Minister: Shooting of black man by white officer racist

[BradinAsia]

It's very dangerous, and plain stupid, to try to run away from an armed officer and to disobey his orders. You may not deserve to get shot, but you're going to get hurt.

Off the cuff I can only name three countries where law enforcement officials shoot/shot unarmed civilians in the back when they try/tried to flee:

- Former East Germany

- China

- North Korea

Keeping good company I see.

Do these countries have police that encounter well armed, dangerous, gang bangers high on drugs that won't think twice about shooting someone. In many urban US areas, cops are working in areas that are like war zones dealing with gang bangers and people that place little or no value on human life. I have literally worked on cases where someone got shot over a piece of chicken.

I don't think cops in China and North Korea constantly face face well armed thugs on a day to basis that are not afraid to shot cops or others.

That said, how many other cases inn 2015 involve a cop shooting an unarmed, black civilian in the back? This cop did wrong and he will be prosecuted.

Are you saying that since American cops often encounter well-armed thugs this has some bearing on why this cop murdered this unarmed black man in cold blood?

[F430murci]

It's very dangerous, and plain stupid, to try to run away from an armed officer and to disobey his orders. You may not deserve to get shot, but you're going to get hurt.

Off the cuff I can only name three countries where law enforcement officials shoot/shot unarmed civilians in the back when they try/tried to flee:

- Former East Germany

- China

- North Korea

Keeping good company I see.

Do these countries have police that encounter well armed, dangerous, gang bangers high on drugs that won't think twice about shooting someone. In many urban US areas, cops are working in areas that are like war zones dealing with gang bangers and people that place little or no value on human life. I have literally worked on cases where someone got shot over a piece of chicken.

I don't think cops in China and North Korea constantly face face well armed thugs on a day to basis that are not afraid to shot cops or others.

That said, how many other cases inn 2015 involve a cop shooting an unarmed, black civilian in the back? This cop did wrong and he will be prosecuted.

Are you saying that since American cops often encounter well-armed thugs this has some bearing on why this cop murdered this unarmed black man in cold blood?

I do think occupational stress and constantly worried about making it home to see you wife and children at night plays a huge role. Until you have been in that position, perhaps best not to judge.

My brother did a short stint as a cop in a relatively nicer suburb or Memphis. I also used to represent a lot of his cop buddies when them or their family members were injured in car accidents or work related injuries.

The stress my brother and these guys faced changes them. My brother started drinking and taking Ambien at night and he used to fly F15s and is now with FBI so he is used to stress. He no longer takes Ambien and rarely drinks no that he is no longer dealing with gangland thugs on a daily basis.

[sgtsabai]

I can judge. Can you lawyer?

[NeverSure]

Law enforcement kills African Americans at 2.8 times the rate of white non-Latinos, and 4.3 times the rate of Asians.

What is the rate of black violent crime compared to these other groups? Now call me racist for stating the obvious. The US has a horrible black crime rate including black on black crime. Blacks are going to be overrepresented in these statistics as long as they continue to be overrepresented in violent crimes committed.

You could be afraid of the blacks if you were in the wrong neighborhood NOT because you're racist but because you can read statistics.

BTW the instant case looks like cold blooded murder to me if what we see on that video is all there is, but there are also a lot of good cops out there just trying to do their jobs.

[fred Kubasa]

"Racist " ?, Bah ! This black man like the 2 incidents preceding this didn't obey a police officer's command. If, not unlike Thai commercial drivers who flee after an accident, this fool had not run, he would probably be alive today. If I am confronted by any man, with a gun, I will NOT run as I know I cannot outrun a bullet but blacks, virtually everywhere, first instinct is to run , like deer, when a light is shone on them.

I am no fan of policemen in general but these 3 cases test anyone's patience.

83 % of US police/fire/emergency calls in urban areas are from blacks, about blacks and 4 blacks killed 4 other blacks, in Chicago, , ( many more thruout the US ),same day ,but no publicity. Were I a policeman, these, possibly job/life threatening calls in black areas would NOT continue to receive the same prompt attention they did in the past.

