Policing is hard work. It is tiring, it is frustrating, and it is wearying. Whether it’s a traffic stop or a criminal arrest, you usually don’t see people at their best. In fact, often you are interacting with people at their worst. And they are all the more ready to take it out on you.
And, it is dangerous. Something as simple as a traffic stop can turn into a violent confrontation. Sometimes, you have to make instant decisions, and the wrong decision could mean a loss of life: someone else’s, or your own.
Acknowledging all of the above is why, for a long time, I have cut police officers a lot of slack. They are typically under-paid and under-appreciated, and even when I thought their actions were questionable, I rarely said anything publicly. Occasionally, but not often.
But recent events around the country, and especially here in Louisville, demand comment and confronting. As much as I might normally try to support my local law enforcement, at this moment I need to say:
LMPD, please just admit it — you were wrong.
You were wrong when you served a no-knock warrant on the wrong people.
You were wrong when you were shot at, and responded by spraying bullets all through an apartment building like something from a bad movie, killing an innocent woman in her own bed AND almost killing people in the apartments around her.
You were wrong when two months later, your investigation into killing that innocent woman was still “ongoing,” and her family was left in the dark. And it would still be “ongoing” if it hadn’t been picked up by a national outlet.
You were wrong when you showed up for the protests dressed like you were going into war. What part of “protect and serve” makes you need full riot gear for a peaceful protest? Obviously, you were expecting to be attacked; did you WANT that to happen?
You were wrong when you tear-gassed peaceful protesters, long before the curfew had started, and did it with no announcement or warning.
You were wrong when you shot a reporter just doing her job. Be thankful you didn’t blind her permanently, like the reporter in Minneapolis shot in the eye by police.
You were wrong when you focused your forces on the peaceful protesters, leaving you without adequate staff to deal with the looting and damage in the rest of the city.
And, you were wrong when you showed up to “disperse” a crowd in the West End after curfew had started, and instead of walking up to the crowd and calmly asking them to go home, you started shooting as you crossed the street – no warning, no interaction, no de-escalation. Just bring up the gun and fire those pepper balls.
Guess what, LMPD – even you can make mistakes. Even you can screw up. And even you need to step up and admit when you do screw up.
So, are you going to do that? Or, are you going to add “refusal to take responsibility” to the list of things you got wrong?
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