Police Use Violent Threats, Legalized Bribery To Dodge Oversight
Cops Use Thuggery to Intimidate Elected Officials
Several years ago, I watched a documentary on the portrayal of police in film on HBO. A police officer interviewed in the movie said that he was so disgusted by “Training Day” that he walked out of the theater. However, director Antoine Fuqua said the movie was based on his experiences growing up in South Central where he had encountered many cops like “Alonzo,” played in the movie by Denzel Washington.
“Training Day” was a clear case of art imitating life. And as in most cases with movies, the real-life version is much worse. Alonzo might have robbed drug dealers and sold drugs, criminal acts that real police officers have done, but he never threatened city council members who are supposed to oversee the police force. But this has happened.
Gangster Cops
Last week, during an interview on “Background Briefing,” independent journalist Spencer Sunshine stated that a friend who served on a city council was afraid to reign in the police because of a potential backlash. The unnamed councilor said he feared that if he tried to cut the police budget, cops would refuse to respond to calls to his house.
Raw Story detailed how local police had threatened to use strongarm tactics on Shelby County (Tenn.) Commissioner Tami Sawyer after she attempted to cut the sheriff’s department budget and invest in the community.
“Since I called for #defunding on the Co Sheriff Budget yesterday, the flood gates have opened with threats and attempted insults,” said Sawyer in a tweet. “No shock. I was 1st threatened with death 5 years ago & they haven’t found me floating in the bottom of the Mississippi yet. I share to document.”
Now Sawyer has private security to protect her from the police!
Minneapolis has its own problem with “gangster cops.” Lt. Bob Kroll heads up the city’s police union even though he has racked up about 30 complaints during his career. During an interview with “Democracy Now!,” Minnesota city council member Ellison said Kroll has ties to awhite supremacist, biker gang
Kroll remains unrepentant about his career and firmly opposed to any form of oversight.
“I’ve been involved in three shootings myself, and not one of them has bothered me. Maybe I’m different,” said Kroll according to The Intercept. Kroll has also appeared on stage at a Trump rally. In the past, Kroll called Minnesota AG Keith Ellison, who is Muslim, a terrorist, and has referred to Trump as a “wonderful president.”
Raw Story detailed how local police had threatened to use strongarm tactics on Shelby County (Tenn.) Commissioner Tami Sawyer after she attempted to cut the sheriff’s department budget and invest in the community.
“Since I called for #defunding on the Co Sheriff Budget yesterday, the flood gates have opened with threats and attempted insults,” said Sawyer in a tweet. “No shock. I was 1st threatened with death 5 years ago & they haven’t found me floating in the bottom of the Mississippi yet. I share to document.”
Now Sawyer has private security to protect her from the police!
Legalized Bribery
Sometimes the influence of police unions is more subtle. Police unions are known to donate to city council and attorney general races. This becomes problematic when it comes to prosecuting law-breaking cops.
A good example of this was seen during the shooting of Stephon Clark, who was killed by local police in his grandparents’ backyard in 2018. Days after the shooting, Sacramento County DA Anne Marie Schubert received $13,000 in campaign donations from two police associations. The officers were never prosecuted. According to a 2018 Sacramento Bee article, Schubert’s camp called the donation “an unfortunate coincidence.”
However, Cat Brooks, executive director of Justice Teams Network, said the donations illustrated why local DAs can’t be objective when it comes to prosecuting police who also fund their campaigns.
“It’s not an exception to the rule — it is the rule. Their relationships with each other are incestuous,” said Brooks.
But in the wake of increased scrutiny and calls for defunding, some police groups feel they’re being unfairly treated.
During a recent press conference, Mike O’Meara, president of the New York Police Benevolent Association, demanded the media, “stop treating us like animals and thugs.”
But let’s recount some of the police-related crimes in this article. Terroristic threats, wanton disregard for human life, legalized bribery, ect. Additionally, over the last few weeks, we’ve seen hundreds of unconstitutional attacks on journalists simply doing their job. If it walks like a thug and talks like a thug ….