" Ho hum, got another call from the African American village, anyone want to hurry on down there " !

[sgtsabai]

Out of the woodwork they come, mighty soldiers marching....... .

[godden]

There's far to many men with small dicks running around in uniforms

[lovelomsak]

I get tired of this racist crap coming from America. If a white kills some one who is black it is racist, But if a black kills a white it is just murder

Same can be said for UK if a protestant kills a catholic its religious if a catholic kills a protestant its murder.

Asia a Muslim kills a Buddhist its terrorism,a Buddhist kills a Muslim its murder.

People keep feeding their hate and anger and try to make behaviors political all the time.

Murder is murder simple as that. As Enstien once said "sometimes a cigar is just a cigar".

[F430murci]

Well, I didn't say red necks, but I have no problem calling a peckerwood redneck a peckerwood redneck, face to face, wouldn't be the first time and I walk away. I have a clue, been there, done that and where I worked everybody was armed, well armed. My wife carried and needed to. Been shot at and missed, shit on and hit. Comprende' ese'? There are no actualy statistics kept on police violence nation wide btw. PD are not required to report to FBI etc. But for your edification: As FiveThirtyEight notes: In 2014 and March of 2015, Mapping Police Violence counted 297 people killed by police around the country who were unarmed. Of those people, 117 were African-American, 167 were not, and the project couldn't identify race for 13. That means 41 percent of unarmed people killed by police during that time in the database (with an identified race) were African-American, far out of proportion in a country that was 14 percent African-American in 2013. And according to the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ), African Americans are the second "racial group most likely to be killed by law enforcement," following Native Americans. The CJCJ also noted: African Americans, 13 percent of the population, are victims in 26 percent of police shootings. Law enforcement kills African Americans at 2.8 times the rate of white non-Latinos, and 4.3 times the rate of Asians.

You said red necks many times in the Ferguson thread. I believe you referred to St. Louis and the South as a red neck hell hole.

[Happy Grumpy]

[F430murci]

Correction: Black men are convicted of nearly 1/2 of all murders.

Holy cow, are you implying that whites commit murder and don't get charged or don't get convicted? If so, you are wrong and absolutely clueless about how the system works. Based on what I have seen and heard from many friends that are criminal defense lawyers, the convictions rates are the same regardless of race. Most of the death penalty cases I reviewed when working for the courts were white defendants and I seem to recall more whites being on death row than blacks. Most of the crazy, horrible murder I saw were white trash living out in the sticks hopped up on crystal meth hacking families up, committing really bad domestic violence involving some form of torture or committing felony murders which is an aggravating circumstance to make crimes death eligible.

Most of the black murder cases I worked on where just dumb butt, ignorant gang bangers randomly shooting others without any of the aggravating circumstances that would make a murder death eligible. There were a whole lot of these, but most plead out.

There are some really bad, evil people of all races out there. That said, the level of violence in the black communities is downright alarming. My brother had to answer a call once where a 14 year old black kid beat his teacher to death with a chair in the middle of a class. The urban high schools that are primarily black and where blacks are bussed in all have metal detectors even in the elementary schools because young kids are bringing guns to school.

[ronz28]

There are entirely too many cops killing blacks in the USA. Its ridiculous to see another instance documented daily. This instance appears racist and bloodthirsty. Firing the cop in South Carolina and charging him with the murder he committed on video is a start to stopping these self appointed executioners now.

[MaxYakov]

Law enforcement kills African Americans at 2.8 times the rate of white non-Latinos, and 4.3 times the rate of Asians.

What is the rate of black violent crime compared to these other groups? Now call me racist for stating the obvious. The US has a horrible black crime rate including black on black crime. Blacks are going to be overrepresented in these statistics as long as they continue to be overrepresented in violent crimes committed.

You could be afraid of the blacks if you were in the wrong neighborhood NOT because you're racist but because you can read statistics.

