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[Dalek]

Police chief, emotional over shooting of 5-year-old, goes off on hypocrites attacking cops

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7MAO7McNKE&feature=youtu.be

Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn made a national name for himself on Wednesday after an impassioned video went viral on YouTube.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel posted a three-minute clip of Flynn responding to police protesters, who turned out to a Fire and Police Commission meeting to slam the department over the shooting of a mentally ill man.

Dontre Hamilton suffered from schizophrenia but was non-violent, according to family members. When Officer Christopher Manney approached Hamilton, he reportedly violated protocols that escalated the confrontation, and he ended up shooting Hamilton 14 times, killing him.

Flynn responded by firing Manney, taking flak from the police union in the process. When police protesters showed up to verbally attack him and other members of the police at the meeting, Flynn was having none of it. He shouted back at many of them and took a phone call, much to the chagrin of the protesters.

This led the press to ask Edward Flynn about his actions following the meeting. His response is not only angry, thought-provoking, and impassioned, but it also symbolizes what many law enforcement personnel feel about doing their jobs in the 21st Century.

While the whole rant is epic and genuine and worth the three minutes of your time that it will take to listen, one of the most powerful parts comes midway through.

“Well I was on my phone, and yes, that’s true. I was following developments with a 5-year-old little girl sitting on her dad’s lap who just got shot in the head by a drive-by shooting. And if some of the people here gave a good g*dd*mn about the victimization of the people in this community by crime, I’d take some of their invective more seriously. The greatest racial disparity in the city of Milwaukee is getting shot and killed. Hello! Eighty percent of my homicide victims every year are African-American. Eighty percent of our aggravated assault victims are African-American. Eighty percent of our shooting victims, who survive their shooting are African-American. Now they know all about the last three people who’ve been killed by the Milwaukee Police Department over the course of the last several years. There’s not one of them that can name one of the last three homicide victims we’ve had in this city.”

 

[Mammoth Jones]

He shouldn't use the deaths of Black people as a smokescreen to chide protesters. Who are they supposed to protest? When the assailant in those crimes are caught they typically go to jail.

When cops abuse power and shoot someone (let's say the mentally ill and minorities) they get a slap on the wrist and a pension.

 

[Codeblue]

I don't see how the protesters are being hypocritical.

 

[Siegcram]

I don't see how the protesters are being hypocritical.

Yeah, just because you get emotional over something doesn't mean you're right.

What he's saying is a straw-man argument of epic proportions, nothing more.

 

[andthebeatgoeson]

It's almost as if he doesn't know cops hold a privileged position that demands trust. When that trust is broken, the anger is much worse.

 

[Air Zombie Meat]

Sorry for trying to hold police to better standards than that of murdering criminals.

 

[Chie Satonaka]

I don't really understand the point he's trying to make.

People can and should hold police officers to a higher standard than random violent criminals.

Exactly what does he expect? This is stupid and isn't "thought provoking" at all.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

I feel that he's basically using code word for "But why ain't ya'll this mad about Black on Black crime?!"

 

[Hackworth]

So the US police are angry and racist, spending effort to redirect blame to other people when they kill unarmed innocents?

Shocking.

 

[commedieu]

I feel that he's basically using code word for "But why ain't ya'll this mad about Black on Black crime?!"

i don't think his encryption is that great, because thats exactly what its saying.

So the US police are angry and racist, spending effort to redirect blame to other people when they kill unarmed innocents?

Shocking.

#JustALarge%OfPolice

 

[xbhaskarx]

Youtube comments

 

[Moral Panic]

I feel that he's basically using code word for "But why ain't ya'll this mad about Black on Black crime?!"

Same.

 

[Brakke]

Youtube comments

I thought to myself: hey, maybe I'll give this a shot; I always avoid You Tube comments, maybe today I'll dip my toe in and see if it's really that ba--

"Asians were used as slaves for 200 hundred years, but they didn't fall apart like black people did. So obviously, moron, race wasn't the cause."

Incredible.

