Cop pulls over black teen, notices he is terrified

[Liberal_in_LA]

http://www.attn.com/stories/11891/officer-tim-mcmillan-posts-about-pulling-over-black-man

[niyad]

1. tears

[Baitball Blogger]

8. .

[Stinky The Clown]

16. Wow, I was right there, too. Tragic and uplifting at the same time.

The kid deserves a hug. The cop deserves a medal.

[lillypaddle]

42. so sad

tears ... poor kid. Poor, scared kid.

Thanks god he got stopped by one of the good ones.

[Jopin Klobe]

50. Yep ...

... same here ...

[calimary]

55. Shit...

I started crying while reading this, too!

A keeper, for sure!

[SusanCalvin]

94. Same here. nt

[trof]

112. yep

[Thrill]

2. Sad

[bluesbassman]

3. Sounds to me like that's one cop who is part of the solution.

Need more like him on the streets.

[Retired George]

19. a LOT more

[red dog 1]

44. + 1

[Glassunion]

4. "I truly don't care who's fault it is that young man was so scared"

It's your co-workers dummy. You know, the folks who look like you, dress like you, etc...

Don't try to shift the blame to the media, protestors, or a fucking quarterback.

It's bad cops, period. You wear the uniform, it's your fucking job to fix it. You are the somebody. You should care who is at fault you blind-eye turning idiot.

[niyad]

9. excellent

[vlyons]

11. Your comment is more than a little harsh

Venting your anger on a cop, who was doing his job in a kind and professional way is to be commended. He might have saved that boy's life, and the lives of other drivers if he had an accident. Maybe even your life, or the life of someone you love. Lighten up.

[Glassunion]

18. It's my job to feed people. I do my job well.

If people that we are responsible to feed, went hungry instead, and the media ran a story on it, and people protested folks starving, or a quarterback is trying to shed light on it. I would not blame sports, the news, or the people standing up to shine a light on it. I'd look to my co-workers. I'd not try to shift any blame. I'd work to fix OUR problem.

The kid texting is not the point of the story. It's the absolute fear that this kid had, that he was going to die at the hands of a cop because of his skin color, and this cop was too blind to see that.

[Beartracks]

86. Then I'm sure you'd appreciate a stranger calling you an idiot online.

How come when it's you in your imaginary scenario, it's all, "I'd look to my co-workers... and work to fix our problem" -- but when it's this real-life cop who wants to change real-life situations, it's all, "You dummy! It's your fucking job to fix it... you blind-eye turning idiot"???



==================

[Glassunion]

98. Because the officer does not care why the kid was terrified.

In the self serving post he states he does not care what the cause is, just that somebody should fix it.

Basically the post reads as follows.
1. I'm not one of those hard ass cops who gives out tickets
2. Poor little black person I'm going to "help"
3. Not addressing the actual issue, and shifting blame on its cause.

[BumRushDaShow]

99. ^^^ THIS ^^^

[Digital Puppy]

108. Agreed... +1000

[Beartracks]

119. Good point: if he really cares about it getting fixed...

... then he HAS TO care about the cause(s).

================

[Coolest Ranger]

20. and would you be telling

him to vent his anger had the cop shot the kid? yea that guy has every right to be harsh. While I commend him for what he did over all, the fact that he did not condemn his fellow officers who do get away with a lot of stuff is why people like me are so damn angry at this

[vlyons]

21. You don't know what he may or may not have told his fellow officers

Stop turning a good cop with good community skills into a demon. Lighten up.

[Coolest Ranger]

34. No, I'm not going to lighten up on this

I'm tired at being told what to do by people

[jayschool]

41. Thank you

Thank you

[C Moon]

92. ...

[LanternWaste]

43. You seem biased.

You seem biased.

Lighten up, part II.

[DustyJoe]

49. no solution for some

Seems some are so rabidly anti-cop they can't see the gem in the manure pile.
As with extremists in all walks, it takes the non extremists in their ranks to try
to teach the correct way. For some others, nothing good will ever be enough.