BTW the instant case looks like cold blooded murder to me if what we see on that video is all there is, but there are also a lot of good cops out there just trying to do their jobs.

I don't know how to classify this killing except that it appears to be irrational. There was additional info in the dash cam audio as well as the shooting video. It seems there was a fight involving the officer's tazer immediately before the shooting. This site provides more detail and a timeline and map. There is the "use of force continuum" model that is taught to law enforcement personnel and the Tennessee v Garner 1985 Supreme Court Ruling.

But these are rational models and examples. I doubt that officer-at-the-time Slager was in a rational state of mind when he decided to use deadly force. He had everything to lose and very little, if anything, to gain.

Edited April 13, 2015 by MaxYakov

[sgtsabai]

The right wingers can continue their personal attacks on me all they want, that is an old tactic of the right wing when they are wrong. Can't win the argument, attack the person. Being right wingers, that suck up faux (not the) news and other lies, they are nearly always wrong, even a stopped clock is right once a day. Yes, I've written redneck in other posts but I had not in this one, I will now satisfy you by writing peckerwood redneck, how is that? Nope, I haven't walked in a cop's boots in 15 years and your point is? It is spelled Vietnam and it has always been one country with an artificial border created only long enough to allow elections which the US prevented leading to that illegal, immoral war. Be careful around Vets with PTSD, you might just find out what happens when they lose the plot...lol. And yes, the south is a redneck hell, but there are some good folks down there fighting for justice and equality. Now back to the subject at hand. An interesting article from the Washington Post about police shootings. http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/investigative/2015/04/11/thousands-dead-few-prosecuted/?wpisrc=al_alert . I think one of the major points that keeps getting lost here is that the victim was shot in the back and unarmed. Of course some cops prefer to choke black men to death. Max, I doubt he was rational, shooting a man running away that presents no threat to anybody is not rational. In fact racists aren't rational and neither are right wingers, oh wait is that all in the same?

[lovelomsak]

I just had a thought since killing blacks is racial is a black killing a black a racist act within the ethnic group

[ABCer]

Well, I didn't say red necks, but I have no problem calling a peckerwood redneck a peckerwood redneck, face to face, wouldn't be the first time and I walk away. I have a clue, been there, done that and where I worked everybody was armed, well armed. My wife carried and needed to. Been shot at and missed, shit on and hit. Comprende' ese'? There are no actualy statistics kept on police violence nation wide btw. PD are not required to report to FBI etc. But for your edification: As FiveThirtyEight notes: In 2014 and March of 2015, Mapping Police Violence counted 297 people killed by police around the country who were unarmed. Of those people, 117 were African-American, 167 were not, and the project couldn't identify race for 13. That means 41 percent of unarmed people killed by police during that time in the database (with an identified race) were African-American, far out of proportion in a country that was 14 percent African-American in 2013. And according to the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ), African Americans are the second "racial group most likely to be killed by law enforcement," following Native Americans. The CJCJ also noted: African Americans, 13 percent of the population, are victims in 26 percent of police shootings. Law enforcement kills African Americans at 2.8 times the rate of white non-Latinos, and 4.3 times the rate of Asians.

With all due respect, Sgt, Sir, - the stats above are without much meaning.

Could we imagine that Asians STOP when required by a Police officer?

Could we further assume that JUST MAYBE 14% African Americans are more prone to breaking the Law AND have little regard for Law enforcement officers?

[F430murci]