 

[OrangeGrayBlue]

"Criminals kill people and go to jail for it and no one complains. Why are people upset when cops kill someone and go back to work a few weeks later?"


Great argument ya got there.

 

[Chie Satonaka]

I feel that he's basically using code word for "But why ain't ya'll this mad about Black on Black crime?!"

This was the vibe I was getting as well.

 

[OrangeGrayBlue]

Actually, the more I think about it, it seems like he's trying to argue that black men are "the problem" which is pretty awful.

 

[TheOMan]

I don't see how the protesters are being hypocritical.

I guess because they don't protest when the remorseless criminals shoot anybody and everybody.

Sure seems like he's upset that people aren't more mad about the black on black crime without directly saying it. Kind of strange that he would compare the two when most logical people would realize that cops should be held to a higher standard.

Sure was passionate though.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

I don't think he should've pulled out the black on black crime trap card, but he already fired the cop responsible for the murder

One of the few times that actually happens

 

[Shouta]

I don't really understand the point he's trying to make.

People can and should hold police officers to a higher standard than random violent criminals.

Exactly what does he expect? This is stupid and isn't "thought provoking" at all.

He's kind of scattershot but it seems he acknowledges that the police need to be held to a higher standard. But that doesn't include examining and criticizing them under a microscope. He was on his phone checking out reports of another homicide involving a child and he was getting shit from folks about it.

His other point that gets mingled in is that folks are on the police for several instances involving them and acting like they're what's wrong with the community/city yet no one bats an eye at the other tons of homicides that the police aren't related to and all that. He spouts it out in the heat of the moment so it kinda comes out strange, I think.

 

[Eyeron]

Bill O'Reily made the same basic argument recently regarding Ferguson protesters not taking a stand against the gang violence in Chicago. It's surreal to watch these guys dodge the issue of police brutality.

 

[Enzom21]

The officer was only fired? No criminal charges?

The greatest racial disparity in the city of Milwaukee is getting shot and killed. Hello! Eighty percent of my homicide victims every year are African-American. Eighty percent of our aggravated assault victims are African-American. Eighty percent of our shooting victims, who survive their shooting are African-American. Now they know all about the last three people who’ve been killed by the Milwaukee Police Department over the course of the last several years. There’s not one of them that can name one of the last three homicide victims we’ve had in this city.”

What are people supposed to protesting here? This seems like an issue for the police, not citizens.

 

[Jest Chillin]

I don't think he should've pulled out the black on black crime trap card, but he already fired the cop responsible for the murder

One of the few times that actually happens

This is my take on it. He actually did take some action here in firing the officer (though the former officer should be brought up on charges as well) and as a result he's getting shit from the Union and STILL getting shit from the community. I think that put him into an angry defensive stance and he just sort of ranted without realizing how it sounded.

His overall point with the Black victim statistic was probably that the community should be more passionate about trying to solve the issues that resulted in those statistics rather than trying to break down the organization that's tasked with dealing with it but given the greater contextual problem with how Police use their power around the country and his only mentioning one race, it comes across offensively.

 

[ChawlieTheFair]

I don't think he's wrong.

 

[Mesousa]

I don't think he's wrong.

Well, he is.

 

[StoOgE]

In short: "Why do you only care about the people we shot and killed?"

Probably because they write your check and have some say in your employment.

 

[ronito]

Dunno it feels like a priest saying" pedophiles have sex with kids every day but a priest does it and everyone freaks out"

 

[Byakuya769]

Thread backfire.

 

[Dalek]

Thread backfire.

Uh...how so?

 

[ChawlieTheFair]

Well, he is.

In terms of these specifics yes he is, but in terms of grand change and overall societal improvement, I don't think he is.

 

[Siegcram]

Uh...how so?

The protesters aren't hypocrites. If anything, he is.

 

[Dalek]

The protesters aren't hypocrites. If anything, he is.

But how is that a backfire of the thread?

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

Uh...how so?

"Hypocrite" doesn't apply because police murdering people and civilians murdering people are not the same, to put it bluntly.

