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Old School Law Enforcement and LE Officer Political Survival In These PC Times. |
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Old School Law Enforcement and LE Officer Political Survival In These PC Times. |
THE
BACKGROUND
Back
As author of Salem the
Soldier's
COPS
place and within the scope of my efforts as the former non-sworn Vice President
of the Inland Police Officer's
Coalition, I was hammered from a few different sources because of a critical
email commentary I forwarded to the forums I frequent. It was authored
by a LE officer, who I happen to respect in law enforcement
matters, concerning a certain video-taped arrest; Police apprehending
a car-jacking suspect who engaged in a reckless chase with officers. Like
so many of these videotaped Police actions, it was broadcast all over the
nation with the ensuing firestorm of controversy. One officer, himself
a veteran, who challenged my endorsement of this particular commentary, went
so far as to say: "I hope you don't lose your credibility within the LE
community on this one issue. We only saw the 'media's' lens
view."
At that point, after not
expressing myself as clearly as I could have, I still presumptuously set
forth, in this very same article, to chronicle my views on LE "use of force"
and Police "brutality." Being what some would consider a young man, I felt
I had spent enough time among LE people to state an opinion; knowing a little
bit about a whole lot of law enforcement related things. But being a not
so young man, I learned a long time ago that the best way to learn is
to keep your mouth shut and your ears open. That being so, in the following
weeks, as I had put this article on the shelf, I then, quite haphazardly,
found myself in the private company of a few veteran American law enforcement
officers, from different parts of the nation and from very different backgrounds.
I perceived very quickly
these weren't just run of the mill cops. It was written in between the lines
of their articles and commentary; the way they presented themselves to the
online LE community. All are law enforcement veteran retirees, with
extensive credentials, qualifications, and service records. All hold to the
Warrior Ethic–the "Old School" philosophy of Police work. And all are
great men. Officer Leroy Pyle,
San Jose PD (Ret.) Joe Horn, LA
Sheriff's Department, Detective (Ret.) and
Bruce Emmott, New York PD and
New York Police Honor Legion (Ret.) are all senior contributors and writers
with the Second Amendment PD. Spending
time with these LE veterans was about to bring me further into the world
of professional law enforcement than I had previously
traveled.
Officer Pyle wrote
originally:
"Btw,
Mike, on the chance that the "guys" have a question about your inclusion
on this very limited list, it is because you impressed me with your understanding
of the issues and willingness to participate in the cops forum from the
beginning. I went to the IPOC website to find that you hold a high position
on a cops website and, obviously, the respect of the cop
host.
That prior experience
shows in your comments and opinions, and I appreciate the opportunity to
bounce these messages off someone outside the "crotchety-old-guys" window
:). I'm thinking of making you the official civilian rep in the 2ampd Infernal
Affairs Unit!"
But before we go any further,
it's imperative to note that the first officer who challenged my perceptions,
well, he was right. As I was in the process of writing this original
article, a friend forwarded this newsclip concerning this one arrest incident
in question:
Hours after the
videotaped police beating of <snip>, officers involved in the melee told
investigators that <snip> was biting and grabbing the patrolmen trying
to arrest him. They said <snip> was kicked and punched to make him
let go.
In brief
interviews with Homicide Division investigators, the officers said that<snip>,
who stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 245 pounds, had hold of three officers. He
bit down on the thumb of one, held a grip on the testicles of another and
clutched the thigh of a third. The officer who was being bitten was screaming,
"Get him off me! Get him off me!"
Yes, what the media showed
was most certainly not what was really going on, on the ground.
Once again, a few Police officers were in a fight of their
lives.
But onward....
THE
SOCIETY OF THE WARRIORS—AND OBVIOUS CLASS
DISTINCTIONS.
Back
“Through their
teachings about the nature of aggression, competition, and physical and mental
struggle, the warrior traditions provide a practical guide to living in a
difficult and challenging world. Each embraces a spiritual code to serve
as a path of personal development, combining bravery and gentleness, exhibiting
a fierce compassion for others, and emphasizing self-mastery, will, and patience
as well as courage and integrity.” (From the cover of The Code of
the Warrior, by Rick Fields.)
There are universal truths
that permeate all
societies,
that are written in the histories of nations both new and ancient, especially
concerning the "Warrior" class and traditions. From the Scythians,
to the Vikings and the Normans, to the Romans and the Praetorian Guard,
to the Huns and the Vandals, to Alexander the Great and Hannibal, to the
Germans, to the Swiss Guards, and down to the British and the SAS. Then
in our own nation, we have the histories and traditions of the U.S. Army
with the 101st Airborne and the Rangers, as well as our Air Force, the Navy
and the SEAL Teams, and then the U.S. Marine Corps with the legendary Force
Recon Marines. All these represent the Warrior class in society; all
distinctively exclusive and separate from regular society, with different
customs, protocols, and rites. All go forth to do battle on the behalf
of their nation or to protect the defenseless.
I recall the
videotape of a
USMC ritual called "blood-winging" or "blood-pinning," in which the pointed
studs of gold "jump wings" are pushed into the chests of Marines who have
successfully completed jump school. The pins are awarded after a Marine has
made 10 parachute jumps. It was played on a well known television
newsmagazine.
The CO's in charge were
recommended for discharge, as well as ten Marines involved disciplined.
The PC Liberal term ascribed to this behavior was "hazing," a politically
correct, indeed a pejorative, term ascribed to such a warrior rite as this.
But any true Warrior knows these rites are all part of the Warrior
culture; rites of passage with deep meaning and importance. They show
to their peers, as well as in the mind of the individual soldier, they have
achieved unto a higher plateau and position within their exclusive community.
That they earned those jump wings, or any award, regardless
of their race or social standing. Indeed, to show "Esprit De
Corps."
But it was all portrayed
as oh so "scandalous." There was nothing scandalous about it. None
of these Marines did anything wrong. Not a thing! It was the
morally bankrupt Liberal influence that has infected American culture and
society exerting its putrid influence over a culture and exclusive community
it knows nothing about, or has any business meddling in.
In my personal life experience
and Biblical perspective, these truths are also clearly laid out throughout
the canon of scripture—some things that other Christians might have
never noticed. Men, warriors, called exclusively by God out of the
masses.
In
Exodus 15:3 we read: The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his
name.
Reading such a clear statement
concerning the nature of the LORD in the Bible shocks many today, especially
"Christians" of the Liberal persuasion, who are not familiar with the warring
aspect of God's plans. Conflict and warfare within the temporal realm
is indeed a parallel to and mirror of the unending conflict in the spiritual.
The LORD is a man of war, therefore, the Warrior class, in their different
forms, are God's exclusive men. History shows through the ages that
He builds and tears down nations with these men; they bleed the ground on
His behalf. They guard the streets of the empires that have been built on
the blood and sacrifice of their peers, from the predators, hoodlums,
and enemies which continually roam them. He knows who they are, as well as
they knowing who they are.
If you have ever read the
Bible, you will have noticed that every Warrior, every notable man that God
called, He called them face to face. In Genesis 17: 1, Abraham was called,
face to face. In Exodus 3:4, Moses was called, face to face. In Joshua 5:
14, Joshua, a perfect warrior whose tactics and exploits are still studied
in military schools, was called, face to face. David was called, after spending
much time as a lad alone in the presence of God, face to face. In Judges
6: 12, Gideon was called, face to face. And in Acts 9: 4, Paul the Apostle,
knocked to the ground, was called, face to face.
These types of men never received
their calling through other men, but dealt with God, face to face. God
used all these men in ways that have impacted history in notable ways, for
good or for evil. They were independent minded and different
from the multitude. You can see the same mindset, the class exclusivity,
in the histories of the Caesars, Trajan, Washington, Jonathan Netanyahu,
Patton, Chesty Puller, and Hackworth, et al, perfecting courage, self-reliance,
and ferocious personal initiative.
Within the modern day Police
force in America, there is also a Warrior protocol and class distinction
that clearly separates them from regular society. At any time, their
lives are hazarded on behalf of the society they are tasked to protect. At
any time, any one of them might find themself in "the arena," and may fall
in defense of their community and country.
A bonafide Warrior can spot
the "wannabe's" and the frauds pretty quick. The Warrior ethic can't be faked.
This is an intangible society which knows no historical, national,
racial, or temporal social bounds. I, as a private citizen, have never
had to serve on a battleground as a soldier of this nation, or hazard my
life on a regular basis, as a Police officer, on the streets of America.
