<p>Actually, NYPD relations with civilians in many neighborhoods aren’t great as they have also arrested reporters who were later released, did mass arrests of folks going about their business just because they happened to be walking around/near large protests to get to/from their homes/work who ended up being released after 72 hours, and they continue to arrest civilians for filming cops in public even after courts have ruled doing so is legal and the right of any citizen who is otherwise not obstructing the police at the scene. </p>
<p>However, compared with Ferguson, I agree the NYPD and NYC are far better…mainly because the impression I’ve been getting with the Ferguson PD barring all journalists from the area and arresting ones who are doing their jobs covering an event in the regional and national interest is that their actions is more like what I’d expect from an out and proud authoritarian/totalitarian state, not a democratic republic like the US of A. </p>
<p>My impression is the differences are due more to the fact the NYPD is much more diverse than Ferguson’s, there isn’t nearly as strong of antagonistic race relations due to recent history of the area and demographic differences, the fact there are politicians and political activists like Al Sharpton willing to protest and annoy local authorities to hold them accountable even with his past mistakes/foibles*, the increasing gentrification of large parts of NYC, etc.</p>
<p>Also, considering NYC is an international city hosting the UN and millions of overseas tourists and journalists, it’s much harder for the NYPD and the city administration to sweep police excesses under the rug. They still try, however, as shown recently by NYPD officers still trying to arrest people for merely filming them in public…something courts have already ruled is perfectly legal. </p>
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<li>This is one area I’d disagree with ZM’s assessment that nothing good can come of Sharpton. As much as I agree with her that he can be over the top and has made serious mistakes 2 decades ago, he has become a much more mellow and more effective as a local activist gadfly to hold local/state politicians and authorities accountable within the last decade and half. Ironically, his notoriety in his over-the-top protests/personality from decades past has facilitated him in this current role.<br></li>
</ul>
<p>I read in the paper that Ferguson is 2/3 black, while the police force has 3 black officers out of 53. While you can’t change the makeup of a police force overnight, this is a recipe for problems.</p>
<p>On what planet has Sharpton become more mellow and effective, cobrat? When he publicly humiliated the mayor? When he threatened the entire city? When he planned to create chaos in my borough? He caused the deaths of six people and shouldn’t ever, ever, ever be welcome in polite society - particularly not sitting next to the mayor. Which reflects on what a piece of garbage the mayor is, himself, because one is known by the company he keeps. But I think “Reverend” Sharpton has taught the mayor a valuable lesson.</p>
<p>“I read in the paper that Ferguson is 2/3 black, while the police force has 3 black officers out of 53. While you can’t change the makeup of a police force overnight, this is a recipe for problems.”</p>
<p>It is my local government I fear most and the people they hire to maintain order. Who is watching them. I would prefer peaceful protests. But the police have brought this outrage on themselves. </p>
<p>This is unfortunately not a recent phenomenon. A HS history teacher I had who is White and grew up in a NE middle-class suburb in the '50s recounted how he and several other friends were regularly set upon and beaten by town cops merely for the crime of being teenage males while walking to/from school or around town to visit friends/go to theaters/burger joints. </p>
<p>And considering the strong prevailing attitude of “giving law enforcement the benefit of the doubt” and “those teens/kids must have done something wrong” back then, it was never resolved until changes in law enforcement procedures due to court decisions and legislation in the 60s started to make a dent in forcing a change in those cops’ attitudes/actions. </p>
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<p>Considering your own avowed political stance and the fact your are from the most politically conservative borough with a large White majority, your vehemently critical views on the current mayor and Al Sharpton comes as no surprise. </p>
<p>This was also a factor in why some in your borough tried initiate a secession from the rest of NYC to join NJ in the late '90s before the attempt failed. </p>
<p>Busdriver, if the Ferguson PD had acted in good faith from the start, and shown a modicum of respect for both the community and Brown’s family, as in the case Zoosermemom sighted in New York, there never would have been the reaction of outrage this case has sparked. It’s in no way axiomatic that the officer or his family would have been targeted, not if people in the community felt that the taking of Michael Brown’s life was something the PD and other governing agencies took seriously? And that perception has everything to do with the reputation the PD has among the community it serves. Respect, cooperation, and transparency are prerequisite to good community relations, and that entails not looking upon residents as if they’re all latent criminals, but instead sending the clear message that you believe the great majority of them want what everyone else in America wants: a clean, safe place to work and raise families, because that happens to be true!</p>