Won't be a backfire though because some people will predictably agree with the whole thing

 

[Kettch]

Cops don't need to be held to a higher standard, they just need to be held to the same standard everyone else is. Which they aren't.

Get back to me when either:

A) The officer is held accountable criminally, which he isn't:

The officer, Christopher Manney, did not use excessive force when he shot Hamilton 14 times, Flynn said; rather, the officer did not follow department rules in the moments leading up to the shooting.

or B) The guy who drive by shoots a little girl is simply fired from his job and then let off.

Then we can start discussing hypocrisy with these examples. It's nice that the guy was at least fired in this case unlike most, but I'm not going to praise the police chief when he's still a part of the problem.

 

[El Odio]

People will stop complaining when the police receive the same punishment as crooks or crooks are held in the same regard as cops.

 

[Siegcram]

But how is that a backfire of the thread?

Well, the thread title doesn't apply. At least not without quotation marks.

 

[CassidyIzABeast]

What about black on black crime?
You is your own worst enemy
All police officers aint bad

 

[Taramoor]

In short: "Why do you only care about the people we shot and killed?"

Probably because they write your check and have some say in your employment.

More because, presumably, if the other people are caught they'll go to jail for murder.

When police officers kill people they get bonuses.

 

[remist]

The protesters aren't hypocrites. If anything, he is.

This guy did the right thing and fired the officer involved in the shooting and these protesters are wasting their time disrupting a hearing and nitpicking at him for answering his phone. If they really cared about the situation they would be petitioning the attorney general for charges instead of showing up at a hearing harassing and shouting down someone who already done what's in his power to do and fired the guy,

 

[Enzom21]

But how is that a backfire of the thread?

This nonsense:

Police chief, emotional over shooting of 5-year-old, goes off on hypocrites attacking cops

How are the protesters hypocrites?

 

[ChawlieTheFair]

This guy did the right thing and fired the officer involved in the shooting and these protesters are wasting their time disrupting a hearing and nitpicking at him for answering his phone. If they really cared about the situation they would be petitioning the attorney general for charges instead of showing up at a hearing harassing and shouting down someone who already done what's in his power to do and fired the guy,

But maybe people aren't aware of all that. Not that it matters, if you are angry with your police force protest them, they will still listen to those protests and perhaps keep them in my mind. Now that this thing is in the news perhaps more action will be taken.

 

[Dalek]

This nonsense:



How are the protesters hypocrites?

Ah-I see. That's the title of the original article I was going to post from but I switched to this one as it had more details on the case.
http://www.bizpacreview.com/2014/11...-goes-off-on-hypocrites-attacking-cops-158415

It's interesting to see the difference in responses between NeoGAF and reddit on this same story:

http://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/2mrx4t/chief_flynn_of_milwaukee_pd_speaks_a_harsh_truth/

 

[Dead Man]

Dunno it feels like a priest saying" pedophiles have sex with kids every day but a priest does it and everyone freaks out"

That's exactly what it feels like.

 

[Piggus]

While the protesting is warranted over police shootings that are obviously unjustified, the generalization of ALL police officers (here and in society) is absolutely fucking pathetic.

I wouldn't be alive if not for two local officers in my town. So unlike many people, I'm not about to lump all police into a single group just because some of them do terrible things.

As for the video, again, protests are warranted, though the officer has every right to defend his position considering he's not the one who shot the guy and he canned the guy who did. What's he supposed to do exactly? He makes a perfectly valid point in saying that we spend too much time focusing our rage at the police when there are gang violence/crime problems that can only be fixed when a community comes together and creates change via local politics (such as funding for better schools, community centers, etc.). I wonder how many of these protesters would vote No on ballot measures designed to reduce crime and help the poor for tax reasons?

And people saying the guy is racist? What in the actual fuck.

 

[Dalek]

While the protesting is warranted over police shootings that are obviously unjustified, the generalization of ALL police officers (here and in society) is absolutely fucking pathetic.

I wouldn't be alive if not for two local officers in my town. So unlike many people, I'm not about to lump all police into a single group just because some of them do terrible things.