[vlyons]

61. There is a way to use anger for the benefit of making a situation better. But ...

demonizing all cops, even the ones who are courteous and professional does not make a situation better. Demonizing a whole class of people is no different than what racist cops do to young black men. Sorry that you're not able to consider a fair criticism without flying off the handle. My original comment was a courteous and respectful difference of opinion.

[nomorenomore08]

71. Demonizing someone by speech or writing is a far cry from filling them with lead for no good reason.

I don't doubt that many decent individuals happen to be police officers, but have some perspective here.

[vlyons]

88. The cop didn't shoot anyone!!!

He was courteous and professional. Is it really so hard for some of you to see and say something positive about a good cop?

[Digital Puppy]

110. Is it so hard for you to see

...that the overall point to this sub-thread is that the cop dismissed the actual *cause* of why the young man was so utterly terrified?

Have we lowered the bar so low that the definition of a "good cop" is one who doesn't kill innocent black people?

Do I agree that we need more these kinds of cop? Yes!

Does it seem like he (and many on this board) need more education and exposure to understand the root of the problem? YES!

[nomorenomore08]

115. I wouldn't say "dismissed," but he did seem to downplay it, unfortunately.

It could be that he fears retribution from fellow cops/superiors, which (if true) just makes the whole thing worse.

[Stryder]

113. Good Cop=

Do not abuse the power that we the people have surrendered to you
+ do not turn a blind eye to your co workers who do. = ?
As a percentage, what do you suppose we're looking at here?

[nomorenomore08]

117. I'm pretty sure the second category is much larger than the first. Like, a majority.

So even if it's a minority of cops who are actually corrupt/abusive/crazy, most of the rest don't seem to be doing anything substantial about the problem. Which, in a way, is the biggest problem of all.

[Mariana]

118. I might believe it was a minority of cops

who are actually corrupt/abusive/crazy, if we didn't see so many stories and videos of ALL the cops on the scene participating when abuse or corruption is taking place. If they aren't actively joining in the fun, they're generally standing by watching and doing nothing whatsoever to protect the victims.

What we almost never see is one cop crossing the line into criminal behavior, and the other cops jumping right in to put a stop to it. I don't think there are any examples of one cop arresting another on the spot for a committing a crime like assault and battery, that anyone else would get locked up for.

[deathrind]

78. True.

An LEO does a good humane action and still gets bashed. You are right for some nothing will ever be good enough.

Well said.

[romanic]

91. Pretty much.

An anti-cop will always be anti-cop even after things begin to change for the better. The fight must go on or such and such.

[tblue37]

87. +1. nt

[red dog 1]

37. + 1

[That Guy 888]

53. Glassunion's comment isn't harsh, I see the cop's post as more than a little self-serving.

Last edited Fri Oct 14, 2016, 05:23 PM - Edit history (1)

He doesn't understand why an African American driver would be afraid of police officers? Really? If that is true, he may lack sufficient situational awareness to be successful in law enforcement.

When he tweeted about the incident look at reasons he thinks might be responsible for the driver's fear: the media, protestors, a football player, and tossed in there... "bad" cops. No mention that "bad" cops often lie and plant evidence to justify their murders. No mention of "the blue wall of silence" - the idea that only "rats" testify against a fellow law enforcement officer ...even if he is a "bad" cop. No mention that often before there is even a hint of prosecution there is internal review - the officer's friends and co-workers review the incident to see if it's justifiable. No mention of a legal system that lets "bad" cops walk something like 90% of the time. No mention that the only reason why some of these cases go to trial is because there is video disputing testi-lying officers.

[malaise]

69. +1,000 n/t

[Brickbat]

13. Well said.

[Iggo]

28. EXACTLY CORRECT!!!

[pintobean]

30. no good deed goes unpunished

[LanternWaste]

45. And no punishment goes without petulant commentary.

And no punishment goes without petulant and irrelevant commentary predicated on little more than bumper-stickers.