The right wingers can continue their personal attacks on me all they want, that is an old tactic of the right wing when they are wrong. Can't win the argument, attack the person. Being right wingers, that suck up faux (not the) news and other lies, they are nearly always wrong, even a stopped clock is right once a day. Yes, I've written redneck in other posts but I had not in this one, I will now satisfy you by writing peckerwood redneck, how is that? Nope, I haven't walked in a cop's boots in 15 years and your point is? It is spelled Vietnam and it has always been one country with an artificial border created only long enough to allow elections which the US prevented leading to that illegal, immoral war. Be careful around Vets with PTSD, you might just find out what happens when they lose the plot...lol. And yes, the south is a redneck hell, but there are some good folks down there fighting for justice and equality. Now back to the subject at hand. An interesting article from the Washington Post about police shootings. http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/investigative/2015/04/11/thousands-dead-few-prosecuted/?wpisrc=al_alert . I think one of the major points that keeps getting lost here is that the victim was shot in the back and unarmed. Of course some cops prefer to choke black men to death. Max, I doubt he was rational, shooting a man running away that presents no threat to anybody is not rational. In fact racists aren't rational and neither are right wingers, oh wait is that all in the same?

Hilarious how you play the little victim card after you call people red necks, racists, little boy, pecker woods and yada, yada . . . Wow, you sound just like the hoodlum thugs running around looting and burning businesses and committing crimes who also do nothing but play the victim card and blame others for their actions. Any coincidence here???

Here in lies the problem. Blacks are confronted by cops (just not white cops) because they are committing crimes or breaking the rules. Blacks get in scrapes with cops because they mouth off, run or actually get into physical confrontations with cops. Just like you and your little victim routine, these same blacks then blame everyone but them selves when they are busted and hauled off to jail for breaking the law.

I am white and was also pulled over by a cop recently while driving a German made vehicle for a break light being out. I did not run from the cop, I did not try and fight the cop off and guess what . . . he ran my name through the computer, gave a ticket and we parted ways without any problems. Was this because I am white? Nope, it was because I was respectful and I did not try and flee, confront or fight the cop off. I can assure you things would not have worked out so well for me if I tried to run and then tried to fight him off.

Edited April 13, 2015 by F430murci

[sgtsabai]

Assume: make an ass out of you, not out of me, good definition? No, we can't assume, except maybe that those that defend the cops shooting unarmed black men in the back, choking them to death are racists. Today's militarized police are more like the jack booted thugs from the Gestapo and the Stasi than cops. Maybe we can "assume" that if they weren't a minority and unable to hire the million dollar attorney blacks wouldn't run but would just quietly be arrested and then lawyer up. White privilege, maybe if they weren't black they wouldn't get stopped for driving while black or walking while black. "Broken taillight", walk behind vehicle, a quick flick of the PR-24 and bingo, excuse for stop, is an old trick used by cops, I actually thought it had been given up, evidently not. White privilege along with "cop privilege" is real. I once got stopped in the early morning hours on the outskirts of a small Texas town for speeding, yes I was. By the book, turn off engine, window down, both hands in plain sight on steering wheel. My truck was loaded with furniture from my parents house I was taking back to New Mexico, along with several guns. Cop comes, license etc. Before I unbuckle I say, "For your safety and mine my wallet in back right pocket and service revolver right beside me." He steps a bit and says, slowly, yea brother. Put revolver where he can see and take out wallet for DL. He sees badge, looks at DL and asks if I'm a cop. Yes, New Mexico. Slow down, be careful and be own your way. Thank you very much SIR. I have a very real feeling if I had been black the outcome would have been much different. You are right about one thing, I doubt blacks have much respect for law enforcement and I can't say that I blame them much. I don't like living in fear when I've done nothing wrong and neither should minorities and/or poor people.

[sgtsabai]

No, it was because you are white and rich, able to make the necessary registration, license, etc. for your vehicle. Poor people can't. You can try all you want, but the old right wing tactic of changing the subject and blaming the person won't work, except for those willing to do the same, i.e. right wingers. Oh, and I'd be glad to say all those words to your face, I'm no pacifist. The subject is an unarmed black man was shot in the back by a white cop and murdered, not me and not you.

[F430murci]

No, it was because you are white and rich, able to make the necessary registration, license, etc. for your vehicle. Poor people can't. You can try all you want, but the old right wing tactic of changing the subject and blaming the person won't work, except for those willing to do the same, i.e. right wingers. Oh, and I'd be glad to say all those words to your face, I'm no pacifist. The subject is an unarmed black man was shot in the back by a white cop and murdered, not me and not you.

