The Memphis 5

[AMC]

Attachment 100712

Haven't been able to confirm this but it is consistent with the way of the world.

Don't know about this particular case but yes, it's become very common for City HR to take over the entire application, testing and selection process for public safety agencies. Happened in my old city over 10 years ago. We weren't hiring the 'right' people.

[Totem Polar]

Attachment 100712

Haven't been able to confirm this but it is consistent with the way of the world.

If confirmed to be true, this is a story that needs telling.

[Magsz]

So many of these comments go back to my original post. We, as an industry are hiring psychologically damaged individuals. I see so many people cycle through that are so clearly bullies and malcontents, its absolutely sad.

You absolutely cannot train a piece of shit into decency. I'm sorry but, not in the game of Law Enforcement where the illusion of power is so tantalizing.

This is not a blanket statement but I really do believe that police reform needs to start with improved hiring practices.

[Kukuforguns]

Questions from a non LE
For clarity in my view if the suspect had complied this would not be a topic today (he chose poorly) also not justifying the beat down

From my review of the BWC, the decedent appeared to be attempting to comply during the first encounter. He even told the officers at one point (after being repeatedly ordered to lie down) that he was lying down. The officers apparently believed they were ordering the decedent to lie on his stomach and put his hands behind his back ... which is not what they were stating. He was the only person acting reasonably during the first encounter.

We all have an inherent right of self defense against unlawful use of force. The officers (who were in unmarked cars) went hands on without giving decedent a reasonable opportunity to comply with garbled commands; nor am I able to identify from the video any justification for the decision to immediately go hands on. The use of a chemical spray against decedent who had been attempting to comply with poorly phrased orders issued by the officers does not appear to have been reasonable. Decedent's decision to flee the officers during the first incident appears reasonable and legal to me. And, the fact that he was able to flee is an absolute indictment on the incompetence of the officers. Those two officers' combined weight was probably 3x the weight of the decedent.

The officers' lack of training and their unfitness for the authority entrusted to them was palpable.

My apologies to the thread moderator for responding here.

[willie]

In my community we are fortunate that our PD is maintaining desirable standards. Pay is excellent but sadly number of applicants is low.

[coldcase1984]

Pretty sure the charge will be 1st Degree Murder after grand jury.

[HCountyGuy]

If confirmed to be true, this is a story that needs telling.

Agree 100%. The unfortunate reality is that it likely won't be. Or, if it is, it will be largely ignored because anti-cop bias/ACAB.

[jnc36rcpd]

I will remark that I suspect many jurisdictions do not thoroughly vet police chief executives. The chief of my former agency was demoted from inspector to captain by Cathy Lanier when he was with D.C. Metropolitan Police. An administrative hearing judge effectively said that he had perjured himself. Yet somehow, he dispenses punishments like Zeus throwing lightening bolts.

I suspect the agency's parking enforcement officers and animal services people had more thorough background investigations than the chief did.

[Wise_A]

The five shitheads aren't cops. They're street thugs that somehow snuck into a uniform because of desperate or woke hiring practices. That looked just like any other hood beatdown by gangbangers I've seen.

What if I told you the PD where I formerly lived is currently hiring, training, graduating, and employing individuals with known gang ties and drug dealing convictions?

What if I also told you that it is then fast-tracking those individuals...into the narcotics unit?

The problem comes down to hiring, at all levels. Our hiring process is simply broken.

Affirm. It's not so bad here, but I was chatting with a buddy that went through our county agency and then shuffled over to State. Our academy focused heavily on PT, with very little classroom time. State was the exact opposite. I'd spend some time talking about physical requirements, but I'd just come off as bitter.

[TGS]

What if I told you the PD where I formerly lived is currently hiring, training, graduating, and employing individuals with known gang ties and drug dealing convictions?

I'd find that to be highly unlikely, since all distribution charges in NYS are felonies, which would make them legally ineligible to serve as a LEO if convicted on such.

Known gang ties and misdemeanor offenses? That I believe.