Bobby-D
I was watching CNN this morning and they were interviewing �Bobby-D� (Robert Davis), the 64 year old, retired school teacher who got the business end of some NOPD officers� failed stress management program. Oddly, no one here seems to have mentioned it. It really is hard to tell much from a couple minutes of video tape, but it certainly doesn�t look like there was much provocation by �Bobby-D�. And the interview this morning presented him in a most flattering light. He seems like a regular guy. And I kept thinking he looks pretty spry for a 64 year old: fit, lucid, etc. But I just don�t see where he could present much of a threat even in a blind rage as long as he�s unarmed. But then, if people are intoxicated or otherwise under the influence, then anyone can be a threat, I suppose. Bobby-D insists he hasn�t had a drink in 25 years and I have to say I believe him. And unless the police can produce a breathalyzer that states otherwise, why shouldn�t I believe him?
The second issue is the officer getting all salty with the A.P. guy, and sort of man-handling him, didn�t improve the NOPD�s image. And I understand these officers have had a rough time of it in the last month and a half or so. And I understand that being a police officer in New Orleans, even under the best circumstances isn�t really pleasant. So I wasn�t surprised that CNN was actually making excuses for the officers, but it did sort of bother me that they did. And here�s why:
Everyone who�s ever lived in New Orleans, or is familiar with the history of the NOPD knows there have always been officers within the department that were simply up to no good. Which is likely true of any city � even small towns. I tried to find out how many NOPD officers were or have been jailed compared to other cities and couldn�t find a number. But I�m sure there are plenty more in any city than the city would like there to be. But just thinking back over the years; just thinking of the stories on the news, there are what seems to be a lot. Hell, the Feds even came in at one point because things were so bad.
Now before everyone starts throwing hate comments at me, please hear me out. Can you hold the entire NOPD responsible for the actions of officers that commit crimes or exhibit poor judgment? No, I don�t think you can. Does it reflect poorly on the entire NOPD? Absolutely it does. Does it reflect poorly on the city and undermine potential visitors� sense of security? Certainly. But those are easy questions. The hard questions come in the form of: If tensions are so high that judgment is impaired, are the police more of a liability that a help? Should certain officers be asked to go on administrative leave and be sent to counseling to help them cope with the situation, even against their will? Which begs the question; is the city doing enough to help ensure the overall health of ALL their people in uniform? And, the one I find most difficult to churn around in my head: Is this a case of a good officer under duress who made a bad decision when confronted with what was perceived to be a volatile situation, or is this just another case of bad cops doing what bad cops always do, only this time we�re making excuses for them?
Luckily, I am not obligated to come to some final decision on the matter. But somebody, somewhere, will be and I do not envy them this task. These are very difficult questions and there may be no way to know the truth. And in this, they are largely academic questions; still, I do think they are worth thinking about. And I hope that the rest of New Orleans does too. The city became, in some respects, what people let it become over some 300 years � the good and the bad. We may need to pay very close attention now to what we decide to let the city become. Justice and equality are composed of the decisions that come out of situations like the one Mr. Davis and the NOPD have brought to our attention. If this is a fresh start for New Orleans as a city, then it is important that the die be cast now, with this situation. It should be cast fairly, justly, and with the best interest of all parties at heart. Anything less is unacceptable.
Related posts:
Excellent points, Jack. It will be intersting to see how this plays out.
Jack,
I hear ya. What i see on TV is one man, CLEARLY not being unruly ( level of intoxication is not important ), taking a BEATING at the hands of the infamous NOPD. What I really see is 4 or 5 men who need to go to PRISON and stay there for many many years to come. This type of behavior by police officers is unacceptable from Rodeo Drive to Bourbon Street to Wall Street. In fact, this type of behavior is UNACCEPTABLE from ANY American, uniformed or not.
Criminal behavior is criminal behavior…. the clothes you wear should neither cover it up nor make it acceptable. I do not think these so called ” peace officers” are entitled to the title. They are hoods. They DESERVE to go to PRISON. They can claim ” not guilty” all they want…. but the video does not have the capability to lie. Their guilt is obvious…. in a very LOUD way. Personally, I recommend a public hanging.
I think I would like to continue my post…..
Where is Al Sharpton?? Charles Rangel?? Jesse Jackson??
I saw 4 white officers beating a black man. I am a white guy, and clearly this black man did not deserve what he got. I have seen the video. ” I may not be a smart man, Jenny”…. but I know what I saw….
