I feel like the video, not the situation, not the incidents, not the specifics in the incidents, not Michael Brown, the video taken at face value is an illustration of why the black community doesn't trust the police. If you look at that video that was shown you can't see a knife and you can't hear the conversation between the suspect and the police. All you can see is that dude get shot by the police within 15 seconds of them getting out of the car. Then in that video you hear the witnesses saying "they're putting cuffs on him and he's dead!!!!!" Then when the police issue their statement regarding that video that is being circulated their version of the events don't match what is shown in that particular video.

 

That is why the black community doesn't trust the police.

 

To go to the Michael Brown situation, the police and Officer Wilson's friends and family waited a week to release their side of the story. Their side of the story makes sense to me as a person. Their side of the story justifies him shooting Michael Brown 6 times. The fact that it took a week to get that side of the story is what is troubling and another example of why the black community doesn't trust the police.

 

In this situation it has been stated publicly by the media and by city councilmen in Ferguson that the police were justified in shooting the knife wielding, suicidal suspect. I agree with that also. As I stated before this particular video is not a good look for the police department that is a mere four miles away from Ferguson. Justified or not, this incident is not going to make the relationship between the black community and the police in this area any better.

 

That's the only point I have seen people try to make.

 

While I see what you're saying IMO if what you state lends to the distrust of the police by the black community then there may be no hope. Both are prime examples of not looking at a situation intelligently and considering all the facts.

 

What's really ironic is these two situations good be viewed as reasons the police shouldn't trust the black community. In one a cop is attacked and beaten by a black man for no reason, in the other a black man comes at the police with a knife and disregards commands to stop and put the knife down. Would it be fair for police in the Ferguson area to now approach black men differently based on these 2 incidents?

While I see what you're saying IMO if what you state lends to the distrust of the police by the black community then there may be no hope. Both are prime examples of not looking at a situation intelligently and considering all the facts.

 

What's really ironic is these two situations good be viewed as reasons the police shouldn't trust the black community. In one a cop is attacked and beaten by a black man for no reason, in the other a black man comes at the police with a knife and disregards commands to stop and put the knife down. Would it be fair for police in the Ferguson area to now approach black men differently based on these 2 incidents?

 

I would say that was a fair assumption for any officers. Past experience always has some bearing on the way we act and respond to current situations.

That is the issue I have. I saw the press conference when it happened and the chief definitely demonstrated in stabbing motion which never took place.

The only thing I could tell from the video was the guy going toward the officers and without hesitation started shooting.

 

I have defended police beyond no end on these boards in many cases, this one I'd like to know a couple things first.

Do the cops have tasers? If they do they didn't even use that as an option, and why so fast on the trigger? I don't know the answers to those questions, but the video was totally different to me than the news conference immediately following the shooting.

 

I expected better from you. In that situation a taser wouldn't have been an option because he was closing quick. If they had waited another second he would have been right on top of them. Heck, when he fell he was right at one of their officers feet!

 

The Chief did not say he had the knife over head. When he said the Powell had the knife in an over hand grip he made 2 or 3 stabbing motions starting around shoulder level. I did not take it as him meaning Powell had the knife up, he was just describing what he meant by overhand grip. How else would you describe an over hand grip. Now the 3-4 feet seems to be incorrect, it looked further then that but wasn't that far. At the end of the day Huffington is looking for something that isn't there.

 

 

He was close. He fell right at the officers feet.

 

I think a good Public Relations guy for the police would have been all over this in the first days and made sure this story of the officer's injuries and other parts of the story were brought to the forefront right away.

 

I believe the officer's story. But you don't wait as long as the Police Department did in getting "their side" of the incident into the public's eyes. It makes you look like you have concocted a lie to cover up the incident. It's bad leadership IMO that can't see the way these events would play out and have a plan to be an official voice to counter the "unofficial" voices.

 

So I don't blame it all on the media because the police have some serious responsibility to this officer and their department in seeing to it that there is another side of the story to be heard right away.

The officers injuries were mentioned early, but no one wanted to hear it. The chief said he had swelling on his face several days ago.

The officers injuries were mentioned early, but no one wanted to hear it. The chief said he had swelling on his face several days ago.

 

Swelling on his face is not the same as beaten nearly unconscious.

He was close. He fell right at the officers feet.

 

From what I could see the shooting looked to be completely justified. It did seem like the officers shot him at least twice after he was well on the ground though. I don't think if would have mattered as he had taken at least 3-4 shots already but it seemed like they kept shooting after he was down.

Isn't that the fault of the media rather than the police?

 

Don't know. Don't care. I am only focusing on trying to explain why the black community doesn't trust the police.

Nope. Now matter how much you want to think I am.

 

I feel it is incumbent upon both sides of a situation to solve it, not just one. Both sides have to be open minded and actually WANT to solve the issue, not just give it lip service.

 

Yes. I know this and I am totally aware of this. In order for you to be open minded you have to understand why the black community doesn't trust the police and if my explanation doesn't do that for you then nothing will and it is no longer and open minded discussion. I understand and agree with almost everything you have said. That's me being open minded. I have yet to see you or Mitch Rapp be open minded.

Swelling on his face is not the same as beaten nearly unconscious.

 

In the end it doesn't matter. People should have waited patiently for the facts regardless.

While I see what you're saying IMO if what you state lends to the distrust of the police by the black community then there may be no hope. Both are prime examples of not looking at a situation intelligently and considering all the facts.

 

What's really ironic is these two situations good be viewed as reasons the police shouldn't trust the black community. In one a cop is attacked and beaten by a black man for no reason, in the other a black man comes at the police with a knife and disregards commands to stop and put the knife down. Would it be fair for police in the Ferguson area to now approach black men differently based on these 2 incidents?

 

Exactly. I've been saying there is no hope for racial relations for a long long long long time now. The other day I said things are getting worse. And they are. Rapidly.

 

And no, no policeman should change the way the operate in fear of stupid people. Had that discussion yesterday. I don't want hesitant cops. I want cops who strap on and do their job to the best of their ability with the same good intentions everyday.

In the end it doesn't matter. People should have waited patiently for the facts regardless.

 

In a perfect world people will wait for the other side of the story. "Facts" are subjective. We are far from a utopia.

In the end it doesn't matter. People should have waited patiently for the facts regardless.

 

I haven't weighed in on the shooting, but there hasn't been much in the way of facts available. There's been a good amount of hearsay and "leaked" information, but very little confirmed.

The officers injuries were mentioned early, but no one wanted to hear it. The chief said he had swelling on his face several days ago.

 

I recall that. But it was still more than a few days after the incident. Right then, the day of, the Department should have had someone preparing the file to present with x-rays, testimonies and everything they could present to back up the police interpretation. To just say he had facial swelling meant nothing. When he mentioned facial fractures is when everyone began to listen. That kind of information could have been released right away.

 

Any spokesperson/leader knows that "facial swelling" doesn't have the impact of facial fractures, orbital bone fracture has.

I haven't weighed in on the shooting, but there hasn't been much in the way of facts available. There's been a good amount of hearsay and "leaked" information, but very little confirmed.

 

I said people should wait patiently for the facts. I did not say they had been released.