When police officers get killed, It’s an execution, but when blacks get killed by officers, It’s justified.

“I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States of America, and the Constitution of Laws of the State I’m appointed to, and the Laws and Ordinances of the city in which I serve, and the Rules and Regulations of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the Office of Police Officer, Division of Police, Department of Public Safety, city and state to which I have been appointed according to law and to the best of my ability.”

An oath is a solemn usually formal calling upon God or a god to witness the truth of what one says or to witness that one sincerely intends to do what one says. All elected officials are required to take an Oath to uphold and defend the State and United States Constitution.  Sadly, most Police officers take the oath without understanding what it truly means and knowingly, they will not uphold and defend the State and the United States Constitution.
 
There has been a lot of attention regarding Police Brutality across the United States: White Police Officers are killing unarmed black citizens at an alarming rate and are getting away with it. On November 29, 2012, more than 10 Cleveland Police Officers fired 137 shots into the vehicle transporting Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams. Russell, 42, and Williams, 30, were executed. White patrolman Michael Brelo, fire 49 of the 137 shots into the car and stood on the hood of the car transporting Russell and Williams and fired his last round into the windshield. Preliminary investigation revealed no evidence that Russell and Williams had exchanged fire with the police. Police reported no guns were found in the car.

August 05, 2014, inside a Walmart in Beavercreek, Ohio, police executed 22 year old John Crawford III, who was holding a toy gun that was removed from its original packaging that he picked up from a shelf inside the store. The 911 caller, Ronald Ritchie, falsely accused Crawford for loading and pointing the gun at people inside the store. Walmart released the surveillance tape and at no point did Crawford point the toy gun at anyone. When police arrived in the aisle where Crawford was standing, they shot him down immediately. Neither Ritchie, nor the officers involved have been charged. 

Ferguson, Missouri, August 09, 2014, police officer Darren Wilson fatally shot and killed unarmed Michael Brown, “Mike Brown”. Brown and his friend Dorian Johnson was walking in the middle of the street when Wilson was patrolling the area for two suspects that stole cigarillos from a local convenience store. Wilson ordered them to get on the sidewalk and soon fired a total of 12 rounds, 7 or 8 which hit Brown in the front and the last shot was the fatal shot, which Wilson put the barrel to Brown’s head and fired.

Racial tensions between black citizens and the white police and government, sparked nationally after the shooting death of Mike Brown. On November 24, 2014, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney, Robert P. McCulloch announced that the grand jury decided not to indict officer Darren Wilson. Moments after the announcement, Ferguson protesters began looting and vandalizing their community in response to the grand jury’s decision. Ferguson protesters caught national attention and cities across the nation have begun their own both peaceful and violent protests.

Back on July 17, 2014, Eric Garner, 43, of New York City was choked and killed by officer Pantaleo, who placed him in a chokehold, a move that is banned by the New York Police Department, and ruled his death a homicide. Video footage of the arrest shows Garner screaming repeatedly “I can’t breathe!” until he suddenly stopped breathing. Chokeholds were banned in 1993 by NYPD, but there were over 1,000 complaints of the police department’s use of chokeholds between 2009 to 2013. On December 03, 2014, A Staten Island grand jury decided to not indict officer Pantaleo in the chokehold death of Eric Garner.

Cleveland Police Officers use take down move, killing unarmed 37 year old Tanesha Anderson on November 12, 2014. Tanesha who was mentally ill, diagnosed with schizophrenia was slammed to the cold pavement outside of her family home. No officers involved have been indicted, reprimanded or fired. 10 days later, rookie officer, Timothy Loehmann shot and killed 12-year old Tamir Rice who was in the park carrying a toy airsoft gun. Loehmann shot Rice within seconds of arriving on scene. Surveillance cameras on the nearby recreation center caught the shooting on tape. Officer Loehmann had recently resigned from Independence Police Department prior to joining the Cleveland police force back in March. Reports found that Loehmann was unfit for duty. Police are currently investigating the shooting and the evidence will be turned over to the grand jury, in which they will decide to bring criminal charges against the officer's involved.

“ Under federal law, 18 USC 242, it is illegal for anyone under the color of law to deprive any person of the rights, privileges or immunities secured by the U.S. Constitution, and under 18 USC 241 it is illegal to conspire to violate such rights. It is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. This could be applied to local, state, or federal law enforcement or military personnel who abuse the rights of citizens…”

Each of our victims of police brutality has been deprived of their rights by law enforcement officers and the officers have not been held accountable. Even with videotape evidence of police killing unarmed black citizens and key witnesses, it’s not enough to bring charges against and convict law enforcement officers. These same officers rose their right hand and sworn under oath, that they will uphold the law and defend the United States Constitution. There’s a systemic problem in our justice system and in our government. Many elected officials and citizens are blind to see that. The Cleveland Police Department has awakened the people and raised suspension on other police departments across the nation, after the United States Department of Justice conducted an investigation on the department from 2010-2013.

            Thursday December 04, 2014 United States Attorney General Eric Holder stated, Cleveland’s Division of Police routinely overused force, including unnecessary, excessive and retaliatory violence, according to a Justice Department review of the Cases. Will these findings help bring justice for Timothy Russell, Malissa Williams, Tanesha Anderson, Tamir Rice and other victims of police brutality? The families sure hope so.

            Police officer’s in black communities are poorly trained. They are less likely to defuse situations and are more likely to escalate the problems. They overuse poor and dangerous tactics, which result in more unnecessary violence. These dangerous tactics have nearly destroyed the trust between black communities and law enforcement officers. The government have refused to hold Police officers accountable for shooting and killing unarmed black victims and the people are starting to hold them accountable their own way: Ismaaiyl Brinsley, 28, killed two NYPD officers Saturday December 20, 2014, before killing himself. Ismaaiyl got revenged for Eric Garner and Michael Brown. “I’m Putting Wings on Pigs Today,” said Ismaaiyl. News reporters and police officers labeled it an execution.

Why is it that when police officers get killed, It’s an execution, but when blacks get killed by officers, It’s justified?

Officers are becoming more of a target in the black communities then becoming heroes. Until blacks start getting justice for officers killing their family and the citizens in black communities start getting treated fairly, the gap between the community and the police will keep extending. Blacks rely heavily on Law enforcement to keep peace in our neighborhoods and officers rely heavily on blacks to assist them in solving criminal cases.

Who are you protecting? Who are you serving? Are the questions the people are asking. Police and citizens must work together to keep our environment safe. However, the people can't help Law enforcement when officers are continuing to deprive the people of their rights by killing unarmed black individuals. Law enforcement can't assist the community if they lack leadership and are looked upon as the real enemy. Citizens in these communities need in depth training on police interactions and Police officers appointed to black communities need in depth training on community policing.

Before any officer takes the Law Enforcement Oath, it is his duty to understand it. Once he has been sworn in, it is his duty to obey it, uphold it and defend it. "Obey The Law First, And then Enforce It". If elected government officials fail to defend the State and United States Constitution, they shall be held accountable. If not, the people will hold them accountable their way.

Jameel Davis
Author, Writer, Activist
Cleveland, Ohio
jdavi122@kent.edu