How come the NOPD is not being accused of racism? Where is the far left?? I’ve not heard a peep out of them….. makes me wonder.
Not really, because I know they are bigots in and of themselves.
Now allow me to pose a few ideas. The Posse Comatitus Act… passed by KKK supporters( the Dixiecrats) to prevent Federal troops from interfering in the extremely poor treatment ( beatings, siezures of property ) of blacks in the south.
What is a larger danger in times of turmoil and chaos….. the local police ( who have every prejudice and misinformation as the local populace ) …. or a group of law enforcers who have come close to reaching true diversity and have a singular sense of purpose and respect for individual dignity?
According to CNN.com, Bobby-D doesn’t think it was racially motivated; instead he beleives it is more the tenseful situation of N.O. in general. He said he harbors “no animosity” towards the officers involved. So anyway, Flip, if the black man (old enough to have seen and/or lived through some pretty brutal civil rights incidents) who got the crap beat out of him says he doesn’t see racial overtones, I tend to go with what he said. No offense.
A.
Flip Side,
According to the AP article, some of those officers were actually federal law enforcement officers and not all NOPD.
Anyway, I think it’s wise that the left is keeping quiet about this. In this instance, it doesn’t matter what motivated the attack. It happened, it was illegal, and we watched it all on tape. I think many people know that by throwing the race card out there they are going to evoke the wrath of conservatives who might otherwise agree that this was a horrendous act. By keeping quiet, they are allowing conservatives to either agree that this was terrible or risk looking racist and insane themselves.
And besides, the federal government is now investigating it as a civil rights violation so to harp on that would seem redundant and would feed into that whiny liberal stereotype.
Living in San Francisco and reading your blogs give me hope for the new south. While on the west coast we don’t put up with that behavior-but it does happy alot. It is nice to see that you in the south are equally in discuss with any local “p.d.”
So far, at least, I see this sad situation being handled with a lot of class by the beating victim, his lawyer and the brass at the NOPD.
We’ll see how it plays out. I’m hoping this level of decorum can remain. But keeping extraneous folks (from both sides) out of it could be a tall order.
As much or more than anything, I think those of us who choose to remain in New Orleans are going to have to learn to ignore or avoid a lot of stereotyping in the coming months or years. We can change so much of what had been negative, but we have to be careful not to be baited into some of the pits that previously existed.
I was at Mardis Gras a few years ago, and instead of 1 man allegedly being intoxicated, there were hundreds and hundreds participating in behaviors that aren’t usually considered customary and appropriate. So what did 1 elderly man do to provoke the police to engage in such a brutal arrest? I don’t know, but certainly I am at least perplexed once again about the caliber and intelligence of police personnel. What motivates someone to pursue this job? Is it indecision, or is it that they want to improve the quality of life for citizens in general? Policing is no cake walk, as I am well aware, but I strongly believe that the quality of officers in this day and age aren’t very approachable. If I should ever be arrested by a policeman for no apparent reason, I will most likely agree to the arrest, let him or her handcuff me and deliver me to central booking because I know at best I can keep all of my teeth, and avoid a humiliating public bloody beating. But then, I would call a good lawyer, and challenge my aggressor in court for the world to see. Oh, wait, I forgot, it’s the South, isn’t it. SHAME.
I was at Mardis Gras a few years ago, and instead of 1 man allegedly being intoxicated, there were hundreds and hundreds participating in behaviors that aren’t usually considered customary and appropriate. So what did 1 elderly man do to provoke the police to engage in such a brutal arrest? I don’t know, but certainly I am at least perplexed once again about the caliber and intelligence of police personnel. What motivates someone to pursue this job? Is it indecision, or is it that they want to improve the quality of life for citizens in general? Policing is no cake walk, as I am well aware, but I strongly believe that the quality of officers in this day and age aren’t very approachable. If I should ever be arrested by a policeman for no apparent reason, I will most likely agree to the arrest, let him or her handcuff me and deliver me to central booking because I know at best I can keep all of my teeth, and avoid a humiliating public bloody beating. But then, I would call a good lawyer, and challenge my aggressor in court for the world to see. Oh, wait, I forgot, it’s the South, isn’t it. SHAME.
