Reflexively whining at criticism doesn’t breed respect
by digby
I am a big believer in cops getting lots and lots of benefits, like full early retirement, generous disability pay and free legal representation. Nobody denies it’s a tough job and that’s the deal we’ve made with them. Many of those things are guaranteed by their unions and that’s what they’re supposed to be there for. But the over-the-top reactions of the police reps to these various examples of shooting unarmed African American men and the mentally ill is just shameful.
[Officer] Manney shot 31-year-old Hamilton on April 30 after responding to a call for a welfare check on a man sleeping in the park. Manney said Hamilton resisted when he tried to frisk him. The two exchanged punches before Hamilton got a hold of Manney’s baton and hit him on the neck with it, the former officer has said. Manney then opened fire, hitting Hamilton 14 times.
CBS affiliate WDJT reported earlier this month that Hamilton’s family released a copy of the Milwaukee County autopsy report, which details all the gunshot wounds found on Hamilton’s body after the incident.
Hamilton’s family said he suffered from schizophrenia and had recently stopped taking his medication.
The police chief in this case responded responsibly and correctly:
Police Chief Edward Flynn fired Manney in October, saying Manney instigated the fight with an inappropriate pat-down. The chief said Manney correctly identified Hamilton as mentally ill but ignored his training and department policy, and treated him as a criminal.
“You don’t go hands-on and start frisking somebody only because they appear to be mentally ill,” Flynn said when he announced Manney had been dismissed.
He accepted responsibility for the officer’s improper behavior and fired him. The cops should not go around rousting mentally ill people and then shooting them when the mentally ill person responds like a mentally ill person. It happens all the time and it’s an absolute travesty. Considering how so many of the police looks at African Americans as the face of the enemy in their war on the streets of America, it’s fair to wonder just how awful it must be for black people who are mentally ill. One shudders to think about it.
But once again, the the police representatives come out swinging and throwing accusations around instead of acting like professionals:
The Milwaukee Police Association condemned Manney’s firing as a political move, and members voted no confidence in Flynn soon after the firing.
Manney has appealed his firing and applied for disability, saying the shootings in Milwaukee and Ferguson have cost him sleep and made it difficult for him to think clearly. He also has said he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Ok, this fellow is just doing what he can to get compensation. And I’m not even going to argue with that even though his self-serving rationale is absurd. But the Police association reflexively attacking the chief for being “political” because he gives a damn about the killing of a mentally ill black man is just pathetic. Sure, they can defend their guy. That’s how they see their job. But to constantly accuse anyone who cares about this of being a liberal tool of an undeserving black community (which is what being “political” means in this context) is so irresponsible. And revealing.
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