The Use of Force

Civil unrest occurs when the absence of the ‘PROPER USE OF FORCE’ is forgotten, ignored, or not practiced!

NOW THE CRY IS REFORM!

What’s up for review and discussion yet again is hearing the word ‘reform’ from the Chicago Police Department and orchestrated by City Hall. This charge of reform occurs in the wake of the rash, insensitive, and dehumanizing actions of individual police officers sworn to uphold the law by fair and unbiased law enforcement. These oaths of the city’s privileged who are chosen on the merits of moral, physical, and intellectual ability, fall short of that mark, which saddens me. Having the ability to reason without prejudice of any kind should be the cornerstone of an unabridged skillset that distinguishes those who are chosen to serve. Rather than determining, many officers are extinguishing our society’s moral fabric and its people while breaching the trust of lawful justice.

When I think of ‘reform,’ I expect a critical and surgical change in thought, word, and deed, and in my lifetime, that has seldom been seen. The policies and guidelines created, administered, and taught by the department is a ‘farce.’ These policies and procedures that serve as the department’s’ bible’ is by far a misleading, misguided tool used only to shackle those officers of color. Instead of the exact tenets of the law and department policies governing all fairly, the opposite occurs consistently. Since the outcry of unwarranted shootings in this city, there has been no mention of the ‘proper use of force.’ For those unfamiliar with the term, it merely means that some procedures/protocols control and govern what excessive force means, where all police officers’ actions are obligated to abide by unconditionally.

When the ‘proper use of force’ is implemented, officers are expected to defend themselves appropriately based on the stage and circumstance of a would-be threatening event. When a situation occurs, and an officer’s life is in imminent danger, the standard retort is defense. On the other hand, and much of what the city sees, no direct threat is ever seen to justify savagely killing another, especially when that other person bears the ‘color costume’ of racial difference. Imminent danger is explicit by definition, and when that danger doesn’t exist, the taking of a life is NOT justified.

It’s appalling to be taught the proper way to handle ‘force’ while discovering that this and all things that fall into a category of deceit are merely a smokescreen advantaged by a few. What will it take for this city of Chicago to get back on track? Deceit, guilt, greed, control by way of power, and the fundamental idea of hate still prevail, and ‘unadulterated reform’ will never happen! When the smoke clears and people forget, there will be business as usual.

Those of us who stand in the cross-hairs of what could happen must stand together and stand firm. We must be that force. We must become that presence and voice that communicates a resounding cry for justice and means it. From lynchings in the south to literal, assassinations in the north must not be allowed in this city or any city across the country.

As a former police officer who took his job seriously and understood the consequences of ‘bad policing, I fear for my children and grandchildren, who deserve as much as anyone else, the right to live and breathe without police intimidation. To know racial bias and is considered a third-rate citizen in the 21st Century is troubling, and that trouble continues to mount. What will we now do to even ‘quail’ a matter that is totally out of control and utterly void of reasonable explanation? There is NO reasoning when young black men are shot down in ‘cold blood,’ like target practice.

My best years were spent being a Chicago Police Officer with no reservation. That opportunity brought me pride and taught me to respect ALL people’s ‘rights.’ That police experience taught me to continue moving forward and become all I could be. With my current exploits to try to make a difference in someone else’s life, change is necessary. But now I see even more clearly that enough people don’t share the truth of my own beliefs to render a verdict of NO MORE!