I was at Mardis Gras a few years ago, and instead of 1 man allegedly being intoxicated, there were hundreds and hundreds participating in behaviors that aren’t usually considered customary and appropriate. So what did 1 elderly man do to provoke the police to engage in such a brutal arrest? I don’t know, but certainly I am at least perplexed once again about the caliber and intelligence of police personnel. What motivates someone to pursue this job? Is it indecision, or is it that they want to improve the quality of life for citizens in general? Policing is no cake walk, as I am well aware, but I strongly believe that the quality of officers in this day and age aren’t very approachable. If I should ever be arrested by a policeman for no apparent reason, I will most likely agree to the arrest, let him or her handcuff me and deliver me to central booking because I know at best I can keep all of my teeth, and avoid a humiliating public bloody beating. But then, I would call a good lawyer, and challenge my aggressor in court for the world to see. Oh, wait, I forgot, it’s the South, isn’t it. SHAME.
I was at Mardis Gras a few years ago, and instead of 1 man allegedly being intoxicated, there were hundreds and hundreds participating in behaviors that aren’t usually considered customary and appropriate. So what did 1 elderly man do to provoke the police to engage in such a brutal arrest? I don’t know, but certainly I am at least perplexed once again about the caliber and intelligence of police personnel. What motivates someone to pursue this job? Is it indecision, or is it that they want to improve the quality of life for citizens in general. Policing is no cake walk, as I am well aware, but I strongly believe that the quality of officers in this day and age aren’t very approachable. If I should ever be arrested by a policeman for no apparent reason, I will most likely agree to the arrest, let him or her handcuff me and deliver me to central booking because I know at best I can keep all of my teeth, and avoid a humiliating public bloody beating.
I once watched the NOPD administer a beating — er, make an arrest — on Bourbon Street. Like the AP reporter in the current video, I was told by one of the cops, “If you don’t get your ass out of here now you are going down.” Unlike the AP guy, I didn’t have a video tape. I got my ass out of there.
Despite several waves of reform, New Orleans police officers still do not get the concept behind Miranda, citizen rights, and police responsibility to honor both he spirit and the letter of those rights. Police in New Orleans routinely flaunt the law — running the sirens without an emergency, parking illegally when legal parking is available, running personal errands during their shifts, flashing the badge for discounts or freebies. They will tolerate all behavior other cops wouldn’t (such as public drunkeness), but they won’t tolerate the slightest reproach to their authority, such as suggesting you are within your rights to watch or film an arrest. As John P. has repeatedly mentioned above, you stand up for your rights in New Orleans and you will lose your teeth before you get an attorney. Unless there is compelling video to document the beating, the cops will close ranks and you will have “resisted arrest.”
People who stand up against criminals in New Orleans — whether NOPD or hoods — get hurt. The city is notorious for the amount of witness intimidation that goes on. Police will initimidate those who lodge complaints against them or stand up for their rights. Also, the criminal justice system can’t keep a secret and the identities and locations of witnesses are sometimes revealed, leading to intimidation or even broad daylight assassination of witnesses.
There are many systemic problems that contribute to bad behavior. For years the pay was so low that the police couldn’t attract quality recruits and couldn’t retain decent cops. Due to low wages, the department allows police officers to moonlight as private security guards *in uniform.* This is unthinkable in most major cities. Most New Orleans cops make more money working clubs and restaurants in the French Quarter than they make working their shifts. And that’s just the legal compensation. Many NOPD officers have been found guilty of joining the other team and protecting criminals for payoffs.
New Orleans politicians recongnize that crime deters tourism and tourism is their bread & butter (think of how many city council members are partners in tourist-related businesses). The politicians hate any crime in the Quarter or against tourists because of the publicity. But their attitude toward crime in the hood seems to be, “Hey, it’s just criminals killing each other — why should I risk my neck to intervene?”
For NOPD to function properly, they need reasonable pay, no moonlighting, a better understanding of why we have Miranda rights and a true commitment to honoring those rights. We all hope that most of the criminals left town and New Orleans will come back as a safer city. The video of the beating on Bourbon Street reminds us that this aspect of Nawlins Culcha is still with us.
STEVE O’KEEFE
Marigny Refugee
I saw it on TV, too. The guy looked innocent to me. (unlike some who may deserve it). I wonder if this kind of behavior has to do with the relative low pay the NOPD gets.
I lived in NO in the early 80s and remember not beleiving how bad their pas was then. In fact, they went on strike the first year I was there and prevented Mardi Gras (does anyone remember that far back?)
Any way, I hope the guy gets a little justice.
See ya, Bill
I wondered if their behavior is a result of post traumatic stress disorder….after all, those are probably the guys policing the streets during the worst of the hurricane, however, there was also a part of the story about the man who got beaten saying something “smart” to one of the officers, which is what prompted the beating in the first place.
