Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

Not All Cops are Bad–Another Side to the Story

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by

Dick Hall-Sizemore
in , ,

By Dick Hall-Sizemore

I subscribe to the underlying spirit of “Black Lives Matter.” I have long been concerned about police harassment of black persons. I am angered by reports of police misconduct and assault during the current demonstrations, both in Richmond and around the country.

As in mass demonstrations of this sort in the past, some participants are letting their emotions get ahead of their good sense. The placards and calls to “Defund the Police” are idiotic, to say the least. Yes, there are dangerous police officers and, yes, there is probably a culture within many police departments that needs to be changed. But, in the anger engendered by callous cops and the lingering societal effects of racist policies, there is a danger that we will overlook two vital truths:

Most cops are good.

Being a cop is a dangerous job.

A story in this morning’s Richmond Times-Dispatch brought this last truth home to me, again, in harsh detail. Two young Richmond police officers were seriously wounded in a gunfight early Tuesday morning. They were responding to a report of an armed person about 1:30 in the morning. When they approached a group of three men, one of the group opened fire. The officers returned fire. During the gunfight, both the officers and the shooter were hit. One officer suffered life-threatening injuries and underwent multiple surgeries. He is now out of danger, but more surgery has been scheduled and his rehabilitation is expected to be long and arduous. In fact, both officers “have a lot in front of them as far as rehab,” a police supervisor said. I would guess that these wounds, especially for the one more seriously injured, will affect them the rest of their lives.

By the way, this incident was reported on by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the newspaper that Mr. Bacon just excoriated for being too swept up in the social justice movement, not once, but twice. It was on the front page on Wednesday, with a follow-up story today on page 2 relating the long rehabilitation road ahead for the officers.

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28 responses to “Not All Cops are Bad–Another Side to the Story”

  1. ksmith8953 Avatar
    ksmith8953

    It is a sad state of affairs. Good health ahead to both officers. We need to make changes in this country’s top leadership in the Nov election.

  2. James A. Bacon Avatar
    James A. Bacon

    Dick, I appreciate your balanced take on policemen, I agree with you. The bad cops need to be held to account, but the good cops need to be praised and supported by society. They face risks every day that the rest of us wouldn’t dream of.

    As for the RTD, I’m not backing off. The shooting and wounding of two policemen is too big a story for even the RTD to ignore — it does still compete with the television stations for crime news.

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      Did the Daily Caller cover the shootings of the Richmond Cops? Should we consider the Daily Caller a better source of information than RTD on cop shootings?

  3. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    We have a problem in this country. Most cops are good cops and it is an exceptionally dangerous job that requires a high degree of skill can judgement to do it right, not get killed and not harm others who are innocent or not threats to others.

    The most amazing thing to me is the less than wonderful conduct of the police – WHEN THEY KNOW they are being recorded on video!

    or in the case of Buffalo – they just outright lie until caught doing it then they just go back and revise the paperwork.

    I don’t know where that attitude comes from but it shows a real disrespect for honestly and forthrightness… If they get caught falsifying reports like this, how often is that going on normally?

    Something has to change. I don’t want to see the police emasculated and hobbled from doing their job dealing with bad guys but it appears to this point that the price for them dealing with bad guys is also doing the wrong thing with others that are not bad guys…

    I don’t know the answer… this is one of those things where the Government is the only alternative… and we are wholly dependent on Government doing that job right – and when they don’t, we’re all screwed.

  4. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    Local government IS responsible but like speed limits, building codes, and tires , we need uniform standards for police interactions with citizens. It ought not to be 44 different ways according to who happens to be in charge at a particular time.

    It needs to be something that is institutional no mater who is police chief or mayor… such that all of us can look at any police action and know right off that it is correct or wrong.

    Right now, we have a hodge-podge of rules and everytime something goes sideways – the local police force either automatically defends the action or says it has to “investigate” and half the time, it seems, the body cams that were supposed to help – were off – on purpose or some other excuse.

    It’s not just unions. Many right-to-work states don’t have unions for police and the problem is the same. Many rural counties don’t have unions and yet there are no standards… no way for citizens who have been harmed to really seek justice.