[nomorenomore08]

75. Ooh snap!

[pintobean]

121. I guess I should have repeated myself

so my post wouldn't fit on a bumper sticker. I guess I should have repeated myself, so my post wouldn't fit on a bumper sticker.

[Dreamer Tatum]

35. It's your job to fix people who fuck up at doing what you do, too.

Care to share your bona fides?

[kooth]

39. "I truly don't care ...

Right on! Yes this cop did the right thing. It would have been better if after he talked to the young man, he said to his fellow officers, "Do you see how it is done? There is no need to start off all aggressive and hateful. Just talk to the driver as if he is a real person, and then go about your way. I can dream, can't I?

[geardaddy]

40. Bingo.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

47. Yup

[treestar]

51. so you're pissed off and hostile to this cop too?

[mythology]

54. The problem with your attitude of assigning blame is that

It never ends. Cops say they have to worry about functionally limitless guns and having every death of a citizen resulting in them being protested regardless of the facts, and blacks say they have to worry about every cop trying to kill them and both sides feel justified in digging in with out realizing that there is some validity and some non-validity to each side. People who feel threatened or can't imagine themselves not being 100% correct make worse decisions. It doesn't help the case of being against police violence when people use the Michael Brown case for example.

If instead you are less caught up in trying to assign blame, you can instead trying to start making things better. Assigning blame as all the fault of cops and not of larger societal issues shows a lack of critical thinking on the issue. It shows you haven't looked at the evidence that we're universally bad at properly identifying if a black or Hispanic person is holding a gun or something else because our society has given us that subconscious bias. You aren't accounting for the prevalence of guns in the general population.

It's easy to assign blame and say it's all that other group that has to change. It's simplistic, naive and doesn't lend itself to resolving problems.

[Glassunion]

60. So who is to blame for the kid's fear of a police officer?

Why was that kid terriefied of a man, with a badge and a gun?

Was it the media?

Was it protestors?

Was it the quarterback for the 9'ers?

Or was it a lifetime of being black, and how the police "deal" with that?

[Chemisse]

63. It looks like this cop DID do his part to help fix the problem.

By treating this young man kindly, and by posting about it to raise awareness.

Let's give credit where credit is due.

[Glassunion]

64. Credit where it's due.

He makes a self serving post to social media about how awesome he was while dismissing the cause of the fear this kid felt.

In my life and work, if I see a problem, I adress it and ask myself how to fix it. If I can't find a solution, or don't know to find one I ask for help. I don't brush it off and state that somebody should do something.

[Dustlawyer]

100. Maybe it's because that when a cop goes against other cops in his/her department they

and their families are threatened and he/she is out of their job and unable to find another. Until we recognize this reality we will go nowhere.

I believe the better way to solve the problem is to have an Independant Prosecutor's Department to oversee prosecutions of cops accused of wrong doing. Once they realize they are no longer above the law things will change.

Community policing is also a method to not only let the community get to know their police force, more importantly it allows the cops to see that the black community is made up of all of the types of people as other communities. They can see that the majority of blacks in this country are not criminals or "takers" on welfare, but hardworking Americans.

[Chemisse]

106. In my life and work, I do that often.

I am a teacher. I can't fix all the problems out there - with the kids, their lives, the school system, the government oversight of schools.

So I talk about the problems occasionally, and do indeed say that somebody should do something. Mostly, I just do the best that I can do in my job, because that is what I can control.

This cop can't control what everyone else does, but he can raise awareness with a post like that.

We all have a lot of rage over what is happening with police violence. But we need to focus our anger on the people or departments or police culture who are causing the problems, and encourage those who are not causing the problems and/or are part of the solution.

[TCJ70]

77. His list makes sense until you get to CK...

...the media plays stories of black folks getting shot by cops 24x7 when they happen ignoring the fact that more white people are shot and killed by police than any other demographic.
...some bad cops do make poor decisions and shoot people when it isn't necessary.
...some protestors do make it out to seem like every cop is out for the blood of innocents.

Leave CK out of it though...until he starts making extreme statements generalizing all cops.

