My Riot Free Kenosha For a Body Cam

 

We live in an era where everyone carries a cell phone and surveillance cameras cover most of the landscape
No longer does an aggrieved citizen complaining of excessive force his word against the police and from justice have them escape
From the days of Rodney King brutally being beaten after a traffic stop
Good chance today on video will be captured excessive use of force by a cop
Many cities to reduce the excessive use of force incidents and claims now have body and dashboard cams
To capture after a stop whether the suspect was resisting arrest or victim of unjustified to the pavement body slam
Requiring as a matter of policy meriting discipline they be turned on
If you are on camera and a possible rare bad cop, good chance restraint on force it will spawn
Kenosha, Wisconsin police department in 2017 had followed that welcome trend
Authorized body cams for its officers but due to budget problems the money it did not spend
Worse it looks like today funds will not be available until 2022
Maybe longer from the expense arising out the shooting of Jacob Blake that will ensue
Only a spectator phone video that shows Blake walking from passenger side to driver’s door
With police right behind with guns drawn as he bends down in direction of the floor
Officer Rusten Sheskey holding on to his shirt fired 7 quick shots to his back
Like the sorrow of a Kingdom for a horse visual evidence of what the officer saw we lack
Was Blake reaching for a knife in the car that made the officer for his life fear?
Even if yes why did not his training teach him to step back and if he turned with a knife in his hand to appear?
Warn and then fire to himself protect
Any claim of excessive force so on camera almost all people would reject
To the extent Trump has the executive power to require
Body cams and dashboard cams turned on should be mandatory police attire  

© August 26, 2020 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
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