    1. MAdams Avatar
      MAdams

      There are 50 states with 50 different Constitutions and Laws, pretty had to make a one size fits all when that’s reality.

  5. ksmith8953 Avatar
    ksmith8953

    It is a sad state of affairs. Good health ahead to both officers. We need to make changes in this country’s top leadership in the Nov election.

  6. James A. Bacon Avatar
    James A. Bacon

    Dick, I appreciate your balanced take on policemen, I agree with you. The bad cops need to be held to account, but the good cops need to be praised and supported by society. They face risks every day that the rest of us wouldn’t dream of.

    As for the RTD, I’m not backing off. The shooting and wounding of two policemen is too big a story for even the RTD to ignore — it does still compete with the television stations for crime news.

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      Did the Daily Caller cover the shootings of the Richmond Cops? Should we consider the Daily Caller a better source of information than RTD on cop shootings?

  7. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    We have a problem in this country. Most cops are good cops and it is an exceptionally dangerous job that requires a high degree of skill can judgement to do it right, not get killed and not harm others who are innocent or not threats to others.

    The most amazing thing to me is the less than wonderful conduct of the police – WHEN THEY KNOW they are being recorded on video!

    or in the case of Buffalo – they just outright lie until caught doing it then they just go back and revise the paperwork.

    I don’t know where that attitude comes from but it shows a real disrespect for honestly and forthrightness… If they get caught falsifying reports like this, how often is that going on normally?

    Something has to change. I don’t want to see the police emasculated and hobbled from doing their job dealing with bad guys but it appears to this point that the price for them dealing with bad guys is also doing the wrong thing with others that are not bad guys…

    I don’t know the answer… this is one of those things where the Government is the only alternative… and we are wholly dependent on Government doing that job right – and when they don’t, we’re all screwed.

  8. Nancy_Naive Avatar
    Nancy_Naive

    “Being a cop is a dangerous job.”

    Not even in the top 10, and if they wore their seatbelt (“It gets caught on my gun, and I might have to quicksdraw”) then it wouldn’t be in the top 20.

    It’s just a BLS fact. Your gardener is more likely to get hurt or die on the job. Same for the guy who carts away your trash.

    1. Steve Haner Avatar
      Steve Haner

      My old man the city manager long ago told me the garbage crews were the big source for workplace injury claims. Few got shot, however. I wouldn’t dismiss the danger of that job.

      1. Nancy_Naive Avatar
        Nancy_Naive

        Like Ed Norton, who once claimed on the phone (party lines in those days), “Pete? Ed Norton. Yeah, I’m the one who saved you from drowning in savings and loan.”
        To Ralph, “it’s code.”
        Funnier then.

  9. Nancy_Naive Avatar
    Nancy_Naive

    “Being a cop is a dangerous job.”

    Not even in the top 10, and if they wore their seatbelt (“It gets caught on my gun, and I might have to quicksdraw”) then it wouldn’t be in the top 20.

    It’s just a BLS fact. Your gardener is more likely to get hurt or die on the job. Same for the guy who carts away your trash.

    1. Steve Haner Avatar
      Steve Haner

      My old man the city manager long ago told me the garbage crews were the big source for workplace injury claims. Few got shot, however. I wouldn’t dismiss the danger of that job.

      1. Nancy_Naive Avatar
        Nancy_Naive

        Like Ed Norton, who once claimed on the phone (party lines in those days), “Pete? Ed Norton. Yeah, I’m the one who saved you from drowning in savings and loan.”
        To Ralph, “it’s code.”
        Funnier then.

  10. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    yep – you’re correct… a quick check confirmed… but in one’s own mind when you are on the street for your work and you know there are bad guys out there with guns… it’s got to be a nerve-racking job mentall.

  11. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    yep – you’re correct… a quick check confirmed… but in one’s own mind when you are on the street for your work and you know there are bad guys out there with guns… it’s got to be a nerve-racking job mentall.

  12. TooManyTaxes Avatar
    TooManyTaxes

    Local government is responsible for managing their police forces. They cannot guarantee nothing will go wrong. But if city, town or county officials think endorsement by the local police union is more important than identifying and removing bad cops, who is to blame?

