(ThyBlackMan.com) Recently in Georgia the Chatsworth police tasered an 87 year old woman and charged her with trespassing and obstruction. Are you freakin kidding me? While she did have a knife, she did not speak English and she was reportedly out cutting flowers in a wooded area. This makes me sick and it should make you think. https://www.yahoo.com/news/police-chief-defends-taser-elderly-203814357.html
But more importantly, if they tasered her, what do you think police officers like that would do to you? They could have used pepper spray, if that, and a taser could have killed her. Idiots. The police Chief says the officer was justified. But as a former detective and training instructor I can say if the reports are accurate, the use of a taser was not necessary. THE CHATSWORTH POLICE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO BE EXPOSED THROUGH SPOCIAL MEDIA. STEP UP PEOPLE!
If you cannot disarm an 87 year old woman without using a taser, you need to find another job because you do not need to be a police officer. Threat assessment should never be replaced by actions guided by fear, abuse or ignorance. The officer should be fired and charged with using unnecessary force. The police chief should be reprimanded by the mayor. But I seriously doubt any of this is likely to happen. Knowing things like this happen, you have to be armed with knowledge and wisdom.
This article is not to be construed as legal advice. I am not an attorney but the information provided is based on my experience, knowledge, specialized training and the interviews of over 100 law enforcement officers as well as my First Amendment right to inform and educate.
I have written and taught quite a bit on this topic in the past and though I am not an attorney, I know the law. I am back again because most of you do not realize police brutality is an epidemic in this country. And others of you think it will not happen to you because you don’t do anything illegal, you drive a nice car, you are articulate, you dress nice or live in a nice neighborhood. None of this automatically exempts you from the dangers of police brutality.
There are many good, dedicated and law abiding police officers but there are many more bad ones in our cities than you are aware of. Visit www.killedpolice.net or www.policemisconduct.net
All it takes for you to become a victim of police brutality is for you to encounter a racist, rogue, mentally unstable, egotistical or mentally unstable officer. I would even venture to say out of 100 officer, at least 40 of them fall into one or more of the categories I just mentioned. Then there are officers who will stand by and do nothing while their fellow officers break the law and abuse you. And there are officers who, because of the “blue code“, will never report what happened. In my opinion, all of the above are just as bad and none of the above should wear and badge and a gun. An officer is either part of the solution or part of the problem.
My message to police officers? Put your ego in check. Stick to your oath. Report bad officers or you may have to answer legally and you will have to answer spiritually. And if you have to rely on the tools on your duty belt first instead of good judgment and the best options, find another job.
Today you, your sons and your family need to know how to deal with a police encounter. Especially in light of incidents we must never forget like those with Sandra Bland, Eric Garner (I can’t breathe), Philando Castile and so many others you never hear about because the police brutality was not caught on tape. This is another wake up call and I suggest you share this article with everybody you know. Police brutality cannot and must not ever be taken lightly. And the fact that the cases happening every single month do not hit the news is simply because they don’t know or they know yet choose not to cover the story. A drop in public confidence in our police officers is not a good thing but repeated cover ups of police brutality against private citizens is far worse.
YOUR OBJECTIVE IN A POLICE ENCOUNTER MUST ALWAYS BE:
(a) To leave the scene freely (b) With your safety intact
and
(c) Without any charges (d) The shortest or most brief encounter possible.
So how then should a “black” man handle an encounter with the police in 2018 – a time of overt racism, Donald Trump zombies and rampant police brutality? Here are 15 tips that may help you. Please share them on social media, with family and friends, co-workers and church or mosque members and with every person you can text or email – especially African American males, both young and old.
These tips do not guarantee you will have a good encounter, but they do increase your chances of surviving the encounter and have the opportunity to legally deal with the officer later through a variety of lawful, peaceful and impacting options. I have also interviewed over 100 law enforcement officers and they agree with these tips. Remember, your objective must always be to leave the scene freely, ASAP, with your safety intact and without any charges. That being said, here are the tips.
- Do Not run. Be still.
- Stay calm.
- Do Not reach for anything.
- Comply with the officer’s instructions.
- Know your rights, don’t bluff.
- Tell the truth or remain silent.
- Do Not be tricked by the officer. They are allowed to lie to you.
- Do Not Argue. Some things must be settled through other legal means.
- Let someone know where you are and what is happening.
- Use the video option on your phone, dashcam or recording technology when its lawful to do so.
- Know the video recording guidelines and laws of your state.
- Note the officer’s name and badge number. Don’t ask him or her for it.
- If you are handcuffed, do not resist. It does not mean you are automatically going to jail.
- Do Not give the officer a reason to write, do or react to anything.
- If an incident happens, round up your witnesses and your evidence ASAP.
Feel free to contact me at brainstormonline@yahoo.com for information regarding what you can do lawfully and peacefully if you or someone you love is a victim of police brutality. Just make sure you have not made the encounter even worse with your reactions to the officer. Victims of police brutality have may lawful and impacting options to handle the matter and some are not even disclosed to you by attorneys. But just know that it is not hopeless and you are not lawfully helpless.
I have to reiterate with the strongest emphasis I can to every African American man that you must learn these tips and share them with every African American male you know – both young and old. Do not take this lightly. Do not think you never have an encounter with the police. But with wisdom in your informed approach you are in a position to heavily influence how that encounter goes. Most good officers will even tell you that you are often a key determining factor as to how the encounter will be resolved. Yes they have to follow the law (or they are supposed to) but police officers often have some level of discretion to make things better or worse. So remember the objectives I stated earlier.
Staff Writer; Trevo Craw