Posted on 05/13/2014 9:15:57 PM PDT by Nachum
There is something very, very wrong with the Albuquerque, New Mexico police department, and the citizens have just about had enough. Before I get into the heart of this story, I need to provide you with a little background. The Albuquerque Police Department (APD) is well known for its outrageous and inappropriate use of violence. So much so that it has been under investigation by the Department of Justice, which wrote a letter to the Mayor of Albuquerque on April 10, 2014 condemning the police force. Here’s an excerpt from the letter:
Based on our investigation, we have reasonable cause to believe that APD engages in a pattern or practice of use of excessive force, including deadly force, in violation of the Fourth Amendment and Section 14141. Our investigation included a comprehensive review of APD’s operations and the City’s oversight systems. We have determined that structural and systemic deficiencies—including insufficient oversight, inadequate training, and ineffective policies— contribute to the use of unreasonable force. At the conclusion of this letter, we outline the remedial measures that we believe are necessary to ensure that force is used in accordance with the Constitution. In some instances, these recommendations build on measures and initiatives that are already underway within the department.
Just prior to the release of the letter, APD officers shot in the back and killed a homeless man named James M. Boyd, who was camping in the Albuquerque foothills. More recently (and after the DOJ’s letter was sent), 50-year-old Air Force veteran Armand Martin was killed outside of his home by a SWAT team in a standoff with police. It seems the APD is incapable of solving any sort of dispute without a citizen ending up dead.
It makes you wonder what is up with law enforcement in New Mexico in
(Excerpt) Read more at zerohedge.com ...
Watching this level of angry discourse in a big city is disturbing. The crowd in this meeting weren't' college kids looking for a cause...This crowd appeared as cowboy hat wearing, normal workaday people over 40 or so.
I watched the one video of the one guy they opened up on. Just incredibly brutal. Something you'd expect to occur in a savage war zone.
They don’t understand, “it was all official and legal” they think. I dislike using the word “they” but it’s accurate, every level of government has the people in the cross-hairs. This separation is not good. Cops giving cavity searches on the side of the road, beating to death handicapped people who are prone on the sidewalk, murdering a homeless guy on a desert hillside, the PD of every burgh & ville armed with military equipment, Federal agencies having private SWAT teams, huge ammunition purchases... none of this is healthy. Throw in NSA. Throw in IRS. Throw in compelling purchases (PPACA). “They” will find out they are vastly outnumbered and surrounded by enraged people. “They” need to reevaluate their policies and posture or it will not end well for us generally, and “them” in particular.
The trend over the last century has been consolidation of smaller towns into larger cities and the growth of powerful county governments, putting more and more distance between the local people and their public servants.
In this case, in a small town, the mayor would be asked to throw out the police chief, and if he didn't, the mayor himself would be thrown out.
Not in today's world.
Corruption can go on and on, and as long as a virtually anonymous 51% get their kick backs and pork, etc, nothing happens.
There's a huge opportunity for Republicans to connect with the young over this. The young want control of their communities. They THINK they've got to install progressives and leftists at the federal state and city level to do this. It's a fool's errand.
The young want control of their communities. Republicans need to do something about state and city level "big government".
Great points about all the other agencies. All very scary Ray...
I think of what I did when I was young, thinking it was perfectly normal having BB gun fights with all the kids, running through the fields and bamboo lined creeks. It was heaven...freedom. For the record we wore safety glasses when we could find them...lol...Try that nowadays kids...
Excellent points re political strategy.
I can see no justification for shooting this guy
crazy people can be threatening but this guy did not seem that bad
If that had been a civilian shooting, there wouldn't even be trial. The shooter's lawyer would welcome a plea bargain down to 20 years instead of the death penalty or life no possibility of parole.
Obviously, your not a Jose!
If I violated a black persons 4th amendment rights Holder would have me in cuffs.
“They must back down, get rid of these stormtrooper outfits, and change their training to “serve and protect.”....
there is some merit to your comments but I would suggest that “backing down”, as you state it may not be the best way to keep a lid on the boiling pot. I do however agree there needs to be a less “military style, storm trooper” police appearance. (It’s done for intimidation)
So why didn’t Gomer issue a citizens arrest on the guy who did the shooting?
As a defense attorney I will agree with that statement.
If a civilian client of mine had done that under the same circumstances they would all be charged with murder and 20 years would be a good outcome.
I didn’t see one damn thing to justify deadly force.
Cops in general have been given such wide immunity combined with all their increasing militarization that it’s a perfect recipe for disaster.
And it’s going to get worse if we don’t do something now.
The video of this meeting is worth watching and pretty much depicts the level of anger at government at all levels.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.