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Lose the Camouflage, Please
I am in agreement with much of what Claire Berlinski and Jon Gabriel wrote in their earlier posts on the events in Ferguson, Missouri. For the last fifteen years, much of my writing has been devoted to the cause of explaining — if not always justifying — police actions that have come in for criticism in the media. While I know little of the incident that precipitated all that followed, if it is indeed true that the officer was 35 feet away from Michael Brown when he opened fire, I cannot imagine a set of circumstances that would justify him.
That said, like Claire and Jon, I have been troubled by some of the images broadcast from Ferguson. And while I’m comfortable to be in their company, it’s strange to also find myself agreeing with the likes of Rachel Maddow, who on her program on Tuesday, showed a picture of police officers in camouflage aiming rifles at… I’m not quite sure.
Before anyone accuses me of turning on my fellow officers, I hasten to say that — in the wake of the Brown shooting — the rioting demanded a swift and decisive response from the police, including a show of force. The citizens and merchants of the town have a right to expect the police to defend their lives and property from those who would use Brown’s death as an excuse for robbery, theft, arson, or what have you.
But images matter, and pictures of officers in camouflage, aiming rifles from the turrets of armored vehicles, diminish public support for what the police are trying to accomplish. Keep in mind that I have stood on many skirmish lines in my police career, including in the Rodney King riots of 1992 and many smaller incidents, and have no sympathy for those who turn a peaceful protest into a melee; but nor do I have sympathy for police managers who bring discredit to a just cause by failing to grasp how public perceptions are shaped by their choices.
Some might find it surprising that, in the Aug. 19, 2013 issue of National Review, I gave a positive review to Radley Balko’s book, The Rise of the Warrior Cop. There is sometimes a need for armored cars and heavy weaponry in police work but, if I were running the police operation in Ferguson, I would keep them at a command post nearby and out of sight until circumstances demanded their use. And I would lose the camouflage.
Image Credits: NPR and The Independent.
Published in General
As far as one of the original questions about imagining why he would shoot Brown from 35 feet away, after reading reports today that there is evidence that Brown was charging him, I have an answer. A 6′ 4″ guy weighing 300 lbs charging at a police officer does not have to be armed to create a threat of great bodily harm. Getting slammed to the road with the head striking the concrete is enough force for a concussion, if not knocking one unconscious. At that point the pistol can be taken away from the cop and used to kill him.
Don’t forget the 10 yard rule about an attacker with a knife. He can close the distance and slit your throat before you can draw and shoot. This is not necessarily that much different.
Ask Massad Ayoob, noted author, instructor, expert witness and retired police officer. He’s taught classes on the subject.
I quite agree. Is AG Holder asking for another autopsy trying to find entry wounds in Brown’s back?
Does anyone know how many hits the officer scored and where they were?
Per family autopsy, 6 – all in front.
MilVet here – in addition to loosing the camo, loosing the storm trooper helmets (knock yourself out with traditional cop helmets), gaining dash cams, gaining body cams, please please please do two more things:
(1) loose the macho faux-elite high-school logos (e.g. Fresno SWAT Ninja logo, like WTF?)
(2) ditch the NO-KNOCK raids – if you need to demonstrate overwhelming force then surround the house with cars, swamp the neighborhood with cars, and buzz with four helicopters. Send one officer to door, knock loudly for 15-minutes. Maybe, just maybe, y’all won’t have to call that “Wrong Door” city/county number, nor will you have to settle out of court for maiming an innocent infant in a crib or murdering an innocent former Marine or humiliating an innocent county executive who now is a #1 Enemy of all things SWAT (better prey nightly that County Exec doesn’t move up politico food chain). Y’all really really do it to yourselves and it’s really really sad and unprofessional.