June 2020 Blues Issue Vol 36 No 6

I’ll preface this post with, if you communities southeast Texas
$150,000 don’t like what I’ve said, ..what please has it to won’t offer, any Law get Enforce-
you.
just simply “unfriend” me. I am ment Officer. I worked my way
writing only from my point of up, one step at a time, all the
view, based on many years of way to the Chief’s Office, where
experience from Night Shift Patrol,
I spent just shy of ten years as a
all the way up to the Chief’s Chief of Police.
Office. I have been in multiple And in that time, yes, I was
use of force incidents, up to placed in situations whereby I
deadly force incidents. I am not had no other choice but to use
simply just talking about a subject
force against another. Each time
which I have no knowledge I did so, I only used the force
of. That being said...
authorized by Federal, State, and
With regards to the now released
videos of Mr. George Policy. At no time did I ever use
Local Law and Departmental
person to enforce the law is the
immeasurable component of
Floyd’s arrest in Minneapolis; I force to effect an arrest upon
“Trust”.
have seen the cell phone videos anyone who was not actively and
The trust given to the man or
and security cameras (unedited) or violently resisting said arrest.
woman wearing said badge
from multiple points of view. Furthermore, every time the suspect
stopped resisting, I stopped
cannot and must not ever be
That being said, in fairness, I
trivialized, ignored, undersold, or
was not there. However, in every employing physical force.
somehow whimsically dismissed.
frame of film I have seen and I have been seriously injured
For the trust which is afforded
reviewed, I cannot find where in several times in my career. I have
with that badge, rises up to the
any State Statute or Department been beat, cut, hit with a fleeing
vehicle, and shot. In each of
level of Life and Death. That kind
Policy, the form of restraint seen
of trust must be defended and
is what’s taught as an authorized
means of restraint or force force I used was in order to stop
those circumstances, whatever
protected above all things. You
see, the badge does not belong
which I am familiar with. the aggression or resistance and
to whomever is wearing it. The
Couple that with this, when a effect whatever arrest I was
badge itself and all it stands for
suspect is actively resisting and attempting to make. OR...in the
belongs to the people whom
or using force to resist arrest, case of Deadly Force, that force
grant the authority for that
an Officer is legally authorized was only used in the defense of
badge and the person wearing
to use whatever means of force my life or the lives of others who
said badge.
necessary to bring said suspect were in imminent danger.
Remember, no “Governing Authority”
or “Law Enforcement
into custody, and that’s it. In Every badge ever made started
out with a blank slate. Much
other words, once the cuffs are
Agency” exists without those
on, the time for force has, under like the one you see here, affixed
whom such entities are there
* Up to
Re-Opening
4 kids of FIRST RESPONDERS. Must
June
show this ad and
12th.
your ID. Valid anytime.
most circumstances, come to an with this post. Whether it’s a
to serve in the first place. The
Discount is off regular prices. Can not be combined with other specials.
end. (Barring of course, spitting, “Shield” or a “Star” it is a symbol
badge I wear may have a number
on it and it is issued to me,
** 25% OFF Party Packages, not total price.
biting, kicking, etc.-to which of “Authority”, true enough. But
only the force required to stop no matter whatever engraving
true enough. However, at no
10000 EMMETT LOWRY F. EXPRESSWAY
the resistance is authorized) may come later, it should be
time does that badge belong
Look, I’ve been a cop a long time. remembered and revered that,
to me as if I own it. For no one
FM1765 @ I-45
I’ve worked some of the hardest, higher than its “authority” component,
“owns” that badge or any other
409.316.9335 - altitudetexascity.com
toughest, and most challenging
said badge may give a
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10 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 11