If not all police are bad, how come the good cops never snitch on the bad apples that are ruining the bunch?
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I’ve never been the type of guy to yell “Fuck The Police,” although my anger at certain situations have definitely caused me to feel an extreme level of distrust for the boys in blue. But despite my frustration over incidents like Darrin Manning, Eric Garner, and Oscar Grant – among many others who’ve either died by police or were brutalized beyond recognition – I’ve never painted ALL cops with a broad stroke of corruption, mainly because I have family members and friends who are on the force, and I stand behind their character.
So at the risk of sounding cliché, I know not ALL police officers are bad, but what I don’t know—and what I can’t seem to understand—is why the good ones, even the ones I know, don’t snitch.
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The “stop snitchin” phenomenon grew into the mainstream in late 2004 when a man named Rodney Bethea from Baltimore released a DVD titled “Stop Snitchin.” The Baltimore police department responded with their own campaign, “Keep Talkin.” Police departments nationwide since that time have tried numerous strategies to get communities to give up information, but the one thing they’ve never done was to lead by example.
In Philly, the “stop snitching” culture is rooted deep, but not in the way you think. Sure, communities are apprehensive to rat out the drug dealer on the corner, but that ain’t shit compared to the code of silence that exists among those city workers whose office supplies include bullets, badges and batons.
The first day I spent in court for the Darrin Manning case an associate of mine came running up to me saying:
“Oh my God, these cops were standing behind me talking about the white female officer who allegedly squeezed Darrin’s testicles. They were talking among themselves about how many times she’s gotten away with these types of crimes.”
I believe my colleague; I have no reason not to. I don’t believe the majority of police officers, they haven’t earned my trust.
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Just recently six Philadelphia police officers were arrested in a corruption probe; the crimes they were charged with are said to be worse than the criminals they were chasing.
Their illegal actives went on for years I’m sure, so why didn’t the “good cops” rat them out? How come the “good cops” didn’t snitch on the white female officer that Darrin Manning said sexually abused him? How come the “good cops” aren’t launching an internal campaign called “Start Talking?”
It’s easy to ask the community members if they see something to speak up, but it’s even easier to lead by example. So here’s my message to the “good cops”: speak up, or you’re just as bad! Your silence is compliance!
Thanks for reading. Until next time, I’m Flood the Drummer® & I’m Drumming for JUSTICE!™
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Photo: AP/Matt Rourke