[trueblue2007]

89. COPS who are killing black youths. un armed black kids. BAD COPS are at fault.

[PunkinPi]

103. Agree

[Mr Dixon]

123. Agreed

the Gang in blue very sad

[TonyPDX]

5. Touching post. I hope that approach catches on. Everywhere.

[spanone]

6. K&R...

[gopiscrap]

7. that's pretty powerful

[bhusar]

10. Bravo

My father was a Chicago Police Officer in the 90s. It was his dream job. This whole thing is complicated for me, being a son of a Police officer. I agree with BLM and I have seen double standards. But why doesnt the media report on the Police Officers that are actually doing their job? Sometimes force is necessary, alot of Police are out of line, like in Ferguson. My dad and I have this debate, and when we do he thinks im anti Police, which I am not, and I say "no, more people like you need to speak out, and we can't be saying you don't know what that officer was going through ".

[Stuart G]

15. Thank You for posting, and Welcome to DU..

[bhusar]

17. Thank you.

..

[A HERETIC I AM]

22. Not everyone with a low post count is new.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=profile&uid=267149

[Sparkly]

83. Thanks for posting!

Edited to retract the newcomer's welcome...)

[mountain grammy]

23. So, can we expect that this cop will not

lie for his fellow cop who breaks the law? That's what can be done to fix it, tell the truth.

[TexasProgresive]

24. No way to know is there?

What you should not do is to prejudge him. It appears that this cop is attempting to do the right thing in this instance and maybe he always does try to do the right thing. I know that a lot of bad cops are let slide by other cops but at least give this one the benefit of the doubt and the praise for this one act that he deserves.

[mountain grammy]

38. I appreciate this cop and all cops who go to work every day and

do a damn fine job for the public. like this man. But, in my opinion, bad cops are bad because it's allowed. Let's be clear. Just as a cop faces danger daily, never knowing if the next traffic stop is some criminal. the public also faces danger never knowing if the cop stopping them is one of the "good" ones.
Law enforcement personnel are complicit when they dismiss, excuse or justify police brutality, and that's why this teen was terrified, and that's what all police need to know.

[nomorenomore08]

72. I appreciate his words, but they need to be backed up with actions. n/t

[George II]

25. When his supervisor reads this he'll probably be reprimanded.

[Rorey]

26. Wow

Like others, this just makes me want to cry.

[pansypoo53219]

27. 1st step & hope the kid stops texting while driving.

[handmade34]

29. Wow...

powerful post

[Divine Discontent]

31. Well, his heart's in the right place it seems

But to be fair, that fear has went on LONG before Kaepernick was even alive...

[nomorenomore08]

74. When an issue is at the forefront of public discourse, people tend to give it more thought.

Especially if it's something that potentially affects them as an individual. If I were black, I might be extra-anxious myself, these days. Hell, even as a white guy cops make me nervous.

[Gothmog]

32. I feel so sorry for that young man

[Stonepounder]

33. See my comments on same story

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1267&pid=2371

[Coolest Ranger]

36. The only thing I don't like about the cops response

is when he says he doesn't care who you blame. I'm sorry but you don't call out the bad officers enough. He's terrified because in his mind, he's terrified you are going to kill him. He's not the only young person of color who feels that way and if you are on here defending the officer over this young man yea I got a problem with that. Its the main reason I never go anywhere without family being with me.

[SusanCalvin]

95. Yes.

My tears were mostly for that poor kid, though I appreciated that the cop treated him like a human being.

[red dog 1]

46. K&R

Excellent post!

[RandiFan1290]

48. Cool story, bro. nt

[WhiteHat]

52. Tim, count yourself among the most human of men. Bless you.

Young black me have perfectly valid reasons to be terrified of police encounters. In his eyes, at that moment, you saw it.

Here's the deal: American Citizens are in fact being mistreated by police nationwide, who by training or "instinct" react to trivial confrontations with overwhelming force. Too often resulting in death.

Blacks, browns, whites, we all KNOW this. Some people (mostly white) talk like they're tolerant of abuse. But abuse it is. And abuse of American Citizens is not acceptable. Especially from The Best OF Us.

