Not Every Cop
Derek Chauvin is not every cop. After watching days of testimony, from the bystanders to the Minneapolis Chief of Police, what Derek Chauvin did to George Floyd is far beyond the scope of “policing”. We may never really understand what Chauvin “meant” to do. Maybe he was “punishing” Floyd by “putting him to sleep”, an action that went far wrong. Maybe he really was threatened by a large Black man who refused to cooperate and get in the car. Or maybe he thought that somehow Floyd was on powerful drugs that made him uncontrollable. Whatever Chauvin thought, the video tells the tale.
In cold blood, with intent or reckless disregard, Derek Chauvin led two other officers in holding a handcuffed Floyd on the ground. And for over nine minutes he kneeled on Floyd’s neck; past the time Floyd stopped struggling, or moving, or talking. He kneeled on his neck until he was dead.
And it wasn’t like the bystanders weren’t trying to take some action. No one physically assaulted the officer as he snuffed Floyd’s life out; but they screamed, and cried, and warned and pleaded with Chauvin to let him breath. What was Chauvin’s answer when it was all over, and Floyd’s lifeless body was gone in the ambulance? When an elderly Black man said Chauvin didn’t have to do this, his answer was, “That’s one person’s opinion”.
Take Responsibility
The media seems surprised that Chauvin’s supervisors are testifying against him. His sergeant, the most senior Lieutenant on the Force, the Commander in charge of training and the Chief of Police himself have all stated that Chauvin’s action was far beyond the “scope” of policing.
But let’s keep in mind that Derek Chauvin represented the Minneapolis Police and the “people of Minneapolis” as a nineteen year veteran officer. He earned two medals of valor in his career, and eighteen complaints on his record, two resulting in discipline. The Minneapolis Police Department may be horrified with Chauvin’s action, but they are even more concerned that “one of their own” would do such a thing. How much responsibility do they have for this rogue officer?
Heroes
Almost every cop is NOT like Derek Chauvin. Most joined the Force to actually help people, to defend the helpless, stop bullying, and take criminals off the streets. They started for the right reasons, and most still do their jobs, and risk their lives, daily. For every Derek Chauvin, there are thousands of Eric Talley’s, the first officer in the door of the King Soopers supermarket in Boulder, Colorado. He knew his job was to engage the shooter, directing the fire towards himself rather than the “civilians” in the store. He paid the ultimate price.
The police officers that I know are like Talley. They do their job, they take care of people, they believe that they are trying to do “what’s right”. And they are, without talking about it, willing to be “the first one in” at the Kroger’s, or the school, or wherever lives are at risk. It is “part of the job”, but also the duty they knowingly accepted when they swore to “serve and protect”.
In a world of “full transparency”, when every action is likely to be on camera, police officers are constantly under a microscope. And they have a valid point. It seems that few of the “good things” they do end up on YouTube or going “viral”, but every confrontational interaction does. But because there are the few officers like Chauvin in the world, transparency is needed. And that’s the rub.
Last Action
I live near Columbus, Ohio. In the past few months, two Black men have been killed by Police Officers in questionable circumstances. The facts are not “in” fully in yet on what happened, but there is a real concern. Police Officers absolutely have the right to live to “go home” after their shift. But so do the civilians that they interact with.
And the Minneapolis Chief made a strong point on the witness stand. As he said, in many professions you are judged by the wide “body of your work” through a career. Famous Ohio State football coach Woody Hayes is remembered for legendary speeches and coaching. It’s only a footnote that his career ended when he punched a player from another school in the sidelines.
But not in policing. Police Officers are judged by what they did in their last interaction with the public. “Good cop” or “bad cop”, it’s what happens last that is important, not all the good in the past. And that makes doing their job just that much tougher. And the fact the action will be on video, from their own body-camera or civilians with phones, makes it even harder. Every instant judgment call is recorded for posterity, to be analyzed and debated.
But, as the Minneapolis officers who testified said, Chauvin was not making an instant judgment call. His “instant” lasted more than nine minutes.
Who Can Judge
Every profession has some who shouldn’t be there. And it’s easy from the outside to say that the police should “police” their own. Their problem: unlike other professions, police officers know that they will be in a position where they need “back-up”, need help from their fellow officers perhaps to save their lives. It’s a choice for them: how can we “police” our fellow officers, and then call on them for assistance at the critical moment? They have to have each other’s backs, it can mean life and death.
So they can’t do this job. But it still has to be done. If police cannot police themselves, then someone else must. Because someone needs to take responsibility for Derek Chauvin.