Therefore, there is immediately a class distinction, a lack of insight, working
knowledge,and experience, separating me, as a private citizen, from those
who have. I'm quite comfortable in recognizing that. That's just the way
it is, as we all have specific roles in this life. Personally, as a citizen of this country, I am in their
debt.
Are you a young person who seeks to defend our way of life and the unique freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights? A lot of the young men in this nation who presume to "defend" the Second Amendment and US Constitution, need to spend time, with their mouths shut, in the presence of the Old Guard, those who have genuinely hazarded their lives for this nation. You learn things you'll never know otherwise; things that can't be taught in history books. The understanding of many in the younger generation concerning many things is seriously deficient
"A warrior is not proven only in combat, but also in life. He lives by a code, not because codes are "honorable" or a fad, but because that is how a warrior thinks and so it is how he lives. Combat is an extension of that code, not the source. The rigidity of military discipline reflects his mindset and the two feed off each other, the man strengthened by the military and the military strengthened by the man. His code in peacetime is the same as that in the military: do your duty, protect the weak, protect the community, face the bully, stand tall, stay aware, think ahead, be ready, be loyal, avoid aggression if possible and, if not, win and win fully. Respect and honor are earned by actions, not granted by birth. There are a thousand military codes spread throughout history, but I believe they all say the same thing at heart: Live with honor, and let not your death be born by the pallbearers of disgrace, cruelty, weakness, and fear. Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, On Combat ...
"Warriors, as we have
seen, have a mission beyond themselves. The true warrior is dedicated to
something greater than personal survival and comfort." (From the cover
of The Code of the Warrior, by Rick Fields.)
WHAT A WARRIOR
IS NOT.
Back
It's important to clarify
exactly what a Warrior is not. The younger generation that has come
of age these past few decades and escaped the scars of war, conflict, and
any real sacrifice on the part of freedom have developed a view of the Warrior
ethic that is quite different from the older generation. Outside of
the professional environment, standards, and demands of the American military,
much of their protocols have been gleaned from TV and popular culture media
sources. A lousy source, to say the least. So we'll hear from
that older generation who knows the right way....
Officer Joe Horn writes,
in response to this
Cato Institute
paper, Warrior Cops: The Ominous Growth of Paramilitarism in American
Police Departments: "It is an excellent reference to the concerns
of many citizens and law enforcement officers as well.
I've noticed that a
lot of modern and young ninja wannabes get glassyeyed about wearing BDUs
and fritz helmets and carrying MP5s, leg holsters for their M9s, flak vests,
and cool web gear without the slightest idea of what regular Army soldiers
and Marines endure in hardship and training to be who and what they
are.
The militarization of
law enforcement in the US is scary because I'm here to tell you that I served
8 years in the Regular Army, and soldiers are trained to kill people and
break their equipment and infrastructure. That's not what civil cops do,
and I have grave reservations about the encroaching federal influence in
domestic local law enforcement. I also have grave issues with cops adopting
a military mindset....remember what the Germans did with uniforms and
iconography.
Maybe you've not met
some of these hotshots, but I have met a few and but for very strong leadership
from supervision, some of them are disasters waiting to happen. Waco was
a result of many fubars but the military aspects of that operation were
unmistakable and tragic. Cops died, citizens died, and I expect that two
uniformed deputies could have walked up to that church and served a warrant
on Koresh before all that happened without as much as a ruffled
feather.
I could be wrong, but
there was a reason the founders didn't want a standing army and we shouldn't
turn our cops into ninjas, soldiers and assault shock troops. There is no
justification for it by crime rate, types of crime, incident frequency or
statistically. I may have been a warrior in the 101st, but I damn sure wasn't
a warrior in the L.A. Sheriff's Department. I was a cop. We serve the citizens
99 percent of the time and go to battle very seldom, and rarely even the
with firearms. We need to get closer to the citizens on the beat, not widen
the gap with cool looking BDUs, fritz brain buckets and black boots und zen
vee haff our German MP5s....
I'm so sick of these
weenies whining about being outgunned."
Officer Bruce Emmott
writes:
"Being a "warrior,"
in my opinion, has nothing at all to do with paramilitarism. The warrior
ethic is a state of mind, a way you go about your work, the way you feel
about what you do. I always considered myself to be a warrior, and thankfully
even people who didn't much care for me told me "you're a warrior" on many
occasions.
I rather think Joe and
a few others here are warriors as well—real street cops with a sense
of who they are and the importance of what they do. Like the military, the
police service has it's REMF's, and it has its warriors. It's the warriors
who go out there day after day, night after night—in the face of critics
within the job and from outside—and do the work that HAS to be done
to keep the streets safe for everyone. "
The Warrior culture being
an integral part of Cop culture, I personally have no doubts as to the ability
of qualified, level-headed LE personnel being able to differentiate between
the Warrior ethic of a battlefield and the lower intensity conflict which
is modern day civilian law enforcement. These two gentlemen are a perfect
example.
Yet, from the urban concrete
jungles of the inner cities to the outlying, more secluded jurisdictions,
law enforcement is coming under an unprecedented attack, not from a tangible,
physical enemy, but from within the political forums, those arenas engaged
in the "War Of Ideas."
CURRENT
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL TRENDS.
Back
Within our current political
and social environment, the result of four decades of complacency and
carelessness on the part of Conservative American society has definitely
become evident. Especially in regard to the concerted attack on the
traditionally Conservative world of professional law
enforcement.
For clarification, when
I use the term, "our current political and social environment," I'm refering
to the racially/socially charged circumstances that Liberalism and these
militant Socialist activists has whipped up in recent years, indeed, the
past four decades, to advance their overt Socialist agenda in American society
and government. This assertion has gone past the realm of the "ramblings
of the paranoid, lunatic fringe" and into our daily newspapers. Chuck
Baldwin exposes this ongoing tactic clearly and eloquently in a commentary
I have called
"Liberalism
In A Nutshell."
It has fostered this warped
idea that somehow the criminal is the victim, a product of his environment,
and that he is to be "understood" and not punished at all for his anti-social
behavior. Most have heard the pseudo psycho-babble foisted on intelligent
society by these goofy Communist "social engineers" and burned out, drug
addled 60's flower children who call themselves "professors" now. The
ensuing liberal ideas infecting society are that "it's not his fault," but
extenuating circumstances and the oppressive structure of "white male dominated
Capitalism," or that he "ate too many Twinkies®." The print and broadcast
media is more than willing to provide commentary and ample exposure and air
time in defense of these warped and corrupt ideas, painting professional
LE in the worst possible light. But there is a method to their madness,
whether you choose to look at it from a temporal or spiritual
perspective.
It is becoming abundantly
clear what the long-term goals and agenda of the radical and extremist Liberal
Left are, concerning the independent local LE departments. These are the
proponents of a nationalized Police force, the incremental Federalization
of the American law enforcement community. A basic tenet of Socialism, so
anathema to American history and ideals—to freedom—is
control. Time after time, we read in the
mainstream press about another local LE department or big city agency that is
"under investigation" by the Feds because of some purported abuse or corruption
on that department's part, then the inevitable "Federal Consent Decree" is
enacted which basically declares that department under Federal supervision. I
did a Yahoo!
search on Federal LE investigations, "consent decrees," and police brutality
investigations. This is going on all over the nation. Most of these locales
have their own online newspapers. It's all right out there in front of God
and everybody.
CNN.com - Los Angeles will not accept consent decree....(Yes, they will)
[ http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/06/07/lapd/ ]
CNN.com - Los Angeles will not....
Montgomery County Police and
Racial Profiling: DOJ Extorts Agreement!
[ http://www.adversity.net/MontgomeryCountyPolice/
racial_profiling_DOJ_agreement.htm ]
Montgomery County....CNN.com - Pittsburgh settlement could be model for LAPD....
[ http://www.cnn.com/2000/LAW/05/12/lapd.justice/ ]
CNN.com - Pittsburgh settlement....
ACLU in the Courts: Pittsburgh....
[ http://www.aclu.org/community/pennsyl/pittcd.html ]
ACLU in the Courts: Pittsburgh....
Pittsburgh, PA. Consent Decree
[ http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/police/html/consent_decree.html ]
Pittsburgh, PA. Consent Decree
Law News Network -- Consent Decree Reached Between New Jersey....
[ http://www5.law.com/nj-shl/display.cfm?id=2755 ]
Law News Network -- Consent....
U.S. Department of Justice Consent Decree with the City of Columbus....