Lol, my tag on that car was expired also . . . Talking out your booty even though you don't know the facts.

I love how poor people driving a Mercedes and having the latest version of the iPhone cannot afford the $ 67 yearly registration.

Too funny about you getting in my face. Somehow, I envision some old toothless dude, calling me sonny shaking a cane in my face . . . I would appreciate and always enjoy a good laugh.

[sgtsabai]

Another falsehood by the right wing. I guess poor people having a refridgerator means they aren't really poor also. You are still white and rich, not poor and black and the result would be far different if you were. Then again check out how many times Chris Rock has been stopped, he films the stops. He is also rich. For those that want to read some statistics, not by faux (not the) news, here is the direct link to the Washington Post article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/investigative/2015/04/11/thousands-dead-few-prosecuted/

[JDGRUEN]

Please note that small town cops are very often rejects from big city police forces. They either never made it through the large city screening tests or they may have even been dismissed for out of control behavior. The better grade applicants go to the State Troopers, large city police forces and some of the higher ranking sheriff deputies. I have observed these jackasses for many years ... their practices are predicable ... faking minor vehicle or driving infractions to push the envelope on probable cause... no blinker on turn - when you did, no seat belt observed - when you had it on, tail light out when it is not. In my semi-rural county where I lived for ten years, the local police jerks would wait on avenues where one had to take to leave a liquor store... Then out comes the fake reason to violate probable cause -- the first thing at your window is to shine a light on the bag with liquor or beer in it to see if you have opened any.

One small town police chief was nothing but a thug who hung out at a truck stop in the convenience store to stare people down ... that took up a good part of his day. He was finally fired to failing to turn in evidence to the country prosecutor - a rape kit ... the rapist was never prosecuted ... disappeared a year after the incident because no solid evidence... turns out it was some distant relative. Same thing with a armed robbery ... held on to the CCTV tapes -- some other distant relative ... He was finally canned.

Back in the 1990's the sheriff of this county use to shake down closet gays at rest stops - blackmail them for money ... He was finally caught after years of doing this...

Personally in this case under discussion this out of control cop would IMO have shot anyone who angered him - black - white - brown... Likely it was not racist per se ... just a misfit who should have never been a cop.

The knee jerk calling everyone a racist in the U.S. is an epidemic out of control ... but it won't be curtailed until after the 2016 Presidential Elections... Which is what the Brown case was about -- create a political groundswell that only the Democrats care about ... and everyone else is a racist - so elect Democrats - they care about you.... Manufactured emotions - manufactured racism ... The rhetoric in America now says it you are white - then you are a racist ... If you are white then you have white privilege ... All this will not end well.

Edited April 13, 2015 by JDGRUEN

[sgtsabai]

How many poor people do you know that have a Merc and the latest I-phone? Ahem, how many poor people do you really know, period? Are you actually suggesting the Washington Post is biased to the left? There is not a single newspaper in the states that is left, not even "centrist" which is now at the best to the right of the republican party of President Eisenhower. Corporate media, bought and sold by the plutocrats and parrot nothing but the corporate/government bullshit. Blue dawg democrat, same, same republican. You may believe in "liberal" social platforms, I would think by your posts that is where it ends. Back to the subject please, right wing tactics are getting old and don't get you anywhere. Another unarmed shooting: http://jonathanturley.org/2015/04/13/cleveland-police-officer-on-trial-for-barrage-of-bullets-that-killed-two-unarmed-suspects/ . Racist or not, it is the shooting of unarmed people that is disturbing.

[sgtsabai]

JD, I'll agree with you on the point of bad cops. Very true. And also very possibly true about this case, out of control cop that should have never been a cop. I knew many cops when growing up that should have never been a cop, just bullies. One shot a good friend of mine, another cop, in the cop shop. My mom taught him in the 1st grade, couldn't understand how he could have ever become a cop with his lack of IQ and yes, he was a "crossing guard" bully. While all these shootings of unarmed people are probably not all racist, I think it plays a large part, conscience or not. I think you are wrong about the racism, America is a racist country, always has been and white privilege is real. Slavery, genocide against American Indians. It is the militarized police that need to be brought under control, they are an occupying force. No, you don't have to be black to bring down their wraith, witness OWS, orchestrated at the very top levels of federal government.

