New York’s police unions gathered on Randall's Island Tuesday to have their impassioned sentiments heard on all that's happening. Here's the speech from the first officer on this video [a video which has since been removed from Youtube]:
"Good afternoon. My name is Michael O'Meara. I'm the president of the New York State Association of PBA's [Police Benevolent Associations]. I just want to talk to you, the press. And I want to talk to the police officers." [he gestures to the officers around him]
"Three hundred and seventy-five million interactions with the public every year. Three hundred and seventy-five million interactions. [With] overwhelmingly positive responses. But I read in the papers all week, we all read in the papers, that in the black community, mothers are worried about their children getting home from school without getting killed by a cop. What world are we living in!? That doesn't happen! It Does. Not. Happen. I am not Derek Chauvin. They [pointing to the other officers] are not him. He killed someone. We didn't.
We are restrained. And you know what? -- I'm saying this to all the cops here -- because you know what?
Everybody is trying to shame us. The legislators. The press. Everybody is trying to shame us into being embarrassed about our profession. Well, you know what? [holding up his badge] this isn't stained by someone in Minneapolis. It's still got a shine on it. And so do theirs. [he gestures to his fellow officers] So. Do. Theirs."
"Stop treating us like animals and thugs. And start treating us with some respect! That's what we're here today to say. We've been left out of the conversation. We've been vilified. It's disgusting. It's disgusting. Trying to make us embarrassed of our profession. Three hundred and seventy-five interactions -- overwhelmingly, overwhelmingly positive.
Nobody talked about all of the police officers that were killed in the last week in the United States of America, and there were a number of them."
"We don't condone Minneapolis. We roundly reject what he did as disgusting. Disgusting. It's not what we do. It's not what police officers do. Our legislators abandoned us. The press is vilifying us. Well, you know what guys? [he faces the other cops gathered] I'm proud to be a cop. And I'm going to continue to be proud to be a cop until the day I retire. And that's all I have to say." [he walks away]
[end speech]
[Youtube cancelled the account for the above video while I was transcribing the second officer’s speech. I did find another shorter video, and have been able to piece together the second speech.]
One good thing that might come out of all that's happening could be that of renewing the resolve of the good cops out there, while placing on serious notice those cops from whom the term "systemic racism" seemingly derives.
I wanted to add that, based on my own and my husband's personal experience, we have unfortunately noticed that working class Americans of Irish descent are often extremely and openly racist. (This has always surprised me given Ireland's history.) And, given so many police officers, at least in New York, are of Irish descent, I have always pretty much assumed that this must play a role in their policing. I mean, how could it not? But then this is tricky business: separating one's personal observations, upon which one's general impressions are based, from the actual data, which might in fact contradict such personal sentiment -- as some of the previous videos linked to on this thread would seem to indicate. Actually, on that topic I haven't done the kind of research necessary to render a solid opinion. (I haven't read this entire thread, either, by the way.) I've always assumed the problem was systemic, but I'm open to considering other arguments and their accompanying data.
As per the above speech, the police officer's use of the word “restrained” is interesting to think about in this context. A well trained police officer is considered a professional, and as such is required to use “restraint” regardless of what his/her prejudices may be. I'd add that, as per the second speech transcribed below,
"restraint" is not the same as the official mandate (from on high) with regard to the recent violent protests in New York. The mandate that said:
"there will be a soft touch," which, as the officer attempts to explain, can put the police officer and those he's required to protect in danger.
Putting aside whether or not the issue of racism in policing is “systemic,” I do think it's important to at least acknowledge the fact that, historically speaking, black communities have been targeted in deeply insidious, nefarious ways, including the intended role that crack cocaine has played in further eroding black families and neighborhoods, which really is a subject in itself -- one that may involve the police, but not solely (especially considering that for years now there has been an increasing CIA presence within police departments throughout the country, whose covert role would be interesting to research). The point is not to overlook such underlying realities in attempting to assess the complex problem of racism.
Having said that,
I think all of us here are seeing how this current crisis is using the emotionally charged complexities of racism to stage what is looking more and more like a highly orchestrated radical insurrection.
NOTE: before it was removed from Youtube, I was going to encourage you to watch the entire video since the second speech explains how what's happening on the ground in New York City -- and this is dangerous stuff -- is being “legislated." In any case, I have been able to transcribe most of the second speech as well. Below the speech is a video of the latter part of that speech. In it you can see how distraught these police officers are.
Speaking is Patrick J. Lynch, President of Patrolmen Benevolent Association:
“As professionals are under assault… the signs on the street [meaning those signs carried by the protestors] are dictating the legislation that happens. But it’s worse than that.
We here in the city are doing this in the backdrop of a night where we had seven shootings in four minutes, eight shootings in five hours in different parts of Brooklyn, not connected. Last week forty shootings — the highest since 2015. Homicides went from five to thirteen. Burglaries have quadrupled."
"You may as why? Why now? How is this happening when we have so many professional, caring law enforcement officers out there on the street? And the answer is simple: there’s been a message not only from our City Hall but from the State House that says “there will be a soft touch.” And the criminals know it. And while folks were protesting, they were breaking down doors, climbing in windows, pulling out their weapons they’re not afraid to carry."
