Minneapolis PD Suspect Dies On Video While Handcuffed. FBI Investigating.

[BehindBlueI's]

Guys, can we stop automatically conflating "protest" and "riot"? They don't mean the same thing.

I don't think anybody other then liberals, particularly in the media and "influencers" of social media, have used them interchangeably, and that's been to hide riots as protests.

What do you suggest be done to stop the riots? What are you doing yourself?

[Duelist]

so then "no" you don't see a difference, or "yes" you do?

Sorry, I'm over 40, have a college degree and a job, so I don't speak "meme".

As another over 40 with multiple degrees and a job, seriously, Rob? A Venn diagram isn’t *that* hard to read.

[trailrunner]

There's a march planned this afternoon in Burke VA, about 5 miles from my house, and where my mother (RIP) lived. Burke is a suburb of northern VA and is quiet for the most part. The county I live in hasn't had any incidents that I'm aware of so far and I hope that the marchers are peaceful. Their starting point is next to a Wal Mart and a quarter mile from a Target. I live off a main road that they might take to or or from their march, so I'll be a bit more aware this afternoon.

[BehindBlueI's]

As another over 40 with multiple degrees and a job, seriously, Rob? A Venn diagram isn’t *that* hard to read.

I think the point is it wasn't a response to the question asked and is basically the equivalent of a bumper sticker, not that Rob can't read a Venn diagram.

[DDTSGM]

I've heard the 'rewarding bad behavior' argument and get why. However I've also reassigned officers who were good cops, or had the potential to be, who were having personal or professional issues that made them unsuitable for their current role. We've invested a lot in them, and they have potential to be worth it, so why throw them away? Those other jobs and other beats need officers too, and it's not always seen as a reward. Hard chargers aren't "rewarded" with desk jobs taking a report by phone all day.

Yes, it would depend. Hence what I said.

Sure, it could be. And yes, the union has defended people who's actions were unacceptable. Some of them went on to be fired or jailed. With or without union help (and I don't *have* to belong to the union here) only the civilian merit board can fire me. If I fight termination it essentially becomes a jury, but majority rules. The city's attorneys vs me and whoever I bring. So ultimately the union isn't any more "obstructionist" then providing a defense attorney to the accused, or potentially could be accused, officer(s). If the city does their job, abides by their own policies, abides by the law, then the civilian merit board should agree to my termination.

You just wear people down, don't you? LOL

Posited: As a result of union pressure police agencies sometimes retain officers who, by demonstrated action have demonstrated unsuitability to continue as LEO's? Yes or No

[MickAK]

I see what @Joe S is saying and it's not complicated. Personally, I have no issue with the meme.

Peaceful protest: okay.

Looting, vandalism, mayhem: not okay.

Actual police brutality: not okay

Not complicated. In touch with American values.

Where it can get complicated are situations where it is virtually impossible to separate the wheat from the chaff...the looters / vandals / violent offenders intermixed with the the peaceful protesters. In such an instance, I think for the preservation of life and property it will be prudent, (based upon circumstances on the ground), to address the entire throng since its discrete parts are so intermixed as to make them appear homogeneous. Then there is no other practical way to tactically deal with the crowd.

A larger version of a child screaming 'Im not touching him!' except with fire and bricks.

[Caballoflaco]

Yes, I see the difference because I'm not a simpleton.

Could you possibly imagine that there are lots of American citizens exercising their right to lawfully assemble and protest and that they're not actually the same people looting businesses and destroying neighborhoods?

I'm 39, have a college degree in hard science, and manage a small independent business in an area here in NY that's seen a metric shit ton of damage from rioting. Not that that's relevant to any of my points that should stand independent of ad hominem criticisms.

I think you're missing my point.

I think the African-American Democrat Mayor of Birmingham made a pretty strong statement about why certain freedoms will be temporarily curtailed after he went easy one night and things went to shit with protests turning to riots and looting.

Because the protests turned ugly, he said, there won’t be any second chances. “That means no more parades, no vigils, no more demonstrations,’’ he said. “Travel on public streets and roadways will be restricted, with exceptions for medical services, food or other essential needs. Exceptions will be made for essential workers.”


He said he wants it clear, especially for those who work downtown and particularly after 7 p.m., to be ready to provide documentation to show to police officers. “We’re not playing,’’ Woodfin said. “We’re going to enforce the law.”

The mayor lashed out at two groups of people – looters and anarchists. “A lot of these looters are local born in the city just like I was, live here in this city just like I do,’’ Woodfin said. “You know who you are. You took advantage of a situation.”


“And there’s the anarchists, the people who come into our city to destroy, not to take anything, simply to destroy, to break things, to set things on fire,’’ he said. “The City of Birmingham the Birmingham Police Department 100 percent support peaceful protesters. We outright reject the looters and the anarchists, and we will happily arrest you.”

[blues]

A larger version of a child screaming 'Im not touching him!' except with fire and bricks.

I'm not sure who or what your comment is directed at.

[Le Français]

What I've truly found most startling, personally, is the reaction of many people, both public persons and folks I know personally, to some of the exercises of authority and government power we've seen over just the last few days. And by reaction, I mean nothing. Fucking crickets. [...] people that lost their minds over the idea of Jade Helm [...]

If you think they lost their minds about Jade Helm, they didn’t have minds to lose in the first place, and their potential for irrational reactions about other things should not be surprising.

[hufnagel]

I see what @Joe S is saying and it's not complicated. Personally, I have no issue with the meme.

Peaceful protest: okay.

Looting, vandalism, mayhem: not okay.

Actual police brutality: not okay

Not complicated. In touch with American values.

Where it can get complicated are situations where it is virtually impossible to separate the wheat from the chaff...the looters / vandals / violent offenders intermixed with the the peaceful protesters. In such an instance, I think for the preservation of life and property it will be prudent, (based upon circumstances on the ground), to address the entire throng since its discrete parts are so intermixed as to make them appear homogeneous. Then there is no other practical way to tactically deal with the crowd.

This would be why I advocate for the protesters to police their own much more aggressively. If a bad actor is found, they need to be educated in the error of their ways. I'll leave others in the moment to decide what that education should be.