Personally, I'm old, poor, and drive an ancient wreck. A few years ago, when I was pulled over for a license tag infraction, I was slammed again my car, my pockets emptied, humiliated in public, treated like a vicious criminal... and let go with no infraction.

THIS IS NOT OK. Hope you can see why. Thanks for your thoughts, Tim.

[procon]

56. Man's got put the cart before the horse.

It's the cops, mister police officer. It starts with the cops, and they don't even have to be "bad" cops, maybe they're poorly trained, dumb, or its the prevailing attitude, or they're just as scared as that poor kid... but for different reasons.

Look, if cops weren't behaving badly the media wouldn't be broadcasting their misdeeds, and a vigilant public wouldn't be posting all those extrajudicial snuff videos online. Keep in mind that the protesting doesn't begin until after the previous events. Its the accumulated events of a lifetime that produces the ingrained fear in victims of injustice.

Don't wait for somebody else to "fix" the problem. Take a stand and help clean out your own department if you want people to see police in a better light.

[Divine Discontent]

59. +1

[SusanCalvin]

96. +1,000,000. nt

[Buckeye_Democrat]

57. I quivered and shook during my first encounter with a cop.

I tried to stop at a red light (which went from yellow to red in an instant) at an intersection in the rain, instead of just driving through, and I slid out of control and almost hit another car. A cop saw the whole thing and flashed his lights immediately as I "righted" the car and pulled over. I had just got my license!

I was slightly shaken by the spin-out too, but I was mostly concerned that I was going to jail!

That was a silly notion, of course, but young people are often unaware of the laws and the typical punishments. My "driver's ed" was all about the rules and provided little insight into the severity of offenses and their typical repercussions.

Better education and police outreach probably wouldn't hurt.

EDIT: Like other here, I'm guessing that he shook from fear after seeing media coverage of African Americans being shot by cops, but I wanted to throw another possibility into the mix as well.

[Raster]

58. sitting at my desk at work trying to blink back the tears...

...WE ALL NEED TO FIX THIS. All of us.

[matt819]

62. Well, Officer McMillan

It starts with you. First off, you did the right thing. Well done.

How about your colleagues. Are they all so professional and honorable? If so, then you're fortunate to work in such a good PD. If not, then set the others straight. Report their conduct. Granted, you can't change the world, but when you can, change your little part in it.

BTW, the gratuitous swipe at Colin Kaepernick wasn't really necessary.

[Jim Beard]

93. Even Ruth Gingsberg

had to back track her words about Colin Kaepernick. I didn't agree with her when she made the comment. Time for her to retire and let Hillary appoint Anita Hill to the court. Do you think Justice Thomas would resign?

[madokie]

65. Now you've gone and done it

and I'm supposed to be getting ready to go eat with wife and friends.

[GOLGO 13]

66. Good Cop get the Donut

[nomorenomore08]

73. Hell, give him two. And a good cup of freshly ground coffee.

[ecstatic]

67. Umm ok... If he had left it at "blame bad cops"

and the "good cops" who lie for them, I'd be in full support of his post.

The media, protesters, and Colin Kaepernick did NOT create this problem!

But kudos to him for not escalating the situation. Hopefully more cops will start to view the people they stop as human beings.

[SunSeeker]

68. ...

[TeeYiYi]

70. ...

TYY

[bravenak]

76. Such self serving bullshit. Why is that black kid scared a cop is going to murder him?

Cause cops murder black kids. How to fix it? Stop murdering black kids. I see he brought up Colin K but did not even bother to bring up Walter Scott and how he was SHOT IN THE BACK ON VIDEO BY A COP WHO LIED ABOUT IT UNTIL VIDEO CAME OUT. Maybe it's shit like that that has black kids all shook when they see a cop, but sure, lets mention the media and a quarterback and ignore the big ass badge wearing elephant in the room. Such bullshit.

[TCJ70]

79. "Cause cops murder black kids"...

