If it’s just about building trust, without any pretense for the conversation, fine I guess (though again, any police interaction can be anxiety inducing).
But if a part purpose of the conversation is to refute a baseless suspicion, then I don’t get it. I don’t get how it stops cops from having baseless suspicions about people based on their skin colour.
ETA: The impression I got from your original post is that the officer could use the conversation to coolly verify that the individual was not a threat, whereas I think it should be obvious that someone picking up garbage isn’t a threat. If that’s not what you intended, I apologize for misreading you.
Yeah I’m really curious what sticker they would hand out. “Skateboarding is Not a Crime”? “You Have A Right to Remain Silent”? “I Do Not Consent to a Search”?
I guess probably just the name of the org unless they got creative.
As a Black woman, I automatically look at all police officers the same way I do poisonous snakes, grizzly bears, or any wild, dangerous animal; to be completely avoided if at all possible, and dealt with extreme caution when avoidance isn’t possible.
Anyone that has a ‘free license’ to kill or maim me is going to be regarded as an existential threat; full stop.
Boing Boing! Thanks for posting these stories. The only way anything will change is if everyone becomes aware that police do this illegal stuff frequently, and across the country. And in spite of all the past published stories, some people still deny that it is happening.
Smartphone cameras are the most important tool against police racism these days. It’s sad that it’s necessary to protect ourselves against these cops who claim to be American patriots, but who violate the constitution continuously - but yes, it’s necessary.
Neither police nor the public need a watrant nor permission to step on private property. This only applies to posted property that clearly states “private property. No trespassing”
The article I read says the cop saw the resident standing behind a posted “private property” sign & stopped to ask if he had a right to be there.
It also says the trashpicker is a student at the Naropa Institute of Disembodied Poetics [founded by Allen Ginsberg].
I’m an old white gay man - which means that usually, these days, I’m profiled as non-threatening, and left alone by cops. But I’ve certainly had to deal with violent anti-gay cops and cops who treated me badly over the years. It’s been about 7 years since the last time I was called a “fucking faggot” by a uniformed cop, who thought that was an appropriate response to my walking on a sidewalk near him, and about 15 years since I was last physically pushed around by a cop. Yes, I’ve also seen cops do good things and defuse violent scenes - but I don’t trust cops I don’t know any further than I can spit. They have to demonstrate they can be trusted before I can relax around them. Black and Hispanic friends and acquaintances have, of course, had many more bad interactions with cops who were both racist and homophobic.
Being gay has been educational - I don’t think I would have noticed as many of the pervasive incidents of racism around me if I hadn’t been sensitized to that kind of crap by being the target of similar crap.
This. I’ve had to learn how to modulate my reaction when police are around, because I get anxious and fearful and they register that as indicating I might be dangerous or guilty of some crime.
Many years ago I adopted a dog who had been used as a fluffer for dog fights, which totally messed up his mind. In working with specialist trainers on this issue, I learned the term “fear aggression”. Dogs don’t distinguish between the two. They react the same way whether they’re feeling fear or aggression, and also if someone ELSE is exhibiting the signs of fear or aggression. That’s what the police do as well: they sense the (completely reasonable) fear that some people feel when around them and they react as if that person is being aggressive. And if they themselves feel fear, they lash out in aggression.
Please tell me those police officers will be fired. I know they won’t but they should lose their jobs. This is fucking insane that anyone should have to put up with that behavior from people who are supposed to protect you.
Not after the police fought for the right to take your garbage from the curb and search it without a warrant. Once it’s at the curb, trash is fair game. (Unless you’re a suspicious type scrounging scrap metal or items with a deposit.)
This incident truly is disgraceful. Those predators were goading the guy into a rash move or comment and they were ready to pounce. I’m sure they went home to their loved ones with an extra shine on their halos.
My question is, where were their supervisors or senior officers who might have had a modicum of common sense?