if you did not intend to, and even if it is an offense made up by power-tripping egomaniacs.
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Mike Beckles is a former Police Detective, businessman, freelance writer, black achiever honoree, and creator of the blog mikebeckles.com.