...that statement is also part of the reason the kid is scared. If that's all you hear about police from the media and protest groups then it becomes a determining factor in the fear of police along with the idiots on the police force who make decisions that kill people.

But you're right in that he should have left CK out of it.

[bravenak]

82. That statement is true. Were it not true you would say, "that's not true."

Since that statement is true, and cops are paid to do a job in the community, they need to do their job and arrest any individual, cop or civilian, engaging in criminal acts. The fact that they do not arrest each other for abusing civilians is why our black children are scared. Maybe you should work on ensuring that the police holds their own officers accountable rather that attempting to disuade others from pointing out the obvious "elephant' in the room.

[TCJ70]

84. True to a point. Case in point is this guy from the OP.

This guy was doing the job he was paid to do in his community and probably has never been in a situation where he may have to consider arresting his fellow officers. Maybe you should work on not spreading fear of all police with blanket statements.

[bravenak]

90. No. They are paid to keep us safe, They need to do it and not kill people unnecessarily.

My pointing out that this self selected group of paid public servants have a bias problem is what I am certainly supposed to be doing.

[TCJ70]

107. That's what he was doing without bias. N/t

[bravenak]

111. No

[TCJ70]

114. Yes.

[SusanCalvin]

97. Yep. I could have done without the last paragraph.

I would like to hope the cop's heart is in the right place, even though he appears tone deaf in that paragraph.

[grossproffit]

81. This officer is from Georgia. Thank you so much for sharing this.

[tblue37]

85. This actually made me choke up. This cop gets it. Now he and others on the force

need to stand with us against the murderous bullies and the systemic oppression that enables those vicious cops to engage in this modern form of lynching.

[get the red out]

101. Maybe I just need a tissue for my allergies

Or maybe not....

[spike jones]

104. "I just wish somebody would fix it."

The only way to change this police system is for the good cops to get rid of the bad ones. Change can not and will not happen from outside the force. Fair and honest prosecutors and judges would help as would citizen oversight and investigation by non- law enforcement agencies. But until all the "Good" cops start calling out all the "Bad" cops we are going to keep seeing the same crap that has been going on for 150 years. I'll bet this good cop knows that some of his fellow officers are doing bad things, and I'll bet he is not doing anything about it. That "somebody" he wants to fix it is him. When we start to see "good" cops speaking out and "bad" cops going to jail we will know there is hope of change.

[smirkymonkey]

105. How sad! The poor kid must have been terrified.

I wish there were more police officers like this in the world.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

109. Profound sadness and beauty exist in this one world.

--> ❤️ --> --> ❤️ --> --> ❤️

[oberliner]

116. Are white teens not scared when they get pulled over by the cops?

I mean that question sincerely.

[Taitertots]

120. The fear is completely irrational.

By texting and driving he is putting everyone around him at a bigger danger of death than the danger of the police officer toward him. The driver is being a reckless asshat.

We need to stop accepting anti-police demagoguery and hyperbole. It's not reality based rhetoric.

[Glassunion]

122. The fear is completely rational.

I agree he should not have been testing and driving, however it is not the point of the OP, nor the officer's facebook posting. Yes the driver was being reckless.

However, the police don't just kill folks, they also beat them, unlawfully arrest them, and they do so to the black community at a much higher rate. So in reality, this kid did have a reason to fear the police, as in that moment, the officer could exercise complete authority over that kid, and depending on the officer's mood ruined his life. That said, this is a good officer, however a rather ignorant one.

[Taitertots]

124. No, it really isn't a valid concern

All of your concerns happen at a rate that is effectively trivial for innocent people.

The relevance of "A much higher rate" depends on the original rate. The original rate is already exceptionally low, so the increase is still low. It's like doubling the odds I'll win the lottery.

[Glassunion]

125. I'm going to call Bravo Sierra on this.

Are you effectively stating that a black man has no valid statistical reason to fear the police if they are innocent?

We are not simply talking being killed by a police officer. We are talking a beating, a false arrest, or any violation of civil rights for that matter. This can cause the fear that young man was feeling. From experience, I can tell you it is indeed terrifying.