[ http://www.publicsafety.ci.columbus.oh.us/doj.htm ]
U.S. Department of Justice....Suit claims 30 years of bias by city police - (Cincinnati)
[ http://enquirer.com/editions/2001/03/15/loc_suit_claims_30_years.html ]
Suit claims 30 years of bias....Consent Decrees - Law Enforcement Forum (Officer.Com)
[ http://www.officer.com/ubb/Forum5/HTML/000229.html ]
Consent Decrees - Law Enforcement Forum....Feds Threaten To Take Over Ohio Police (LEAA Online)
[ http://www.leaa.org/shield/winterspring2000/feds.html ]
Feds Threaten To Take Over Ohio Police....
CONSENT DECREE IN SETTLEMENT OF CLAIMS (City of Willis, Texas)
[ http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/emp/documents/willissa.htm ]
CONSENT DECREE....
There are a few
more I have researched, within smaller jurisdictions, but I couldn't find them
right off. The one article I have read—pretty compelling—concerning this newer
trend is on the John Birch Society website. Yes, I know these people have
garnered a "racist, conspiracy" reputation over the years, but the article is
pretty insightful concerning the legal aspects of this trend, especially on a separation of Federal/States
power issue. They also have a few other "pro-local LE" articles posted. Read
them with a critical and analytical, but logical, perspective.
Nationalizing Our Police (JBS.org)
[ http://web.archive.org/web/20050507055755/http://www.jbs.org/artman/publish/article_150.shtml ]
Nationalizing Our Police (JBS.org)
Those who, holding
big government ideologies and beliefs, benefit from these trends. They ridicule these things as "conspiracy
theories," the employment of the logical fallacy of "prejudicial language," in a
furtive attempt to deflect people's attention from them, yet these trends
are all chronicled in the mainstream press. From what I hear, the Riverside PD
(CA) has had the threat of something like this hanging over them, in the
aftermath of the Tyisha Miller shooting, and I believe the threat of that
impending imposition influenced ex-RPD Chief Gerry Carroll to engage in the
actions which led to his "resignation."
Resignation Of The COP ~
[ http://www.salemthesoldier.us/cop_resignation.html ]
Resignation Of The COP ~
You'll notice that
all of these situations are rooted in allegations of racism, racial bias, and LE
departments that need to be "reformed," etc., and are fueled on the pretext of
civil rights violations.
I have been doing
this for a number of years now, running with the cops. As a private citizen, I
have yet to meet one sworn LE officer who gave a hoot
about what color or ethnic background somebody was or came from. In their minds,
a criminal is a criminal, regardless of their ethnic background or skin color.
The vast majority are consummate professionals and absolutely level-headed
and fair minded.
Officer Joe Horn
writes:
"Mike, if a black patrolman works in a white town or
neighborhood and makes ten felony arrests a day, why isn't he called a
"profiler"? But, if a honkus uniformus works in a black or hispanic beat, and
all you arrest are blacks or hispanics, you become a racial profiler. This is
just more kneejerk response to the Sharptons, Jacksons and Edelmans, who, if not
denying the crime rates among their constituents, try to convince us that they
really think their constituents should be able to loot, burn, rape, rob, and
steal to their hearts content because of slavery and oppression. They think
being arrested for a crime is unfair after 'all' they went through.. As far as I
can tell, Jackson, Sharpton, et al, have never broken a sweat in a real job
besides being race hustling poverty pimps...."
On the contrary,
the racial profiling "phenomenon" has brought forth much commentary from
credible and eloquent LE people condemning it as another sham and political tool
utilized by particulars within the political and Liberal activist community to
divide people and demonize and manipulate the professional LE community to their
own ends (maintaining their political power base). They have to undermine
the confidence in the Locally controlled Police department so there is little
resistance to them stepping in on a Federal level and obtaining control.
Indeed, the proper
term is "criminally profiling" from the LE perspective.
Racial Profiling ~
[ http://www.domelights.com/racprof2.htm ]
Racial Profiling ~
Racial Profiling: Who Is Stereotyping Whom?
[ http://www.domelights.com/racprof1.htm ]
Racial Profiling: Who Is Stereotyping Whom?
Personally, I have
to ask what makes the Federal law enforcement community morally superior to the
Local one to stand in judgment against them? The Feds certainly aren't without
blemish. Indeed, their own conduct in many areas within the scope of the
national LE forum has done much to damage their own
credibility.
Joseph McNamara, a
retired police chief of San Jose and Kansas City who has written extensively
about the LAPD recently said this about the city of Los Angeles entering into a
consent decree with the Federal government, quoted from the Los Angeles Times:
"...However bad
things are at the LAPD, however, McNamara believes the city is making matters
worse by entering into a consent decree with the Justice Department. "The federal government doesn't know how to run anything,
especially police departments," says McNamara. "The
record of federal law enforcement agencies is even worse. This tendency to give
all power to the feds makes things worse and you spend more money. The tradition
of local policing is really a sacred one for a free society, but we seem willing
to trade it away. The FBI is not accountable like a local force. Willie Williams
got fired and L.A.'s new mayor will probably fire Bernard Parks. On a local
level, at least there is some degree of control and accountability. But who
controls the Justice Department? No one."
Note well I
believe the Federal law enforcement community has their place in the national LE
framework. Nuclear arms
proliferation in third world countries and the growing threat of weapons of mass
destruction; bio-chem weapons--anthrax and sarin gas; small, easily concealed
and transportable tactical/theater nuclear weapons, being unleashed on an
innocent and naive American public are becoming an ominous threat. America's
enemies from overseas are many, envious of our prosperity and very annoyed by our pushy, intrusive political foreign
policy as well as the documented abuses of the greedy American corporations here
and overseas (i.e. the "Globalists"). Unless you have another avenue to
offer for dealing with international terrorism or crime on a global scale? I
think it's a little out of the league and beyond the resources of the local
Sheriff.
But the Federal LE
community, in recent years, is definitely over-stepping their bounds in many
areas, pertaining to local American LE affairs.
Lets examine these
different aforementioned groups' tactics–the weaknesses they are exploiting.
The extremist Socialist Left is pushing for the Federalization of the
Local Police force, whether we choose to accept that as fact or not. The
avenue they are exploiting is the decidedly "Old School" Conservative cop
culture, the Warrior culture already examined, clashing with society's
morally bankrupt condition and ensuing wishy-washy ability to stand up to crime.
Officer Devin
Chase (Iron Sharpens
Iron) writes:
"The longer that I'm in this career, the more I know that
true officer safety involves more than just keeping yourself from being shot.
Officer safety means getting to finish your career, not having your career
finished for you, through a physical attack, or more
likely through a political or media attack."
THE "OLD SCHOOL" LE COMMUNITY AND
PHILOSOPHY.
Back
One active duty
"Old School" officer wrote this in response to the aforementioned video,
concerning his department, the way things used to be, and the way they are now.
I thought it was great.
"Hey Gang, I haven't seen the [video] yet but if you think I
have one iota of sympathy for the maggot, your dreaming. Frankly, and I know
this may shock some of you if not all, I think anytime these turds shoot police,
endanger the public, or commit some other anti-social criminal behavior, they
should get hammered. Let me tell you why before you go nuts
though.
I work for
<snip> here in good ole Southern California. I grew up in a city just
north of <snip> and even then <snip> put the fear of God in all who
dared to cross the line. When I got hired twelve years ago, <snip> was
relatively crime free, yet it was surrounded by some of the worst cities in
Southern California. Why was it like that? Because if a maggot came into the
city and tried his brand of anti-social behavior then tried to fight us, he was
flogged. Most of our prisoners went to the "13th" floor of USC medical to be put
back together. Those guys told their buddies who in turn told their friends and
they pretty much stayed out of <snip>.
Well, here we are
twelve years later and guess what? The city is just like any other "inner city"
and we now have gang members everywhere. We are a "kindler, gentler, police
department " and the crooks love it. Now before you get on your soapbox and
wring your hands, we were a department that was for purposes, pretty much
lawsuit free. Why is that? Because these maggots knew what was going to happen.
They were "old school" crooks who believed that if the cops caught them and they
fought, stand by for the Wrath of God.
Todays crooks,
along with the demonic media, are told to fight, shoot it out with the cops,
take them on long and deadly pursuits, and hey if those rotten cops touch you
and give you an owwee, you can sue them and take away their jobs! Now combine
that with citizens who want a crime free world with perfect cops and you have
what we have today.
So that being
said, I'll repeat myself and say I have absolutely no mercy for that [sic]
maggot. I had two friends shot and nearly killed when I first started police
work and I realized this is a war where maggots play for keeps and kill cops.