<p>BTW, not every protester is a “violent thug”. The majority of them were not throwing bottles at the police, nor looting businesses. But, every protester was treated as if he or she were a violent thug, and given to believe his/her grievance was insignificant. Indeed, it seems there is no shortage of people who believe that as long as there are black men willing to murder other black men, black people have no right to get upset over representatives of their government who are seemingly willing to gun down unarmed black men—after all, it’s not as if there’s like, a history of that sort of thing in this country 8-| Seriously, the one phenomenon has nothing to do with the other. If government entities suddenly began shooting unarmed white teenage boys, I doubt people would say there’s no reason to get upset as long as there are whites killing other whites. </p>
<p>And there are black community members working tirelessly to combat the gang violence responsible for the deaths do so many young black men. Entire communities even take to the streets to bring awareness to the need to end this kind of violence. But, it’s a weary sadness and brokenheartedness that marks these peaceful marches, not the type of fear and rage engendered by authoritarian abuse. If you can’t understand the difference, I doubt there’s anything I can say that will make you see it. Selah.</p>
<p>The “violent thugs” in this case seem to be wearing badges. They put eight (or something like that) bullets in an unarmed kid who had his hands up. They leave his body in the street for hours. Then rather than taking the body of this child away in a respectful manner, they load it up in some random SUV.</p>
<p>This is a police force that has no respect for citizens. Imagine if it was your child, whose body lay in the street for hours. Do these cops have no training at all? </p>
<p>This reminds me to have a serious talk with my son about what to do if he is pulled over or in a car that is pulled over by law enforcement. It is sad that I feel I have to have this conversation with my son who is a good kid and who has never been in any trouble. He has a darker complexion and it makes me sad that could play into how he is treated.</p>
<p>It is important for thee young people to know the laws of the road and protocol. If a cop pulls you over and his words are for you to step out of the vehicle, you do not have to. They must tell you the reason for pulling you over. I need to brush up on the rules, as well. </p>
<p>For those who have grown up on Degrassi, they had an episode where two of the black characters faces racial profiling and “driving while black”. ; </p>
<p>Something is going dramatically wrong in our country. I don’t know what it stems from, and I don’t know what “we” can do about it. But violence in all its glory is on the rise, along with hatred and intolerance of others who are different than “we” are. I grew up in the 60s and 70s being taught by my family and my synagogue the credo “Brotherhood of Man” - in my family’s home my parents and grandparents (in my teens I lived with my grandmother) were intolerant…of bigotry and loss of peoples’ rights (and that included women and gays). When my own D was 3 or 4 as we drove around neighborhood after neighborhood admiring the beautifully decorated homes at Christmas, she asked “How come no one has Hanukkah decorations?” it was a perfect opportunity for me, as a parent, to continue the legacy I was raised with, about how we are all different, and how wonderful those differences are. And yes, I admit, I threw in a little lesson about antisemitism and women’s rights, because just like sex-ed, this was just the start of the lifelong conversation I would have with her. To this day my D is compassionate, open minded, a free thinker, and above all tolerant of “our” (the population) differences. </p>
<p>The officer who shot Brown was later treated at a hospital for swelling on the side of his face. Were there any videos of what actually happened?</p>
<p>In practice, one may not have a choice…such as when an Ohio state trooper having a gun out and pointing it at the driver as happened one time when my college classmates and I were using a signed out college van* to do a day grocery shopping trip in preparation for a cultural theme event sponsored by some college academic departments. </p>
<p>Only reason why I think we were pulled over was that the cops assumed we were young seemingly foreign students who could be pushed around. The drawn gun part was doubly ironic considering the driver was a young woman who was barely 5’4". However, upon finding we were Oberlin College students and some of us including the driver knew our legal rights, the cops ushered her back to the van and allowed us to drive off. Unfortunately, no apology was rendered by the cops for the drawn gun or the long questioning. </p>
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<li>No visible college markings.<br></li>
</ul>
<p>The real difference in the Staten Island case was that there was a video filmed by a friend of the victim who was present. The video was posted immediately. It went viral. Now, I guess there’s a .00000001 chance that it was somehow altered, but assuming it wasn’t, it’s kind of hard for the cop who is responsible for the death to argue. </p>
<p>The victim was accused of selling cigarettes without paying taxes. Not exactly a violent crime. He was mad at the cops and arguing with them, but he didn’t touch them or threaten them. Then the video shows one of the officers going behind him and putting him into a choke hold. Those have been banned by the NYPD. The victim went down like a ton of bricks. You can hear the victim saying “I can’t breathe! Please, I can’t breathe!” He had asthma. The other police then turned to the bystanders and told them they had to move back at least 100 feet–presumably so they couldn’t see anything. Then the victim was dead. </p>
<p>Without the video, it would be a very different case. With it, it is crystal clear that the cop used a choke hold. </p>
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