When I was a wee lad, seven or so, I dreamt of one day becoming a police officer. It’s true. I pictured myself, baton in hand, patrolling the streets at night ready to show evildoers just how swift justice really could be. I wanted to protect and serve. I wanted to be a loyal friend and respected confidant to the good people of my city. I wanted to be a hero. Unfortunately, that is a by gone era in my mind.
I recently celebrated my 21st birthday and, I must admit, my disposition has changed quite a bit. Not to say that I have lost my moral compass or that I am a hardened criminal who despises law enforcement, I actually consider myself a very pleasant person to be around, however, what I think I might have lost is my respect for the everyday police officer. Now, just as a disclaimer to any law enforcement out there, I would like to say that I do not in any way intend to offend you or your profession, and I completely respect and greatly appreciate the work that most of you do to keep this wonderful city of ours in working order. “That being said,” (for any Curb fans out there) I feel I must vent.
I live in the Cotton District, so there are usually late night college antics going on. Of course, with these antics come police officers to make sure no one gets hurt. I completely agree with and understand their presence. Not long ago, however, officers began patrolling this area on foot. Since then I have heard story after story of police acting very unprofessionally. Everything from coming into houses unannounced, to hiding around corners attempting to flashlight and ticket anyone daring enough to brave the streets drink in hand. In many of the cases the officers were rude and demeaning to the people they were dealing with. It sounds more like they are monitoring and punishing rather than protecting and serving.
This type of police negligence is not unique to Starkville. In fact, ours seems, in comparison, a mild case.
After beating Duke this year on March 3, over a thousand University of Maryland students took to the streets to celebrate the enormous win over their archrival. According to police, students got severally out of hand, describing their actions as, “large, unruly, and destructive.”
Luckily one student decided to film some of the events from a near by rooftop. As the camera pans around the chaos, one student, John McKenna, is seen skipping down the sidewalk towards two mounted officers.
As he looks up and realizes the officers, McKenna slows down and even takes a step back. The next ten seconds are hard to watch. McKenna is bull rushed by three other riot police nearby, thrown to the ground and beaten until he is unconscious.
When a police report was filed, before the knowledge of the video had surfaced, the officers, in sworn statements, wrote that McKenna attacked the mounted officers and their horses, causing one horse to kick him and inflict only “minor injuries.”
This was a blatant lie in attempt to cover-up police misconduct. Unfortunately for every incident caught on camera another two slip through the cracks.
It is hard to imagine the number of irresponsible officers who have walked because of a he said she said testimony. Luckily in this age of technology cameras are everywhere, and the video doesn’t lie.
I can only hope the real public servants will not allow this kind of behavior to continue. How many more videos will surface? How bad will it get? I’m no psychic, but buckle up.
Micah Green is a junior majoring in communication. He can be contacted at [email protected].