No, I'm old school, and before the age of touchy, feely, waa wa teachings, cops
kept our streets safe. We don't have that anymore do we? You see we changed but
the crooks didn't. Well I feel better now. Hope you out there in IPOC land
didn't have a seizure reading this."
Did I have a
seizure? Yeah, laughing appreciatively there are real cops like this still out
there roaming our streets! Those without the resources or ability to
defend themselves surely depend on officers like this. This officer has stated
the most basic principles of effective street patrol and civilian law
enforcement, while also clearly modeling and parallelling the restraining
influence of the Holy Spirit in the spiritual realm. I whole-heartedly
agree with his philosophy, as proven in this Tuesday, September 26, 1998 letter
to our local paper, the Press-Enterprise:
To Win The War On Crime ~
An interesting
contrast in the articles you read in the paper these days. First, the one
decrying the reputation of "brutality" surrounding the LAPD's Hollenbeck
Division. Next, the little 3-year-old shot and killed in Cypress Park. The Mark
Fuhrmans aside, do you think maybe the people of professional law enforcement
know exactly what they are doing in dealing with these animals? Yet we continue
to assault them under a barrage of criticism.
If we as citizens
cannot stomach what it takes for professional law enforcement to win the war on
crime, then we have no right being shocked when an innocent family is ambushed
on a dead-end street by a gang of vicious predators. You cannot have it both
ways.
Michael A.
Baker
One officer said
in response to the previous commentary:
"The citizens want us to protect their cars, their
properties and their lives....but they don't like to see the way it gets
done." Being a civilian myself, obviously that isn't true. Still, a good
portion of mainstream law-abiding society which supports unequivocally the local
LE department shouldn't be rolled together with the street naive, Walmart
shopping, "Soccer Mom" types and Liberal hand-wringers who don't, decrying the
"brutality" of the hard-core reality of policing the
streets of modern day America.
In my opinion, one of the most clear
portrayals of the realities of being a cop on the mean streets of America, is Ranger Mike's commentary on the Amadou Diallo shooting
which took place in New York. Straight Conservative cop
mind-candy!
Going a little bit deeper, another
one of the most jarring examples to me of the divide in understanding between
civilian and cop culture–simply perceptions–was the commentary veteran NYPD
Officer Bruce Emmott delivered to a young man who is seeking to become a leader
in the Second Amendment community, a discussion which happened in private. It
pertained to a disagreement that had taken place–hypothetical situations were
laid out; demands were made concerning the responses of professional law
enforcers in the forum.
Remember, this was a straight civilian (I know the
background—I was one of them at one time) with little, if any, military or
LE life experience or insight, in the presence of combat and Police veterans,
men with service strips, seen and unseen, all the way to the ends of their
sleeves.
The basis of the confrontation–all
simply traced back to noncom ignorance and lack of understanding these glaring
cultural differences. Officer Emmott, a highly decorated LE veteran,
writes:
...You've
commented that you consider me to be one-sided in this affair. Correct,
absolutely. Cops stick together out of necessity - a fact you haven't been able
to comprehend, apparently. Attack one of us - you attack us all. I believe
Leroy's position is the correct one in 
this situation, and
naturally I will favor his judgment over yours - or anyone else's, for
that matter. What makes you think I would NOT be that way? When I see you and
your friends making statements that are anathema to me - do you really think I
would consider you a friend or supporter? You've made many mistakes in this
situation, not the least of which is underestimating who you are up against. For
you to say that someone in the list is feeding you what is going on only shows
me two possibilities: One, that there are some cops who were never REALLY cops -
cops who have not seen the elephant or had to depend on other cops to survive,
and two, that we cannot really trust most civilians. Anyone who knows me is
aware that I have had, for a long time, a very low opinion of many cops - due in
large part to the proliferation of cops with no military background or
background in discipline, or lower standards overall. You can relate to that, I
think. That is one of the reasons I retired, after all.
But that doesn't
diminish my support for the INSTITUTION of police work. So - while I feel
entirely free to criticize individual cops (which I do frequently) and how they
conduct themselves - I do so from the position of having
BEEN one. You don't have that luxury, which is something I tried to make you
understand. You simply cannot waltz into a society of
warriors and act as you do. That may be de riguer in the company you keep
and in your generation, but in my generation and among my peers it doesn't wash.
It's kind of like walking into a bar near Fort Bragg wearing a flash, when you
have never been part of the Brotherhood. We have what are known as "challenge
coins" to sort out the phonies our built-in antenna pick up. The cops are much
the same - we have certain phrases that clue us to the bonifides of wannabes. I
include some cops in the wannabe category too, as a matter of fact. Guys who go
around boasting and posturing are the objects of as much disdain as any other
wannabe. Guys who have seen the elephant rarely if ever talk about it. I can
assure you - I can talk about it if I wanted to. I mention on my website that I
was/am a member of the Police Honor Legion, but what I didn't go into is why I
was so honored (and I never will). Rest assured you don't get in that group by
ASKING to be a member - you have to have the bonifides and you are then proposed
by current members after a lengthy investigation. Simply having a gong doesn't
get you in, because all cops know how those things work. Apx 200 members out of
30 thousand should give one a clue. Am I cocky sometimes? I guess so. I think I
earned the right, but I don't posture.
I guess I could write a few PAGES concerning this situation,
but to what purpose? I don't think you're capable of understanding us (as you've
admitted) so there is nothing to be gained from further collaborations with your
group. Reading your recent comments and your bio has left me with the opinion
that this is all about [you] and nothing else.
Leroy has pointed out that you have a talent for
organization and rallying people to your cause. He's right - you do. You've
taken an issue and run with it, and in so doing brought a lot of attention to a
cause we all believe in. The problem with all of it is your motives, which are
not so clearly defined. I haven't gotten a handle on exactly what you have in
mind yet, but I'm sure collaboration with police officers is not a big part of
it. 
I think its a means to an end. Cops have so
little public support that they gravitate to just about anyone who gives them
something to cling to. I suspect you realize at least that much. But I caution
you that MOST cops are very good at seeing the BS behind the posturing. In time,
the real agenda for your apparent support for the police will be evident to all.
Some people just don't have as well developed senses of smell as others, that's
all.
Officer
Emmott continues:
...You are not, were not, and never will be a cop. You are clueless what cops are about and what the job is
about. You have shown yourself to be incapable of understanding cops or
their feelings. You will not ever be part of our world, and by your actions have
shown us you are one of those we cannot trust - since you don't trust us. We
have seen the enemy, and the enemy is you.
Try being the man you claim to be and drop this nonsense out
of hand and you MIGHT regain some credibility. In our
world, manhood has to be proven. Respect and recognition is given to those who
have seen the elephant and paid the price of their commitment - it does not
come from demands or threats. Personally - I doubt you have it in
you.
No - you are not the strong supporter of police you claim to
be. You support those officers who follow your narrow definition of what honor
is - meaning allegiance to what YOU think is correct. If you'd like to talk to a
civilian who really supports and understands cops, reach out to Mike Baker. You
might learn something.
Deputy Joe Horn
writes this in correspondence to a certain high-profile, well respected
individual within the Second Amendment activist community who had stooped to
exploiting active duty law enforcement to benefit their organization. It
made some points concerning citizens and the law I felt worth seeing
repeated:
"I read with dismay your recent alert about the VA incident.
Per your alert, it happened almost a year ago and I do not recall hearing about
it and I consider myself to be fairly current on civil rights, 2nd Amendment
issues, and police misconduct cases of note.
Your alert makes a series of allegations, of stopping with
No Probable Cause. Stopping for no reason? I heard that from every criminal I
ever arrested. Threatened arrest for possession of 1st Amendment materials?
Nonsense. Threatened arrest for possession of ammunition. In what charge?
Finally, she is arrested for refusing to identify herself.
Bingo!
Now, obstruction of Justice? If you are stopped by a traffic
officer or other officer for an infraction or traffic violation you will be
asked for your license, registration and insurance per
the laws your elected reps, not the cops, have passed with your input or without
it. If you do not have a driver's license in your possession, they can still
verify you have one when they ask you your name so they can verify it, give you
your ticket, and you are on your way. If you refuse to identify yourself while
operating a vehicle, you will be arrested and detained until prints identify
you.
Do you have any independent corroborative information to
offer in reference to this event? What has been written is very subjective and
is not journalism unless you compare it to left wing journalism from which we
all suffer attacks of this nature and deplore it from the
housetops.
