Dallas' top cop has answer for protesters: Join us

[zenkai]

Source

Dallas police chief to protesters: We're hiring

Only days after watching five of his officers gunned down by an anti-white anti-cop shooter, Dallas Police Chief David Brown on Monday offered some advice to protesters who remain upset about recent police shootings: Join us.

Even as sometimes violent demonstrations against police continued Sunday night throughout the nation, in cities from Baton Rouge to Los Angeles, Brown made his argument for disaffected civilians to put down cardboard signs and pick up a badge.

“Become a part of the solution,” Brown said during a Monday news conference. “We’re hiring. Get off that protest line and put an application in. And we’ll put you in your neighborhood, and we’ll help you resolve some of the problems you’re protesting about.”

Brown knows something about becoming part of the solution. Dallas’ top cop since 2010, Brown joined the department in 1983 after, he said, watching his friends swallowed up by the crack cocaine epidemic.

“It broke my heart and it changed what I wanted to do,” he said.

He worked on patrol, SWAT divisions and internal affairs as his career ascended, leading to assistant chief of police in 2005, assistant city manager in 2007 and, finally, police chief in May 2010. Brown said he remains grateful to the city that gave him a chance to try to reclaim his neighborhood.

“They took an inner city kid like me with flaws and made me their police chief,” he said. “That’s an extraordinary city and they have supported me through very difficult challenges. You don’t see that everywhere.”

Asked about bridging the gap between cops and black youth, many of whom have renewed marching in the streets after controversial videos surfaced early last week of police shootings in Minnesota and Louisiana, Brown replied with a trademark mix of humor and understanding.

“I've been black a long time,” he said to laughs. “It’s not so much of a bridge for me. It’s everyday living. I grew up here in Texas. A third generation Dallas-ite. It’s my normal to live in this society that had a long history of racial strife.

“We’re in a much better place than when I was a young man here, but we have much to do – particularly in my profession.”

Brown chided lawmakers who he said have thrust too many problems on the backs of police officers instead of trying to solve the issues through legislative compromise. He cited mental health matters, drug addiction, education troubles and even loose dogs as issues that were now being hoisted upon what Brown described as overworked and underpaid police officers.

“That’s too much to ask,” Brown said. “Policing was never meant to solve all those problems. I just ask other areas of our democracy, along with the free press, to help us and not put the burden all on law enforcement to resolve.”

Brown said he and his family have received death threats since Micah Johnson’s rampage Thursday night into Friday morning in downtown Dallas. The shooter killed five officers and injured nine others in the deadly spree, but police have still had to watch their backs in the aftermath, Brown said, due to numerous threats continuing to be levied against officers.

“There is a heightened sense of awareness over threats we’ve seen all around the country,” Brown said. “We’re all on edge, we are, and we’re being very careful.”

Brown said he did not regret his decision to use a $151,000 police robot – the Remotec Andros Mark V-A1 – to blow the shooter up as negotiations failed and Johnson threatened more deaths. Brown said the plan was devised in a span of 15-20 minutes and he only had one question for the bomb techs.

“I asked how much [explosive] they were using and I said, ‘Don’t bring the building down,’” he said.

This is a great solution, what do you think?

[muto]

I love it, because he knows they won't. The biggest culprit of black deaths is other blacks. If they want to stop blacks from being killed then they should stop killing each other. They don't want a solution, they just want to blame others for their own problems, and unfortunately that turned out to be the police.

[Polyxo]

I'm not familiar with Dallas PD's reputation, but it won't work in a lot of places. Miami PD, Baltimore, Chicago, etc won't hire or keep good cops. They don't fit in with the internal culture, and they're a threat to the other cops already there.

[Milchshake]

Instead of robot fast food workers, maybe we should prioritize development of robot cops.

[petej0]

What..and work for "the Man"? NO WAY!!

Kidding aside...the reason why people wont do it, is because it is a dangerous job. They would rather complain how other people do it.

Which reminds me of....

Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lieutenant Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know, that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives! You don't want the truth, because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall. We use words like "honor", "code", "loyalty". We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it! I would rather you just said "thank you", and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to!

Col. Nathan R. Jessup - A Few Good Men

[derpkitteh]

i like this chief guy. he seems like a real good guy.

and he's right. if you want to do something about it, to create change, then join up and be the force for change.

[Berengil]

What..and work for "the Man"? NO WAY!!

