'This looks so bad,' says white Texas cop on horseback, leading black man on a rope
Source: Reuters (Video from The Guardian}
OCTOBER 4, 2019 / 12:10 AM
(Reuters) - One of two white police officers who rode through the streets of Galveston, Texas, on horseback escorting a black man walking tethered to a rope is heard saying: This is going to look really bad in newly released police video footage of the incident.
The spectacle was caught on body cameras worn by the two officers during their Aug. 3 trespassing arrest of Donald Neely, who family lawyers have said is known to city police as someone who suffers from mental illness and regularly sleeps on the streets.
A still photo of the arrest captured by an onlooker and posted on social media went viral, prompting a public outcry.
The bodycam videos, publicly released on Wednesday, shed additional light on the two officers encounter with Neely as they took in him into custody using a procedure that mounted police in their department were trained to employ when no transport vehicle was available.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-texas-police-horseback/this-looks-so-bad-says-white-texas-cop-on-horseback-leading-black-man-on-a-rope-idUSKBN1WJ07U
Ya THINK???
RockRaven
(14,782 posts)If you KNOW it looks bad, then maybe you ought to exercise JUDGMENT and not do it. Or is that so difficult of a concept to grapple with that it is worth saying, "nah, fuck it" and permanently staining your career and personal reputation over?
Well, apparently it is.
cstanleytech
(26,080 posts)"using a procedure that mounted police in their department were trained to employ when no transport vehicle was available."
Mind you I think its impractical to have them do it as you would think they could have simply waited a bit until one became available to pick him up.
Igel
(35,191 posts)Emphasis there is on "looks," which =/= "is."
They did it with white guys, too. But nobody cared because it doesn't look bad.
lapfog_1
(29,166 posts)idiots.
Bernardo de La Paz
(48,785 posts)Other officer can ride and lead the spare horse.
Or is there a fitness/weight issue such that the officer was unfit to walk?
sandensea
(21,526 posts)Southern Republicans - when they don't think anyone's listening.
Judi Lynn
(160,211 posts)BumRushDaShow
(127,287 posts)as being the primary place to receive word that slaves should be freed per the Emancipation Proclamation (because the largest number were in the Houston/Galveston area).
NotHardly
(1,062 posts)oldsoftie
(12,410 posts)Or how bout find a spot to sit and wait till a vehicle was available? Its not like it was a tiny town out in the middle of nowhere. How long could it have taken??
BaileyBill
(170 posts)the other horse, have one officer walk with the man.
Locrian
(4,522 posts)cannabis_flower
(3,764 posts)Put the suspect on the horse and have one of the officers walk leading the horse with the reins.
Bernardo de La Paz
(48,785 posts)cannabis_flower
(3,764 posts)He would be sitting. They do it all the time with children. The officer would be holding the reins and leading the horse. The suspect would be holding on to the horn. I've done it myself. And I was sitting on a horse being led up and down a mountain.
Bernardo de La Paz
(48,785 posts)Period.
For example, suspect might kick the horse intentionally or otherwise and spook it badly, causing it to rear and throw suspect.
Officer that meets departmental fitness requirements can walk the suspect.
UpInArms
(51,252 posts)Horses can be guided by leg pressure ... guy could have ended up badly injured or dead
Bernardo de La Paz
(48,785 posts)knightmaar
(748 posts)"Loitering"? "Resisting Arrest"?
I can't find anything on it, but based on the cluelessness of the cops, I'm suspicious.
cannabis_flower
(3,764 posts)dalton99a
(81,065 posts)Texas police officer who led black man by rope said 'This is gonna look so bad'
Galveston police release mounted officers body-cam videos
Officers arrested Donald Neely on suspicion of criminal trespass
...
Protesters last month demanded that the officers body camera footage be released. On Wednesday, officials in Galveston released two videos, one from each body camera worn by officers Patrick Brosch and Amanda Smith.
In the footage from Brosch, he can be heard asking Smith if she should go get their truck so they will not have to make Neely walk. Smith says their sergeant would not approve of the officers separating.
Brosch can then be heard saying: This is gonna look really bad.
Just before the officers started leading Neely away, Brosch can again he heard saying: This is gonna look so bad.
An attorney for Neely did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
In the videos, the two officers can be heard asking Neely, who had prior arrests for criminal trespass, why he keeps sleeping in buildings. The officers seem mostly cordial as they lead Neely.
At one point, Neely, wearing a welding mask he had asked Brosch to place on his head, apparently has trouble seeing because of the mask. The mask was one of several personal belongings Neely had asked to bring with him.
Were walking. Lets go. Stand next to me because Im going to drag you if not. You have to stand next to me, Smith tells Neely after Brosch takes off the welding mask.
As they continue, Brosch asks Smith if she wanted to go on a street with less traffic.
Yeah, I want the less eyesight, Smith says.
On the videos, cars can be seen driving by the two officers and Neely and people could be seen walking on the sidewalks. At one point, a group of people ask the officers for directions.
The two officers led Neely for several blocks until they reached a parking lot where their truck and horse trailer were located.
In Broschs video, Neely can be seen standing in the parking lot for more than 10 minutes until a third officer arrives and loads him into a vehicle.
EarthFirst
(2,877 posts)They couldnt have had an ambulance; a fire department vehicle; a transit bus ANYTHING an emergency first responder would have access to in order to transport this individual?
Id be curious to know how far up the chain of command this went before the final decision was made to lead an African American man through town tethered to a horse...
They knew full well; yet still decided on this method.
I question the critical problem solving skills component of this department tremendously...
Yeehah
(4,523 posts)Stupid, immoral asshole.
Politicub
(12,163 posts)Texas needs to change its protocol if it calls for people to be led around with ropes around their necks by people on horseback. Wouldn't it be better if the cop just waited in place for a transport? Or just wrote out a ticket?
If a citizen is expected to walk somewhere, then the cop should do the same when he has someone in custody. He could have even led the horse while walking.
This is sickening and frightening.