It seems there is a tendency to
attack the local police by fund-driven 2A organizations, when in fact, rank and
file LE are the majority 2A supporters. By now, the trooper's arrest report
and the preliminary pleadings have long since been accomplished and are public
record. Did you obtain them? If not, why not? We at 2AMPD don't like bad cops
and there are a few around, just like there are criminal "citizens" who don't
represent gun owners any more than the handful of bad cops represent me or our
members or the 800,000 cops in Local LE that daily deal with millions of
interactions with no ill effects. None.
So, what is your point? Do you
subscribe to the Local Law Enforcement Firearms Confiscation Hysteria/ theory?
Are you going to join the fringe groups that have called all cops nazis, and
called for their deaths simply for being cops? Where are you going with this
and what is your point?
This did not even involve the 2A and sounds more like a
contest of will. What ever, your subjective characterisations simply reduce the
the value of future Alerts as the veracity will be questionable with tabloid
sensationalism such as this. I hope you don't stoop to this sort of "reportage"
again.
We in and and retired from LE are not
the enemy. Apathetic, lazy, non-activist, paranoid gun owners who don't vote
because they paranoidly fear being on a voter or tax roll are. If gun owners
voted, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I look forward to balance
from you in the future."
AMERICAN POLITICS, AND PRIVATE CITIZEN/COP CULTURE
CLASH.
Back
Is the "Old
School" way of thinking and philosophy (effective, proactive Police work) going
to continue to work in these racially/socially charged and politicized times?
Not without some conflict and LE casualties, not with live audio and cameras in
the sky and on every corner, not with a morally bankrupt, mush-minded public so
quick to kowtow to the Socialist/Liberal spin and "interpretation" of
high-profile LE related media events. Not without righteous cops being burned by
it.
That's the end result of all this socialist/liberal
ideology and activism. Now they are targeting the very heart and core of the law
enforcement community; the Warrior ethic; the very standards that maintain the
quality of American life, whether in the law enforcement community, or any
aspect of our society.
Officer Joe Horn
responds to this article which is one of many that has been printed
in the Los Angeles Times concerning the Rampart Division turmoils in the
LAPD:
"Do you all SEE how
they ignore the administrations of Willie "Refrigerator" Williams, and Bernard
"Sleepy" Parks, their hiring standards, affirmative action BS and the PC
feelings based Training....and their non-existent supervision and their
non-existent LEADERSHIP! That's the LAST place you put affirmative
hires.
Those Affirmative
Action Chiefs have damned near destroyed one of the finest Police Departments in
the world. I weep for the good cops within that Dept., and I hope they weather
this well...."
That "subculture" is the
very Warrior Ethic we have all been talking about, the very core of Police
society, the very society represented by these experienced and very qualified
men. I don't know how bad the gang situation is in various national locales, but
here in in sunny So. Cal. they are vicious little animals. No, they aren't
"children" as the liberal press portrays them.
And the radical
Socialist/Liberal left wants to start "engineering" Police culture to match
their warped ideas of what they believe to be a "kinder, gentler" institution?
In light of the reality of policing the modern streets of America? Good,
gosh....
I am continuously amazed
at how the Liberal Left exploits the media's influence to advance their agenda.
I'm continuously amazed at how naive, clueless, and oblivious mainstream society
is to the personal hazards (in light of correct statistical perspectives) that
American professional law enforcement faces every day out on the
streets.
Chaplain Bill
(ret.), President and founder of the Inland Police Officer's Coalition comments
on the very real violence they face on the streets of America. After his
department endured the politically generated controversy surrounding the Tyisha
Miller shooting in Riverside (CA), he and his peers were mandated to attend a
P.O.S.T. certified in service school at the Simon Weisanthal Center in Los
Angeles.
Chaplain Bill, in
follow-up correspondence to the Center, challenged them on the content of the
presentation by saying, "...One of your instructors had
the audacity to tell the class of police officers that '...We had no enemies,
criminals are not our enemies, crime is!' I ask you, who commits the
crime? A criminal does."
Chaplain Bill, in
the presence of his peers there, as well as a few senior officers from his
department also present, queried the instructor, "...Why
don't you tell RSO Deputy Eric Thach's widow that the criminal is not
our enemy?" RSO Deputy Thach had just lost his life, while executing his
duties as an American Police officer, prior to this in service school. He was
treacherously shot in the back with a heavy caliber weapon, ambushed by a
criminal who fired at him from behind a window while burglarizing a
house.
FIGHTING IN THE ARENA.
Back
Chaplain Bill
comments further, focusing a little more narrowly on contending with the enemy
in the arena of battle,
I have
heard officers quote: "I don't get paid to take these chances or to get shot!"
Oh, then who does the citizen call, for crying out loud? Our job is to lay our
life down for a total stranger, if necessary. I have seen officers in LAPD make
u-turns in the opposite direction from the location of a known "shooting in
progress" or any other anticipated violent radio call. Why? Because they have
the "eight for eight syndrome." Which means they get paid for eight hours and
that's all their going to give.
When I was serving
with the LAPD, the LAPD's shooting policy has an over-emphasis on "finding
cover." Then "maintaining cover."
What a lot of
officers do is they "run for that cover" for their safety, as their first
consideration, rather than attempting to "stop the threat" while doing so; this
gives the suspect time. An officer possessing the true "warrior ethic" will not
just run for cover; this gives the armed gunman an opportunity to escape. A true
warrior would place suppression fire towards/at the suspect, while he's
attempting to take the cover as well.
Cover is only an
option. And if the cover is too great a risk to obtain, we then need to remain
engaged in the gun battle. Never retreat, never create a "fatal funnel" for the
enemy. Cover is not a place to "hide." It is a place to increase your chance of
survival and that's all! If we hide behind our cover, then we have become a
coward.
As in my November
1991 shooting, I had to leave my cover and engage in further gun battle, so that
the suspect would not escape, kill my partner, or another
citizen."
In his personal testimony, among his other OIS's, he chronicles the same
November gang related shooting that he barely escaped from.
Pulling up to a church while on patrol in Los Angeles, five gang members, equipped with stolen handguns, started firing at Chaplain Bill and his partner.
Chaplain Bill
recounts the scenario: "When I confronted the gang
members, I was immediately met with a hail of gunfire. It wasn't the kind of
shooting that lasts two or three seconds and then it's over. This shooting
lasted about 30 to 40 seconds. This gun battle included laying down suppression
fire in a defensive manner, offensive shooting on the move, walking and running,
and skip shooting underneath cars."
While under fire,
Chaplain Bill exited the unit and moved to the rear of the vehicle. 
His partner was in the front seat in the line of
fire. Chaplain Bill moved to the left, leaving the vehicle as cover and
laid down suppression/cover fire so his partner could escape the vehicle and
join the gun battle.
His partner exited
the unit and took cover behind the right front wheel, using the engine block as
cover between himself and the assailants. As Chaplain Bill continued in
the gun battle, he expended his remaining ammunition. Shouting,
communicating, to his partner that he was out of ammo and to cover him, he
realized his partner was non-responsive. Chaplain Bill popped the trunk of
the unit while under fire, retrieved a pre-loaded magazine out of his war bag,
reloaded his weapon—then transitioned from a defensive mode to an offensive
one.
Chaplain Bill
comments, "This gang member, one of five, had every
opportunity to flee, to avoid an arrest; indeed to avoid being shot. But
he chose to not avoid harms way, but had the will and audacity to continue the
engagement of the gun battle, to kill a Police officer."
"At the point I'm
realizing, I have to take all necessary steps, I have to shoot to kill.
Department policy was to shoot to stop, but it was necessary to shoot to
kill, to use the maximum amount of force necessary to stop this
guy."
Chaplain Bill
continues, "In the middle of this shooting, I'm worried
about civil litigation; is the department going to criticize me, is the shooting
going to be within policy guidelines? I already know it is, but how will
the administration perceive this? You have to realize, this is only seven
months after the Rodney King incident."
At this moment,
this was not a Police officer who was concerned about "community Policing," a
"kinder, gentler" LE presentation, or this gang member's "unfortunate, unfair"
upbringing or "oppressed" background. This was not a Police officer who
was worried about reaching out to the community.
No, at this
moment, this officer was a tasked metropolitan soldier, a Warrior entering into
an ancient and unseen arena, within a much wider theater of battle. This
was a trained man of caliber, a man of superior mind, heart, and body,
contending with the worst that society could throw against him. Not
engaging a poor, misguided youngster, but being forced to deal decisively with
an urban predator. And prevailing.
Paramilitarism?
Excessive use of force?
Chaplain Bill
relates the followup to this personal OIS: "...Later,
after the shooting, we discovered that the suspect was wanted for a murder which
took place Halloween night (two weeks prior).