I agree that NOLA police officers should be well paid, but I also think that “Officer Friendly” in ANY city has gone the way of the dinosaur. It’s an “us against them” mentality in law enforcement these days. We’re ALL the bad guys now and there are no benefits of the doubt given on the part of the police. I live in Austin, and the police department here is constantly in trouble with minorities for shooting and tasing them to death, literally.
I also think that somebody joins the police department any more for a little control in their lives, not necessarily because they want to serve and protect, unless it’s serving themselves and protecting their cronies.
If this guy is from NO he should know better than to talk to the cops. Something is amiss. I’m not defending NOPD, but you don’t go up to a cop in the French Quarter and ask him when the curfew ends.
I can hear him now,”Hey Cap, what do I look like a f’ing tour guide? Move along.”
I really think this was a setup.
if the man would have just let the police hand cuff him then this would not have happiend. look at rodney king…so incest but yet going to jail agian. and you only saw a clip of what happiend and are ready to judge on a few seconds of what happiend. so lets see what the witness say that happiend. if he did nothing he should have listened to the police. thats the law. and i know it i have seen it and have been there.
Seems like another news story blown out of proportion by doom and gloom reporting by CNN .
you know, just last night I was standing on the corner of Royal and Gov Nicholls talking to a cop on a scooter. Big guy (black if it matters to you), all dressed out in what goes for a cop suit these days-fatigue pants, bloused over military boots, a NOPD t-shirt, and a Sam Brown rig for his gun and other cop accoutrement. I walked up to the door at the Verti Mart and pushed, as it had been open just moments before I went into my apt. Sadly, they had locked up (this was about 6 or so). We ended up talking for a while about what was open, what was closed, how our houses came out in the storm (he went all the way under, I just lost most of the roof and some walls-he wins-very strange game we are playing these days), and just how fucking weird New Orleans is right now. Anyway, I asked him about parking rules (after first apologizing for asking him something stupid) and the guy cracked up. He said, (liberally quoting), “man, when you get down to non essential employees, at least for right now, they should be on the top of the list. But noooo, man, that’s not what’s happening. I heard, just today, that the parking meter folks will be back next week. It’s got something to do with getting all of the cars off of the street so that they can run streetcars, but I think it’s crazy. People are already broke as hell, half of the cars around here are NEVER going to get picked up, and even if they do start writing tickets and towning, where are they going to take the cars and how are they going to let people know how to find them? Parking tickets? Don’t kid me, man. Where would you pay it if you got it and who would process the damn thing when it got there?”
This guy was laughing the whole time, and he went on and on. It was pretty entertaining and as he said goodnight, and I was walking away, I couldn’t help but think about that seemingly nice guy who got his ass whipped on Bourbon St for apparently not much more than talking to a cop. I know they are tired, and I am the last guy to defend the NOPD as a general institution in the last 10 years, but this guy was OK, had a sense of humor, and I know, because like all of us I know a few cops, that most of them are good guys just trying to get it done and go home. Hell, these days, like many people, they might not even have a home to go to.
Who knows what really happened (besides what is clearly obvious on the tape)? All I know is that when those guys are so tired that they make decisions like the one that they made to whip up on that guy, they shouldn’t be there in the first place. At that point, it becomes the job of the big cheese cops to pay attention and make sure that people are getting the rest and day off that they need. With as few cops as we have here these days, we need the ones who are on duty to be sharp and, almost as importantly, to be approachable. That’s a big part of their job.
It took four young men to calm down an elderly man. That kinda makes no sense ha!
This was plain wrong. No wonder police do not get the respect they should be getting. I know that at least from me, they do not.
so wether it be a 64 year old or 12 year old what differnce does it make. look the guy was under arrests and refused end of story. i wonder what racil sayings the man was saying to the guys…white people are tired of this shit and iam glad to see them finely standing up for it. Like farakon or what ever his name is said, THE WHITE MAN IS THE DEVIL. And this man is backed by the NAACP AND OTHERS! So i say to you WHITE PEOPLE you better start standing up for your rights or you want have any left. They allready got get evrything they want. Trying really Want MARTIN LUTHER KING really stud for. He hated jewes and white men. had orgies and did drugs,
BigDickDaddy - You know nothing of New Orleans, Louisiana, or MLK for that matter. So do us all a favor (as I say something I ground my kids for saying) SHUT UP already.
A.
i dont need to know nothing of new orleans. i could care less. i hope it never comes back!