  13. TooManyTaxes Avatar
    TooManyTaxes

    Local government is responsible for managing their police forces. They cannot guarantee nothing will go wrong. But if city, town or county officials think endorsement by the local police union is more important than identifying and removing bad cops, who is to blame?

  14. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    Local government IS responsible but like speed limits, building codes, and tires , we need uniform standards for police interactions with citizens. It ought not to be 44 different ways according to who happens to be in charge at a particular time.

    It needs to be something that is institutional no mater who is police chief or mayor… such that all of us can look at any police action and know right off that it is correct or wrong.

    Right now, we have a hodge-podge of rules and everytime something goes sideways – the local police force either automatically defends the action or says it has to “investigate” and half the time, it seems, the body cams that were supposed to help – were off – on purpose or some other excuse.

    It’s not just unions. Many right-to-work states don’t have unions for police and the problem is the same. Many rural counties don’t have unions and yet there are no standards… no way for citizens who have been harmed to really seek justice.

    1. MAdams Avatar
      MAdams

      There are 50 states with 50 different Constitutions and Laws, pretty had to make a one size fits all when that’s reality.

  15. Matt Hurt Avatar
    Matt Hurt

    Policing in this day and time is a loosing proposition. I bet the farm that political haymaking as well as the abuses of the bad cops are causing potential good cops to choose other careers. I think this situation will probably (if it hasn’t already) disproportionately negatively affect those who need policing the most- those who live in urban, high crime neighborhoods. Which cop in his right mind would want to work that beat? They don’t want to put themselves into a situation where the likelihood of a violent confrontation would cause them to choose to have to defend their actions in court (of law and of public opinion) or make their children live in a single parent home. It is a miracle that we can convince any decent human being to enter this profession.

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      I think there is some truth to this sentiment but at the same time, few people are going to agree that the “price” of a good police force is to allow some bad cops to continue to be on the force.

      I even have some concerns that some type of “holds” be outlawed totally. If a cop is brining down a truly bad guy – then he/she has got to retain the ability to apprehend and not get hurt or killed in the process.

      But after seeing some of the cops behaviors on these non-violent demonstrations – it’s also clear that: 1. – these demonstrators are largely peaceful… albeit there are some bad actors hanging around and 2. you do not knock a 75 year old to the ground and then keep right on walking by him.

      The Police are, for the most part, a hammer… not a scalpel…

  16. TBill Avatar
    TBill

    Sensitive topic. Sure we have many heroes out there.
    This must be difficult time to be cop, with society voicing demand for systemic change to more kind and gentle police force. I do feel sometimes cops can tend to get angry at people for not behaving as they expect, or because the cops are trying to change a behavior in the community.

  17. Matt Hurt Avatar
    Matt Hurt

    Policing in this day and time is a loosing proposition. I bet the farm that political haymaking as well as the abuses of the bad cops are causing potential good cops to choose other careers. I think this situation will probably (if it hasn’t already) disproportionately negatively affect those who need policing the most- those who live in urban, high crime neighborhoods. Which cop in his right mind would want to work that beat? They don’t want to put themselves into a situation where the likelihood of a violent confrontation would cause them to choose to have to defend their actions in court (of law and of public opinion) or make their children live in a single parent home. It is a miracle that we can convince any decent human being to enter this profession.

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      I think there is some truth to this sentiment but at the same time, few people are going to agree that the “price” of a good police force is to allow some bad cops to continue to be on the force.

      I even have some concerns that some type of “holds” be outlawed totally. If a cop is brining down a truly bad guy – then he/she has got to retain the ability to apprehend and not get hurt or killed in the process.

      But after seeing some of the cops behaviors on these non-violent demonstrations – it’s also clear that: 1. – these demonstrators are largely peaceful… albeit there are some bad actors hanging around and 2. you do not knock a 75 year old to the ground and then keep right on walking by him.

      The Police are, for the most part, a hammer… not a scalpel…

  18. TBill Avatar
    TBill

    Sensitive topic. Sure we have many heroes out there.
    This must be difficult time to be cop, with society voicing demand for systemic change to more kind and gentle police force. I do feel sometimes cops can tend to get angry at people for not behaving as they expect, or because the cops are trying to change a behavior in the community.

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