He also robbed an
off-duty LAPD Sergeant one year prior. He stabbed the Sergeant in the back
while the Sergeant was withdrawing money from an ATM machine in LA. The
Sergeant, critically wounded, then drew his concealed off-duty weapon and
shot the suspect in the chest. The suspect was soon to be freed by the
judicial system, only later to be killed by me....
The justice system sentenced him to death, by releasing
him...."
Note well that
Chaplain Bill was recommended to receive the LAPD "Medal of Valor" for this
incident. This never went through. Chaplain Bill's partner froze
under fire, fleeing in the face of "the Beast." In the racially and
politically charged environment that this shoot-out took place in, it was
thought the awarding of this commendation would make Chaplain Bill's partner
"look bad," casting him in a negative light.
Why the
controversy? His partner was the wrong color.
No matter. . . Chaplain Bill holds a much higher commendation in the hearts and minds of his peers within the unseen society of the Warriors, a fraternity where affirmative action, racial quotas, and the arbitrary dictates of mere men have absolutely no bearing or relevance in the induction of individuals into this exclusive class.
Rather, personal
merit, duty, honor, and courage, does prevail within this exclusive
realm.
FIGHTING IN THE POLITICAL ARENA.
Back
Officer Leroy Pyle
is a model for any other active duty law enforcement officer who would take a
stand on principle in the face of the status quo and "political correctness," as
well as the coercion and intimidation of the ticket-punching, self-serving,
promotion-minded LE leadership. Renown nationwide for his public
stand concerning the Second Amendment and civilian gun ownership, he has
contended with many a formidable adversary in the arena of American
politics.
Officer Pyle
discusses his exploits in this regard, while denouncing the fear-mongering
levelled against the men and women of professional law enforcement by activist
groups within the Conservative community,
“I really am dismayed at the extent of the fear of cops and
government displayed by supposed “activists”.
I resent it,
actually, and for a couple of reasons. The first, obviously, is the great amount
of energy expended to renounce all law enforcement based on the anecdotal
incidents of errors or abuse. We denounce Sarah Brady for using an incident such
as the recent office shooting to paint all gun owners as the evil empire, but
are more than willing to accept the same emotional rhetoric and obviously
bigoted “news” if it serves our purposes. Seems a bit two-faced to
me.
And second, the fear and paranoia is for the weak. Weak minded and weak
willed. I spent years in legal battles with my chief and the city council. I
didn’t fear them. They were politicians that held different political
philosophies than I did, and I fought them. It must be easy to fear “the
government” or “the cops” if you dehumanize them instead of thinking of them as
people. I had tremendous support from cops and politicians, so it is difficult
to accept this constant anti-government refrain of fear and paranoia. I didn’t
like all of them, for sure, but I wasn’t afraid. And I didn’t just talk a good
story like so many keyboard commandos are locked into, nowadays. When my
attorney attempted to fight the Infernal Affairs complaint against me for my
public appearances in favor of 2AM Rights, he pointed out that my chief had
posed in full uniform for HCI ads and had used his letterhead to solicit HCI
donations. The City Council determined that what HE was doing was EDUCATIONAL
and what I was doing was POLITICAL. The IA complaint held. So I didn’t like
them, but there was nothing to fear. One of those council members went on to
Congress!
And Dick Mountjoy
and Tom McClintock are politicians that will always have my greatest respect.
They were California politicians who support the 2AM and came to my defense
during my more activist days. They served me a subpoena to testify in favor of
firearms rights in the legislature. The subpoena was intended to protect me from
the wrath of the chief. Even so, the Speaker of the House, a Democrat, took
every opportunity to berate me during the appearance. Him, I didn’t like, but
there are very many politicians out there who are very respectable and worthy
individuals. I testified a few times before committees in DC, too, at the
invitation of very pro-gun legislators. And it was apparent that there are very
many anti-gun legislators, too! I didn’t fear them.”
AMERICAN LE—FOREVER CAUGHT IN THE
MIDDLE.
Back
This conflict
between civilian culture, in all its forms, and professional law enforcement in
America, is I'm afraid, an outward representation of a much deeper problem in
American culture. I've been corresponding with professional law enforcement
people for a number of years. I can tell you with certainty, the divide between
cop culture and civilian culture is extremely wide. Always will be, I guess. As
I have laid out, it's two totally different worlds. I thought I was pretty
enlightened in the world of professional law enforcement. But as more time
passes, viewing the conduct of the civilians and the active duty and retired law
enforcers online has shown me I was not.
Police officers
have an incredible amount of influence over the civilian population. Just having
a uniformed officer come into a convenience store or pull up next to you in a
cruiser on the street elicits a response from the surrounding civilians.
Civilians, most of the time, get all excited and goofy around uniformed Police
officers. That's just the way it is. The authority, the presence of a
representative of the law—there's many different reasons.
Whether it's the
Conservative right-wing and Second Amendment community, and those who are under
the influence of that particular group, the same community that spawned the
original "jack-booted thugs" comment these many years ago, or the extremist
Liberal-left, they all advance their agendas through fear-mongering and
demonizing the law enforcement community. It's a tool; just another faceless,
voiceless community to exploit. They're not going to change their tactics,
because it works. Fear, whether irrational or not, motivates
people.
Do you understand?
Officer Joe Horn nailed it when he wrote:
"They view us, American citizens, cops, as the enemy. What's
new? The Left calls us Pigs, the Right calls us Nazis.
Way kewl......SEIG! oink, SEIG! oink, SEIG!
oink...."
You, the American
professional law enforcement community, always have been, always are, and always
will be, caught in the middle. These people, the fearful civilian and the
exploitive political community, will never fully grasp that—nor want to,
continually striving to manipulate and grasp at the LE community as pawns and
objects to be influenced to their own ends, because you bear the
badge.
Will that ever change? No, that goes
without saying.
Rather, focus on
denying the current opposition their opportunities to
attack–modify your behavior and tactics to deny your enemy territory and
ground.
OFFICER PERSONAL SPEECH STANDARDS AND COMMUNITY
PRESENTATION.
Back
I most certainly
understand that everybody doesn't believe like I do. The field of professional
law enforcement boasts a wide array of people from many different backgrounds
and upbringings, including the officers mentioned in this article. But if I may
offer a few suggestions from a Biblical perspective?
So many righteous cops have found themselves under attack because they got loose with their speech, especially in a public setting; something they said that was off-color and crude, only to be recorded somewhere or repeated by someone else who overheard it and exploited it in the current political environment.
Is this
"politically correct" censorship? You bet! Is this a blatant
violation of the First Amendment and an inexcusable double standard? You
bet! Is an officer being fired for
"inappropriate" comments a crime itself? You bet! Is a criminal
being portrayed as a "victim of circumstance" by being a "product of their
environment" infuriating and reprehensible? You bet! But that's
where we are at, living under the influence of this goofy Socialist/Liberal
social engineering. So adapt to it.
As a civilian, I
have the luxury of stating pretty much whatever I want, to get sloppy in my
speech without such severe repercussions. A Police officer, or anyone else
working in an official capacity as a community figure, doesn't have that same
luxury. Yet all of us as Christians, whether in LE or
not, are held to a higher speech and personal community presentation standard
than the world. The circumstances may change–get more difficult–God's
standards do not. Yet, we can do all things
through Christ who strengthens us. (Philippians 4:13). Including
prevailing in these tense, politicized times.
"That ye put off
concerning the former conversation (lifestyle of the world) the old man, which
is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts..."
(Ephesians 4:22)
"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,
but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto
the hearers." (Ephesians 4:29).
"...Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are
not convenient: but rather giving of thanks." (Ephesians 5:4)
Note well the many
other cautions in the Bible concerning our speech and the dangers of the tongue.
"Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from
speaking guile." (Psalm 34:14)
"I said, I will
take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I
will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me." (Psalm
39:1)
"There is that
speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of
the wise is health." (Proverbs 12:18)
There are many,
many more. All through the Bible the individual is cautioned and urged to police
their speech. Indeed, the Lord Himself said, "That every
idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of
judgment." (Matthew 12:36) How much misery a Police officer would be spared
in these PC times if only they held unwaveringly to the standards of Biblical
speech as directed to from the beginning, denying the enemy any opening or
opportunity to attack them in this area.
The Bible says: "Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my
lips." (Psalms 141:3) This watch should be in place at all times, whether on
duty or off duty and on our own time. It's not that hard to judge what is
considered appropriate and what is not. If an individual has been judged
to have enough sense to bear the responsibility of the badge, it's assured they
have the sense to know what is "off-color" and what is not. I fully understand that what is "inappropriate" is totally
arbitrary these days, especially with the wobbly criteria established by the
erratic and asinine thinking of the liberal left, but basic sensibility and
courtesy is a guide not too hard to follow.