"Their hatred toward law enforcement is misguided. I have thirty-six years as a New York City police officer, and I can tell you unequivocally: not one woman or man that has a shield on their chest, a patch on their shoulder, regardless of what arm of law enforcement they come from, will support or defend a murder of an innocent person…"
I'm missing the next part of the speech, but from what I recall, he had just stated that
under the cloak of darkness police reform legislation is being passed without involving rank and file police officers. As for the legislators:
"It’s their job to read it and know what it says. The reason I say that is: why aren’t you speaking to all the stake holders? That’s their word. The stake holders. Our families, you know, the community. [he points to the officers around him] Why aren’t you asking the question of professional law enforcement? Why aren’t you seeking our advice? Is it that maybe we’d be reasonable? Maybe we can see where the problems would be? Maybe ‘cause we’re standing on that street corner with our fellow citizens, we know that they don’t want this violence visiting their corners?… Didn’t we just see this problem with our legislators recently? Didn’t they rush through bail reform? Didn’t they have to admit they made a mistake? Why did it happen? It happened because they rushed it in the dark of night without speaking to — you know — the stake holders." [he gestures to the officers around him, and points to the crowd listening]
"They talk about transparency. Me too. We want to be [transparent]. You can only have transparency of you’re being honest, having a discussion, having a dialogue. 'Defund the police department'. Ask different folks. What’s the definition? Get rid of the police? Defund the police? Ship the money around? It’s a slogan. It’s a slogan during a protest. I admire it — because it’s open to so many definitions."
"We went out on the streets to do a job. We went out on the streets during this violence. We went out on the streets ‘cause we knew we had to. City Hall ordered us to. And the brass put us out there. But then when we found out there was no plan, there wasn’t enough of us, [that they] were not planning on stopping the violence, [so] the violence visited us."
"We have district attorneys from all our counties, from many of our states, saying 'we will not prosecute criminals who looted… Who rioted'. Our D.A.’s won’t prosecute them. But you know what’s on the hearts and minds of everybody who has a shield in their hip pocket today? That [the person] who the D.A. did prosecute was a police officer whose boss sent him out there to do a job, [who] was put in a bad situation during a chaotic time."
"And you know what? — my gray hair told me it was going to happen — everybody walked away from them [he and his partner?] There was no longer a boss standing next to them… The brass threw them under a bus…
The D.A. [is saying] we don’t have time to prosecute criminals, but we’ll prosecute you. Talk about “de-escalation.” They’re de-escalating their job. They’re refusing to do their job. They’re asking us to pull back. They’re asking us to walk away from you, [meaning the crowd]. They’re asking us to abandon our communities. They’re asking me to walk away from where I live. They’re asking me to walk away from where I work.
They’re asking us to walk away from neighborhoods that we brought back. And that’s what’s happening. And you know what? We don’t have a choice. If we put our hands on the criminal 'you’re going to jail'. I’m not being dramatic. That’s how bad it is. No one’s read the bills. They’re following the crowd… They’re legislating by signs in a protest."
"We have our leadership who think they’ll appease the criminals. Who think they’ll appease the rioters. They think they’ll appease our critics. You know what my job as a New York City police officer is, when I put that shield on my chest? I put that patch on my shoulder?
My job at that protest is to stand on my own two feet. My job and your job [facing the other officers] is to protect your right [now facing the crowd] to say what you believe as loud as you want, wherever you want. And we’ll stand that line. We’ll stand that line and protect that right. But when I’m standing that barrier line, what I don’t have is a personal opinion. My job is to protect [you]."
"So when we see our leaders tactically putting themselves on the ground. When we see our leaders joining the other side of the barrier, whether we personally agree or not, you are derelict in your duty. [As a police officer] you stand the line. Sometimes you’re happy. Sometimes you’re angry. But it makes no difference because we stand the line. We stand the line on our feet with our shoulders back, with our shield out saying 'I’m here to make sure you’re good'.”
"Now, if I want to go across that line, if I’m the brass in this job that wants to jump over the line and go on the ground, then throw in a 28 [code for a time out?], take your time, go home, change, and come back, and do it on your own time. Don't do It on the time of the citizens. Don't do it on my time. Don’t do it on the backs of our members.
And then when it goes wrong, and a D.A. says we’re going to lock you up, you [the brass] should be standing next to them saying 'I’m the leader. I sent them out, I should take the hit. I should get locked up'. But don’t hold your breath [speaking to the crowd]. We’re not going to see that because they’ve walked away."
[…]
"A while back we had a press conference where we turned our flag upside down. I said we’re under distress, they [gesturing to the other officers] said they're under distress, and nobody listened. I don’t want the neighborhoods I worked in, that I brought back, that we brought back, I don’t want [them] to slide back. Homicide: five to thirteen. Shootings: forty last week. The highest since 2015. Seven shootings in four minutes. Eight shootings in five hours in different neighborhoods in our borough… It’s not some “gang guy” running around town shooting everybody. It’s separate incidents.
Ask yourself why do they [the criminals] feel emboldened to do it? Because there’s no consequence. There’s no cops. And we’re held back."
"We look great in our blue uniforms. We look great when we’re standing straight up on the corner.
But the message of a “soft touch” means you look great, but don’t get yourself dirty. You look great, but look like a potted plant."
[…]
"We, in this city and state [New York], are the most restrained police departments in the country… Ask Minneapolis if they're the same. We don’t defend, we won’t defend, we have not defended. [meaning Chauvin & those like him] [However] I do defend those that stand here. I will defend my family. I will defend our citizens, both here, and who are now in Phase I going back to work."
"Why did the crimes happen? We’re pulled back. We’re demonized. And all the cops had to run to Manhattan, out of the boroughs. The 'stop looters'. That’s why it happened."
).