As for the video, again, protests are warranted, though the officer has every right to defend his position considering he's not the one who shot the guy and he canned the guy who did. What's he supposed to do exactly? He makes a perfectly valid point in saying that we spend too much time focusing our rage at the police when there are gang violence/crime problems that can only be fixed when a community comes together and creates change via local politics (such as funding for better schools, community centers, etc.). I wonder how many of these protesters would No on ballot measures designed to reduce crime and help the poor for tax reasons?

Also, the police union voted no-confidence in this guy because he fired the officer that did the shooting.

 

[Lesath]

You know, it's really weird how reddit would upvote videos like this sky high (happened in previous shootings) despite its general political leanings. Do a thousand guys from Stormfront just flood the system with upvotes, or is reddit actually sort of racist?

 

[Enzom21]

Ah-I see. That's the title of the original article I was going to post from but I switched to this one as it had more details on the case.
http://www.bizpacreview.com/2014/11...-goes-off-on-hypocrites-attacking-cops-158415

It's interesting to see the difference in responses between NeoGAF and reddit on this same story:

http://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/2mrx4t/chief_flynn_of_milwaukee_pd_speaks_a_harsh_truth/

Yet you choose to use the more inflammatory and incorrect headline?
Reddit is a cesspool.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

While the protesting is warranted over police shootings that are obviously unjustified, the generalization of ALL police officers (here and in society) is absolutely fucking pathetic.

I wouldn't be alive if not for two local officers in my town. So unlike many people, I'm not about to lump all police into a single group just because some of them do terrible things.

As for the video, again, protests are warranted, though the officer has every right to defend his position considering he's not the one who shot the guy and he canned the guy who did. What's he supposed to do exactly? He makes a perfectly valid point in saying that we spend too much time focusing our rage at the police when there are gang violence/crime problems that can only be fixed when a community comes together and creates change via local politics (such as funding for better schools, community centers, etc.). I wonder how many of these protesters would No on ballot measures designed to reduce crime and help the poor for tax reasons?

Do you even reads threads or just see "police" in the title and spill

 

[ChawlieTheFair]

While the protesting is warranted over police shootings that are obviously unjustified, the generalization of ALL police officers (here and in society) is absolutely fucking pathetic.

I wouldn't be alive if not for two local officers in my town. So unlike many people, I'm not about to lump all police into a single group just because some of them do terrible things.

As for the video, again, protests are warranted, though the officer has every right to defend his position considering he's not the one who shot the guy and he canned the guy who did. What's he supposed to do exactly? He makes a perfectly valid point in saying that we spend too much time focusing our rage at the police when there are gang violence/crime problems that can only be fixed when a community comes together and creates change via local politics (such as funding for better schools, community centers, etc.). I wonder how many of these protesters would No on ballot measures designed to reduce crime and help the poor for tax reasons?

In the end I think it perhaps works as a teacher to maybe make more cops think twice. Then again maybe the hiring process/pay whatever for cops should be higher, encourage more educated cops, may make people at ease. I'm not sure what the current process is like.

 

[Stinkles]

I don't see how the protesters are being hypocritical.

They are if they all work for law enforcement and are authorized to use force in their job.

 

[Piggus]

Do you even reads threads or just see "police" in the title and spill

I read the thread. And like most threads about police, a lot of people are so caught up in the police-related tragedy's going on that they completely dismiss anything a police officer has to say without considering that there are two sides in all of this.

I'm talking about shit like this:

So the US police are angry and racist, spending effort to redirect blame to other people when they kill unarmed innocents?

Shocking.

The officer didn't kill anyone. He fired the guy that did the killing and was punished by his own department for it. Not to mention that the post is, again, a disgusting generalization.

In the end I think it perhaps works as a teacher to maybe make more cops think twice. Then again maybe the hiring process/pay whatever for cops should be higher, encourage more educated cops, may make people at ease. I'm not sure what the current process is like.

Yeah, the hiring process definitely needs reform.