To be clear, I
understand fully that law enforcement people, especially on the streets, use
speech and their voice as a tool, and I certainly am not attempting to deny them
that effective tool with what some might feel are unrealistic
standards.
When it comes down
to disarming a knife-wielding suspect, for example, on the streets, the
difference between an officer stating, "Please, sir, can you drop the knife, "
and commanding, "Drop the (bleep) knife, (bleep), or I'll drop you on
your (bleep, bleep)!!" the effectiveness of the
latter in attempting to gain suspect compliance is clear.
Good Cop, Bad
Mouth ~ By Larry Elder.
[
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=2812 ]
Good Cop, Bad Mouth ~
USE OF FORCE IN SEEKING SUSPECT COMPLIANCE.
Back
The Bible doesn't
contain a carefully defined "use of force" policy that would suit a modern day,
secular, Police department. So the shepherds of His Church, especially within
the Christian law enforcement community who have served on the streets with
honor and distinction, are most qualified to speak. A retired Police officer
states this:
"Time and time again, suspects resist, and may have force
used against them. If the suspect is wrong, then the Cop is right. The suspect
is commanded to submit to the Police Officer by God's law as well as
mans.
In closing, I want to emphasize that a Christian or
non-Christian police officer's goal and desire is to only use the minimum amount
of force necessary to effect the arrest, to overcome resistance, or to protect
another's life."
Officer Devin
Chase says this concerning use of force: "Remember too
Romans 13. Romans gives police officers the authority to use force, but it also
says that we (including police officers) are to be in subjection to the
governing authorities: For there is no authority except from God, and those
which exist are established by God. I read this to mean that we in law
enforcement should follow the dictates of our government (unless of course we
are ordered to go against God's law, in which case we do not carry out that
order!)."
No amount of
training can adequately deal with the "human factor." That is a standard and
bulwark which has to come from within the LE community itself—and the Warrior
community setting that standard, in holding to the
highest levels of professionalism, restraint, and integrity, in these high
stress Police actions.
FRUSTRATION WITH THE CURRENT STATUS QUO – AND THE RESTRAINTS
OF CONSTITUTIONAL LAW.
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The Word of God
instructs us to judge our hearts thus: "For if we would judge ourselves, we
should not be judged." (I Corinthians 11:31). It is beneficial then to
filter our experiences, attitudes, and personal views through the experiences of
those who have gone before us, the veterans and the Old Guard, and their
adventures in faith recorded in the Bible.
Note well the
conduct of Moses–the first Law Man–recorded in Exodus
chapter two, and some of his errors:
"And it came to
pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren,
and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of
his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that
there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand." (Exodus
2:11-12)
Moses, at this
time, had awakened to his heritage and was moved to stand in defense of his
brethren against Pharoah's tyranny. So, in his own strength, in "the flesh," and
outside of the Will of God, he murdered a man then tried to hide what he had
done. The next day, it became obvious to him that it was not unknown, he found
no support from his brethren, and he fled the repercussions of his wrong actions
into the wilderness. At this time, this action on his part was outside of the
Will of God, as his brethren, the Jews, still maintained the "slave" mentality
(like much of American society) and were in no way ready to follow him in
resistance against Pharoah. God knew this, but Moses, seeing with natural eyes,
and not spiritual, was naive to this. Many times incorrect attitudes and
perceptions translate into improper decisions and actions. The Lord then
Providentially sent him into the wilderness to learn the ways of discipline,
restraint, and obedience.
To learn the Code
of the Warrior.
A mentor and
friend of mine, R.D. Conner, once said to me:
"I have learned a
lot about God–about His personality, character, plans, and reasons–why He does
things. I stand in constant and unparalleled awe at His Mighty Works and His
unimaginable Wisdom. Constant study and repetition in His Word is the key, but
one must also acknowledge whatever God says in His written Word, to gain the
most from it."
The Lord has
protocols, rules, structure, and a clear way He "does things," indeed,
Constitutional law and the Bill of Rights sovereignly placed in American society
as a check on governmental power–and abuse–for all
our benefit, regardless of what we believe.
On the other hand,
today's modern day gang phenomenon can be compared to the pillaging Huns
tormenting first century Roman civilization–indeed, a "disciplining" force on
the morally bankrupt, decadent Italian culture enacted by the Lord to correct
that society. Note well the Hun hordes were not an "invasion" force,
coming to seize land or political power, but simply to loot and pillage–just
like today's gangs.
So many times I
listen to Conservative/Christian people and read myriad articles and commentary,
where the individual cries out for "somebody to do something!" concerning our
current social and political turmoils. Yet, moving outside of God's
structure and protocols, in our own frustration and impatience–just like the
young Moses–in a furtive bid to "do something" leads only to
failure.
Andrew Sandlin
emphasises these protocols in his commentary Principled Resistance to Civil Tyranny: One Man's
View:
"Please
understand: in the modern situation, to be politically inert is to refuse to
render to Caesar what is his. Representative civil government means we should
work to assure that we are properly represented. For Christians, this means
pressing the claims of Jesus Christ in the public sphere. For this reason,
Christians in the United States, for instance, should spend more time practicing
civil obedience (writing, voting, petitioning, working
precincts, preaching, praying imprecations, etc. ) than civil disobedience
(sit-ins, tax revolts, revolutionary militias, and so
forth). I repeat: the Bible does indeed justify civil disobedience, but only
when civil government prohibits what the Bible requires or requires what the
Bible prohibits. We must meet injustice with justice, not
greater injustice."
A law enforcement
related quote I recently acquired says it more succinctly:
"THOSE WHO HUNT THE MONSTER SHOULD TAKE CARE NOT TO BECOME
THE MONSTER THEY HUNT."
THE CASUALTIES OF THIS WAR.
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So what are the
options in light of all this?
Quit. The
heck with this lunacy! Enter the private sector. You would be
absolutely justified and who could blame you?
Or, as law
enforcement people who are clearly defined as "ministers of God," (Romans 13:4)
you can choose to accept the current social and political environment pertaining
to modern day law enforcement and adjust and adapt to it, continually
influencing your respective sphere of influence from the inside–for the better.
Live up to the higher personal and performance standards demanded of it.
The LE community talks about backing each other up; partners covering
their peers under fire. Surviving politically means
the need for LE people to recognize the hazards of the current political and
social environment and continually and objectively police their ranks, watching
over and cautioning their peers in the Brotherhood while in action on the
streets, denying the enemy any advantage while
keeping the Old School ways and the individuality and uniqueness of their
respective LE agencies alive.
I am continually
amazed and deeply appreciative of the caliber of law enforcement people the Lord
places me in the company of. Whether it is their service records or credentials,
their vast experience, their tales of the objective, gracious, and wise use of
their discretionary powers when on the streets, or that outrageous and hilarious
cutting and caustic sense of humor and way they express themselves (that only a
twenty years street patrol career can produce), they have always and continually
stood as the best American society has to offer. Some have come from a long
family history of law enforcement. Grandfathers, fathers, and now sons and a few
daughters, entering this mentally, spiritually, and physically, challenging
field. Consummate professionals with a very somber and deeply held commitment to
the laws of the Constitution and their vows to uphold that law.
Officers like the
"Riverside Four," Chaplain Bill, Sergeant Greg Preece (RPD), and Chaplain
William G. Kalaidjian (NYPD), are an example of the initial casualties—not much
different than an officer who dies in the line of duty—in this war of ideologies
that is at the foundation of the forces attacking the spectrum of professional
law enforcement in America today. Maintaining the Warrior protocols, they are
chance victims of the coercion, intimidation, threats, and political tyranny
unleashed against the people in their field.
It's easy in the
face of this lunacy to relax your grip, to withdraw mentally and physically from
the conflict. The honorable men and women of professional law enforcement now
face many critics without, as well as dilemmas within. But remember, a quote by
an unknown says: "A society that makes War against its
Police had better learn to make friends with its criminals."
A letter I sent to
the local paper concerning a regional contention said this,
"The citizens of
Riverside County can only come to one conclusion about the field of law
enforcement after reading the paper the past few weeks. It is clear we have
suddenly evolved into a society of non-violent, law-abiding, church-going
Christian people, this supported by the continuing decline in the crime
statistics
On the other hand,
the men and women of law enforcement have obviously degenerated into a bunch of
unrestrained, blood-thirsty, "haters of life," roving the peaceful streets of
our cities like rabid dogs, blowing away innocent citizens with unmitigated,
trigger-happy glee.