Kidding aside...the reason why people wont do it, is because it is a dangerous job. They would rather complain how other people do it.

Which reminds me of....


Col. Nathan R. Jessup - A Few Good Men

You seem to forget that the guy you're quoting was successfully court-martialed, and went to prison. Not the best example.

[Rooflesstoofless]

I think we should look locally for police jobs over former military with no connections to the community so I'm all for this kind of thing.

[petej0]

You seem to forget that the guy you're quoting was successfully court-martialed, and went to prison. Not the best example.

I haven't seen that movie, so maybe there's critical context missing, but that speech by itself looks like an asinine cop-out that assumes simply because someone arguably saved a life that they're above reproach and that their means may never be questioned.

Yes...yes..I know..I know. The whole “We’re hiring. Get off that protest line and put an application in. And we’ll put you in your neighborhood, and we’ll help you resolve some of the problems you’re protesting about.” Reminds me of that.

[ro9ue]

The Dallas Police Chief seems like a really respectable dude.

It's really ease to complain about something on social media, or frankly here, on a forum. But to actually go out there and do something... that takes guts.

[Cosmic Janitor]

That would certainly be an interesting approach and might even work in some small local instances.

But opposed to that are in many places (not all) the sad realities about gang violence and becoming a police officer is essentially like betrayal of the highest degree. There will be no easy solution to this. On hand you have cops that have to be careful to the n-th degree because their job is very lethal, because every bum is armed to the teeth, on the other hand you'd want to demilitarize the police and their attitude, preferably supplement them with "good" people, but that is probably quite difficult given the other situation. Sprinkle a bit of latent racism in certain areas (and be it just by life long experience on both sides), the usual anti-intellectual trend among the poor and the misplaced pride in "ghetto culture" and "thug life" on top and you have a recipe for perpetual disaster.

Only thing that will help is probably both sides having to endure while pushing for slow and gradual change, but the enduring part will probably not be pretty..

Anyway, certainly one of the better attitudes from the police chief, given the recent events.

[Xirrohon]

I'm not familiar with Dallas PD's reputation, but it won't work in a lot of places. Miami PD, Baltimore, Chicago, etc won't hire or keep good cops. They don't fit in with the internal culture, and they're a threat to the other cops already there.

Youre not familiar with Baltimore at all. Nearly everyone that runs the city is... Black.

[Crissi]

Unless they're going to increase the pay, they wont get anyone. The current cop shortage in Dallas is due to under payment. The good cops leave Dallas for the nearby cities of Arlington, Fort Worth, and others because these cities pay better. That is pretty much the main reason. So while this advocacy to join is noble and all, any who join wont stay.

Basically, blame Dallas City Council for being cheap and undervaluing their police force.

[zenkai]

Unless they're going to increase the pay, they wont get anyone. The current cop shortage in Dallas is due to under payment. The good cops leave Dallas for the nearby cities of Arlington, Fort Worth, and others because these cities pay better. That is pretty much the main reason. So while this advocacy to join is noble and all, any who join wont stay.

Basically, blame Dallas City Council for being cheap and undervaluing their police force.

I think low pay is why you also get some crappy officers too

[the game]

Should be interesting what happens with this. I hope to here a follow up article about how this turned out. Guarantee none of the protesters will take the opportunity.

[Revik]

HEROISM is calling will you accept the charges?!?

The main problem with this is that people want a better place but in order to do that requires effort from the individual. It is easy to complain about how things are and it is even easy to come up with ways to make things better but until people start getting off their dead ass and actually contributing to making this a better world nothing is going to get better. I am talking about everyone especially the ones complaining.

No ever wants to look in the mirror and think about how I can better myself to making things a better world.

[Deleted]

You seem to forget that the guy you're quoting was successfully court-martialed, and went to prison. Not the best example.

You seem to forget it was a fucking movie - NO ONE was "successfully court-martialed, and went to prison". Regardless, that is a false statement. The movie ends with Jessup being arrested. You have no idea if he was ""successfully court-martialed, and went to prison". For all you know, Ross got him off with no jail time.

The point of the speech stands. (and it horrifies me to say that since it was written by a liberal/progressive asswipe)

[Aori]

I think low pay is why you also get some crappy officers too

You get what you pay for.

[Puupi]

So he wants to recruit violent rioters.

And people still wonder why there are huge issues with the US police force?

[Xandrigity]

Won't happen, it's much easier to just post on social media and show up now and then for a protest.