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To the editor:
In January, following beating death of Tyre Nichols, I wrote “One way to address this issue is for Police Departments to set strict codes of conduct, on and off the job, which make it clear that using dehumanizing language — in locker rooms, over the radio, on social media, etc. — will not be tolerated. Use of terms like dirt bag, lowlife and such would result in charges with repeat offenders terminated.”
It has now become clear that a national code of this type is a necessity. In March, the DOJ issued a report into racist practices carried out by the Louisville Metro Police Department. The report found that, “For years, LMPD has practiced an aggressive style of policing that it deploys selectively, especially against Black people, but also against vulnerable people throughout the city. LMPD cites people for minor offenses, like wide turns and broken taillights, while serious crimes like sexual assault and homicide go unsolved. Some officers demonstrate disrespect for the people they are sworn to protect. Some officers have videotaped themselves throwing drinks at pedestrians from their cars; insulted people with disabilities; and called Black people ‘monkeys,’ ‘animal,’ and ‘boy.’”
Just this week, similar revelations came to light regarding a report by the Contra Costa County (California) DA’s Office on the Antioch Police Department. The report identified 17 officers who sent and received texts and emails laced with racist slurs. One of the texts referred to protests in Los Angeles over the death of George Floyd as being for “the gorilla that died.” As we know, words turn into actions. In one text to a private citizen, an Antioch officer bragged that he “field goal kicked” the head of someone in custody and “tried to knock him unconscious.” A public defender in Antioch estimates that around 40 of the 99 APD officers have exchanged such messages.
If police departments are serious about ridding themselves of “bad apples,” they need to get serious about identifying them. As Maya Angelou noted. “when someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”
Joseph Cannisi
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