[Publicus]

This connects to the matter of whether Officer Slager was in a rational state of mind. Given Slager didn't immediately enter a plea, and is searching for a new lawyer after his first lawyer saw the video, Slager has not yet entered a plea (not to my knowledge anyway). The charge is murder in the first degree. So, how should Officer Slager plead? Insanity? Diminished judgement? Simply not guilty? Guilty but....?

While the question is relevant and material, it is bigger than one cop. It is less in fact of a matter of one cop, or one cop here or there shooting unarmed black men. It is an institutional and societal state of mind and conditioning from the first organized police posses and patrols in North America to the present modern police forces.

The police in the US from their founding have pursued black Americans, to include throughout the Civil Rights Movement of the Rev Dr. M.L. King Jr, when Dr. King himself was jailed, his associates beaten and arrested, demonstrators attacked by trained police dogs and fire hosed, hospitalized and the like.

According to Dr. Victor E. Kappeler, associate dean and professor at the School of Justice of Eastern Kentucky University,

The institution of slavery and the control of minorities, however, were two of the more formidable historic features of American society shaping early policing. Slave patrols and Night Watches, which later became modern police departments, were both designed to control the behaviors of minorities.

The St. Louis police were founded to protect residents from Native Americans in that frontier city, and many southern police departments began as slave patrols. In 1704, the colony of Carolina developed the nation's first slave patrol. Slave patrols helped to maintain the economic order and to assist the wealthy landowners in recovering and punishing slaves who essentially were considered property.

• [email protected]

Sometimes images can also say a lot...

• 

The History of Policing in the United States

Published on January 07, 2014

In no small part because of the tradition of slavery, Blacks have long been targets of abuse. The use of patrols to capture runaway slaves was one of the precursors of formal police forces, especially in the South. This disastrous legacy persisted as an element of the police role even after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In some cases, police harassment simply meant people of African descent were more likely to be stopped and questioned by the police, while at the other extreme, they have suffered beatings, and even murder, at the hands of White police.

http://plsonline.eku.edu/insidelook/brief-history-slavery-and-origins-american-policing

It's one of those dark side traditions that, as with so many socio-cultural traditions throughout history, people everywhere can do without. When one thinks of Officer Slager snapping out his service handgun and firing off eight rounds at a runaway slave citizen, context becomes central if not imperative to an analysis or a comprehension of the homicide of Walter Scott.......et al.

[F430murci]

How many poor people do you know that have a Merc and the latest I-phone? Ahem, how many poor people do you really know, period? Are you actually suggesting the Washington Post is biased to the left? There is not a single newspaper in the states that is left, not even "centrist" which is now at the best to the right of the republican party of President Eisenhower. Corporate media, bought and sold by the plutocrats and parrot nothing but the corporate/government bullshit. Blue dawg democrat, same, same republican. You may believe in "liberal" social platforms, I would think by your posts that is where it ends. Back to the subject please, right wing tactics are getting old and don't get you anywhere. Another unarmed shooting: http://jonathanturley.org/2015/04/13/cleveland-police-officer-on-trial-for-barrage-of-bullets-that-killed-two-unarmed-suspects/ . Racist or not, it is the shooting of unarmed people that is disturbing.

Holy cow. Where have you been? Certainly not in the states.

Let's start with Walter Scott. He said he was buying that Mercedes, yet he couldn't pay his child support. Hello!

[Scott]

More off-topic, inflammatory posts and replies removed.

[sgtsabai]

Yes, lets start with Walter Scott, who btw can't answer your question, he was shot in the back and murdered. Bet it wasn't like your Merc. if what you say is even true, and oh, you found his most expensive Iphone also? What does that have to do with his murder in the first place? Dog whistle. Right wing subject change, tactics again.