I suggest all
respective city councils immediately disband all local and county law
enforcement agencies as they have outlived their purpose. Think of the vast
financial savings to every municipality involved!
There will be one
bump in this road to utopia though. We have to float it by the widows and
families of Deputy Sheriffs Haugen, Lehmann, Hintergardt, et. al.,
first."
It’s only the
integrity, strength of character, dedication, and commitment to the highest
personal ideals, that more of the top qualified law enforcement officers don’t
just abandon the whole fiasco.
But to the men and women of professional law enforcement, nationwide, I hope you push onward. Never surrender. Because, you know the streets, you know what’s out there. The "Turner Diaries" and the Christian Identity crowd, the Aztlan adherents and the race hustlers, the anti-authority and Anarchist bunch, the bombers, as well as the plain simple criminal element that the Socialists think can be dealt with through their bizarre social engineering schemes, only to leave them to prey on the next hapless victim.
As Ranger Mike
stated, "...The bottom line, real deal is this, we deal
with thugs, rapists, murderers, thieves, hypes and people so vile that they
get labeled "Criminally Insane," given a football helmet and sent off to
Happy Land, where they spend all day ramming their heads into solid inanimate
objects...."
There’s many, many
innocent people without the resources and strength to
defend themselves, who lay their head down at night in relative peace, trusting
that out there in the night, is someone walking the wall around law-abiding
society, dedicated, aggressive, and professional, ready to do violence on their
behalf with the worst that society has to offer.
Some will fall, both physically and politically, from this society of Warriors, as casualties in this conflict between good and evil. But the Warrior protocols demand that the warrior commit to a higher ideal and standard—the Code—including rising above the blind hatred and trash hurled against them by the very society they are tasked to protect.
I think this was modeled most effectively by the patrol staff of the Riverside PD during the initial onset of the protests after the Tyisha Miller shooting The first day, on a Monday, the RPD held a memorial service for a fallen officer in the early morning. They then had to then turn around and work the protests.
I recall seeing the pictures in the paper the next morning. One depicted a few grim-faced officers in riot gear leading certain notable protesters away, including the infamous Al Sharpton, to be ceremoniously "booked." I recall observing the black tape placed across the badges of these arresting officers in honor of their fallen comrades.
The poignant irony
in these pictures was not lost on me, or a few others. These officers were
representative of a much wider community, exhibiting the same quiet nobility and
professional restraint–in the face of a blind and misguided mob–synonymous with
the society of the Warriors.
MAINTAINING THE WARRIOR CULTURE.
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It's interesting
to note, in the midst of this PC tyranny leveled against the field of
professional law enforcement, the way the Jews maintained the basic tenets of
Hebrew culture through the ages, before the rebirth of Israel. By and large,
Jewish culture was maintained orally, through story telling and teaching by
their community elders, passing these things on to younger
generations.
So too, should the
old men, both serving and retired, pass the protocols of the Warrior culture on
to the young officers and rookies who will be the up and coming recipients of
the legacy of the previous LE generation.
Officer
Bruce Emmott writes:
"...You can't
tease anyone anymore. The job has been hit with "PC" so hard it's just not fun
anymore. The very things that brought cops together - made them friends and
forged the bonds that made them willing to sacrifice for each other are GONE,
because nobody can laugh at themselves anymore...."
A veteran such as
this most certainly has earned the right to judge the field of law enforcement
and current trends. Yet, it was Chaplain William G. Kalaidjian, N.Y.P.D.
retired (and himself a member of the New York City Police Department Honor
Legion), who I previously mentioned was another casualty of this PC
tyranny unleashed against the field of law enforcement, who "...believes all veterans should support the various veteran
organizations because they are the educators and keepers
of our nation's patriotism."
In is inferred that the veteran law enforcers are also the keepers and educators of a standard of law enforcement and civilian policing that is slipping away, being beat down from misguided and shortsighted forces of many different types. I know you old timers have "done your time" and have paid your dues in service to this country. But if you withdraw now, you take with you the insights of a previous generation that are too precious to be lost. The up and coming generations will be the ones who are left without the basic understanding of the principles and standards you have spent your whole life upholding and defending. These things are sure not being taught in our schools. An oral history for the young remains in your possession. Don't let it be lost!
This same truth was clarified in a question that Officer Joe Horn answered by an unnamed individual:
"One thing I wanted to share with you. We have found that the "older" cops understand what the issues are ... but that the "younger" cops don't always understand. Is this also your experience?
Sadly, it's true. Many young cops born after 1965 (the date LBJ created the Dept. of Education) and subject to the new feelings based education devoid of substance have problems with self-discipline, restraint, and literacy, not to mention that the Constitution is rarely taught in context or in its entirety. Add the influence of federal training and hiring standards, imposed as the price for free federal money, equipment, and toys (Federal grants), and many also develop a siege mentality and become fear-biters, as in the Diallo Shooting, Tyisha Miller Shooting, ad nauseum.
The old timers try to train these kids and some are squared away, but I fear that the old guard is dwindling in number and influence. What it will be like in 25 years, no one can say."
It's important for
the younger generation to remember how to conduct themselves, when in their
presence, the Old Guard, that there are a few intangible protocols in force.
When a rookie or a noncom stands in the presence of the Warriors, he doesn't
presume to "tell" these men anything. He doesn't "demand" anything of them.
He doesn't tell them squat.
He sits down,
keeps his mouth closed, and learns the old ways, hoping to pass them on in
effective defense of the freedom the veteran Warriors fought and died to
maintain. I think it's just plain consideration and respecting your elders and
their obvious qualifications and experience.
Thou shalt rise up before the grey head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19:32)
They are intimidating and tough, sometimes blunt and prickly, always hard-boiled and have an extremely low tolerance level for silliness, superficiality, cockiness and patronizing attitudes on the part of their subordinates and junior peers.
Still, seek them out. They possess a wisdom and caliber of insight you will find no where else.
Certainly, this PC
influence gutting effective, proactive law enforcement is wrong. A lot of innocent street level law
enforcers have been unjustly harmed because of it, and it endangers law abiding
society who have either been stripped of their right to self-defense or don't
have the heart to defend themselves, to an untenable degree. But that is a realistic assessment and where we are at. This
society needs to return to its moral roots, self-accountability and
self-reliance, to some semblance of order and decency—as well as the rule of
law. That falls into the realm and responsibilities of the American
ministerial community to boldly and clearly call their congregations to that;
indeed, for American society to oppose and route out these warped and skewed
notions and philosophies from American life.
Hate Groups,
"Racism," And The Riverside PD ~
[
http://www.salemthesoldier.us/racism.html ]
Hate
Groups, "Racism," And The Riverside PD ~
My generation,
quite uniquely, has been the only one in this nation's history to enjoy the
fruits of many previous generation's sacrifices and labors, by growing up in
relative national peace and prosperity. Today's generation—the modern day
Police forces—are the Warriors , the Legionnaires, who walk the streets of this
"empire" protecting its people and resources. This generation needs to
spend time with the older generation, from all backgrounds, spending time
talking to them, querying them extensively on their life experiences, and
certainly reading their memoirs. They are walking history books and wells
of insight and rare knowledge. My generation needs to spend time in the
presence of great men, learning the Old School foundational philosophy which was
an instrumental component of what made this nation great. Doing so
promises much success in their lives, whether in professional law enforcement or
the private sector.
Over the years, I have spent time...in the presence of great
men.
•The Military Must Revive Its Warrior Spirit
•
This also applies to the field of professional law
enforcement!
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"Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem
your own reputation for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company." ~ General
George Washington
"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready
in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." ~ George
Orwell
Recommended Reading ~
Back
About Face ~ the Odyssey of an
American Warrior.
Author: Colonel David Hackworth (US ARMY
Retired)
For anybody,
whether in professional law enforcement, the military, or the private sector, I
recommend Col. Hackworth's memoirs in About Face. He
pretty closely chronicles the decline of things like integrity, duty, service,
and honor in the American military, describing the self-serving,
"ticket-punching" mentality of the officer corps. The things he bring forth
apply to all levels of American civilian law enforcement administration as
well.
"The Code Of The Warrior ~" © 2000 Michael
A. Baker This material is copyrighted to prevent altering or
reproducing for profit. Permission is granted to the reader to forward all
writings from "Salem the Soldier's Homepage/Michael A. Baker,"
without altering, to friends, groups or other ministries or to copy for
similar or personal use. |
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