[Publicus]

Officer Slager and the runaway black guy he shot to death Walter Scott was indeed on his patrol, his routine police and roundup patrol.

It might be possible to think of Officer Slager as a victim too, given the history of the police in the US as the front line against the civil rights of blacks, immigrants, street demonstrators in general. Officer Slager was after all a part of the system, the blue police machine and its self-isolation from too many of the communities or rallies police are pleased and eager to control.

The problem in this is the attitude of the police towards the civil rights of blacks, immigrants, demonstrators, protesters and civil petitioners in general. Slager was a conscious member of the North Charlotte PD and he went out on his assigned patrol roundup each and every day of his work. Slager knew his enforcement job to process suspects and its antagonistic effect in the community.

Yet watching the horrendous event on the video, Slager appears to be in a stupor even though it was Scott who was tazed. Slager seemed in a trance or in a daze as he pulled his sidearm, fired off his multiple shots, then rearranged evidence and, with his partner, rearranged the events to suit the police patrol. It is clear however Officer Slager was conscious and aware throughout, and that he acted deliberately....and with malice.

The following account by Dr. Gary Potter of the School of Justice at Eastern Kentucky University speaks for many Americans....(emphasis added)

By the 1960s, massive social and political changes were occurring in the United States. The civil rights movement was challenging white hegemony in the South and racist social policies in the North. The use of professional police forces to suppress the Civil Rights movement, often by brute force did irreparable damage to American policing.

From 1964 to 1968 riots, usually sparked by police brutality or oppression, rocked the major cities in the United States. Police handling of large demonstrations against the Vietnam War in the late 1960s and early 1970s was also controversial. In the 1967-1968 school years there were 292 mass demonstrations on 163 college campuses across the country.

All of this political instability was further antagonized by a series of political assassinations: President John Kennedy in 1963; Martin Luther King and Senator Robert Kennedy in 1968; Governor George Wallace in 1972. Other political leaders, particularly in the African-American community, such as Malcolm X and Medger Evers were also assassinated.

National commissions created to investigate riots and political instability frequently and universally pointed to the police as a source of social tension.

http://plsonline.eku.edu/sites/plsonline.eku.edu/files/the-history-of-policing-in-us.pdf#_ga=1.65429294.1238202757.1428977624

Yet, the disastrous response of the police is described by Dr. Craig D. Uchida, president of Justice & Security Strategies....

Professionalism antagonized tensions between the police and the communities they served and created rancor and dissension within the departments themselves. The crime control tactics recommended by the professionalism movement, such as aggressive stop and frisk procedures, created widespread community resentment, particularly among young, minority males who were most frequently targeted.

Furthermore, Police professionalism and the military model of policing became synonymous with police repression.

As Walker points out “a half century of professionalization had created police departments that were vast bureaucracies, inward looking, isolated from the public, and defensive in the face of any criticism” (Walker 1996). In addition professionalization had done nothing to rectify racist and sexist hiring practices that had been in effect since police departments had been created in the 1830s.

http://storage.globalcitizen.net/data/topic/knowledge/uploads/2009042815114290.pdf

"The use of professional police forces to suppress the Civil Rights movement, often by brute force did irreparable damage to American policing."

[Publicus]

In so many of the proliferation of instances of patrol police shooting an unarmed black male it's a matter of police executing their particular patrol justice, meaning without trial or any due process or law.

It's as if the offending police patrol officer had gone out on normal patrol to find today's runaway unarmed black guy and punish him. Some days that means a legal citation and on other days it means a bullet....or a whole lot of bullets.

Drive-along policing or drive-by policing is much more in to processing people than it is to prevent or to solve crime. What crime did this police officer solve or stop by shooting the runaway black guy Walter Scott in the back until he was dead. Then by beginning an obstruction of justice rearrangement of the evidence, the facts, everything that went down.

What was solved or prevented.