[P] Hundreds of Current and Former Police Officers Reportedly Found in Extremist Facebook Groups

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

To the Surprise of no one:

Hundreds of Current and Former Law Enforcement Officers Reportedly Found in Extremist Facebook Groups

Hundreds of current and former police officers and other law enforcement personnel are members of "Confederate, anti-Islam, misogynistic or anti-government militia groups" on Facebook, according to an investigation by the U.S. Center for Investigative Reporting's Reveal News posted on Friday.
Reveal's data is from prior to mid-2018, when Facebook removed a function that allowed downloading of membership lists from groups. Reveal wrote it created two separate lists of "members of extremist groups and members of police groups,"then compared them to find 14,000 cross-matches. Reveal further checked to see which of those accounts belonged to individuals with a verifiable history of employment in law enforcement (as opposed to people with personal ties to or an interest in the profession), finding "almost 400 users were indeed either currently employed as police officers, sheriffs or prison guards or had once worked in law enforcement."

More than 50 departments have opened investigations after Reveal informed them of its findings, the site added, "at least one officer being fired for violating department policies."
Examples described by Reveal included guard Geoffery Crosby of the Louisiana State Penitentiary (popularly known as Angola), who was a member of 56 extremist groups including one titled "BAN THE NAACP," and detective James "J.T." Thomas of the Harris County Sheriff's Office in Houston, who was a member of a closed group titled "The White Privilege Club"

The Harris County Sheriff's Office fired Thomas in February, citing violations of an employee code of conduct that prohibits behavior that could cause "undue embarrassment or damage the reputation of, or erode the public's confidence in," the department.

While police departments usually keep disciplinary records and other information related to misconduct claims under wrap, Reveal added, they did manage to tie two of the officers in question to alleged wrongdoing. One was a Madison County Sheriff's Department deputy and "White Lives Matter" group member involved in an ACLU lawsuit claiming racism and discriminatory policing, and who has been accused of punching a handcuffed black man and admitted to using racial slurs on the job. Another Chicago police lieutenant who had posted extreme content on Facebook and was a member of an Islamophobic group had 70 allegations of misconduct.

https://gizmodo.com/hundreds-of-current-and-former-law-enforcement-officers-1835545223
Some of those that work forces are the same that burn crosses...

So I guess these were just the ones who were not intelligent enough to keep their racism out of the public eye and used their real names. How seriously messed up is it that we have so many cops that are not even afraid to publicly join extremists groups? Sure we know many of them at least pretend and try to maintain some sort of public facade, but look at all these guys who couldn't even be bothered to do that? But then again we have cops who refuse to wear their mandated body cameras running around pulling guns on expectant mothers and their young children telling them they are going to shoot them in the face so I guess there really isn't a point to the facade anymore anyways.

After a 4-year-old took doll from store, video shows Phoenix police pulling a gun on parents

"I'm going to put a cap in your a--,"one officer said to Ames as a second policeman, whose weapon was also drawn and pointed at Ames, walked up to the car, according to the video. "I'm going to shoot you in your f---ing face."

Both statements, Horne wrote in the claim, were made in front of the couple's children, who were in the rear of the vehicle.

The two officers pointed their weapons at the visibly pregnant 24-year-old Harper and her children, the video showed and the claim stated.

"The first officer grabbed the mother and the baby around both of their necks, and tried to take the baby out of the mother's hand,"the claim alleged. "He told her to put the baby on the ground, which she was unwilling to do because the baby could not walk, and the ground consisted of hot pavement."
The officer tried to rip Harper?s infant from her arms, the claim stated. Eventually he threw Harper, who had handed the children to a bystander, into the police car face first, then handcuffed her.
"I could have shot you in front of your f---ing kids," he said, according to the claim.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/06/15/after-year-old-took-doll-store-video-shows-phoenix-police-pulling-gun-parents/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.a07ffa508048

I hope I am not the only one disturbed that there are people who think this is so acceptable that we should not talk about it or do anything to change this permanently so this does not just keep happening as it currently is. Right now, this is happening all across the US and nothing is really even being done about it. Even if the officers do eventually get fired, they just go to another precinct and get hired there and keep doing what they have always done. It doesn't even stop them. Major changes have to happen or it will never get better.

 

[bluegate]

Alright United Kingdom, you can cancel this "social experiment" you call "United States of America" now. You have proven your point that people can't govern themselves and that they need the Queen's crown in order to be decent human beings.

I feel sorry for Americans on the Escapist because you guys live in a true shit hole country, to use a certain person's words.

 

[Samos205]

Alright United Kingdom, you can cancel this "social experiment" you call "United States of America" now. You have proven your point that people can't govern themselves and that they need the Queen's crown in order to be decent human beings.

I feel sorry for Americans on the Escapist because you guys live in a true shit hole country, to use a certain person's words.

The Uk's no better. stabbings, acid attacks, licensees for everything, cops visiting you for saying mean things online...yeah such freedom

 

[09philj]

Imagine my shock that people who routinely arbitrarily intimidate and/or summarily execute black citizens are racist. But obviously you can't take firearms away from police officers, that would make too much sense.

Alright United Kingdom, you can cancel this "social experiment" you call "United States of America" now. You have proven your point that people can't govern themselves and that they need the Queen's crown in order to be decent human beings.

I feel sorry for Americans on the Escapist because you guys live in a true shit hole country, to use a certain person's words.

160000 Tory Party members are about to choose our next Prime Minister, and they look set to choose our own version of Donald Trump, Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, who will then proceed to let us humiliatingly crash out of Europe, so things aren't going too well over here.

 

[PsychedelicDiamond]

Yes, that sort of thing comes up semi frequenty in Germany too. Police, army and intelligence appear to have quite a few far right cliques inside of them. Of course in Germany some of these are holdovers from literally the Third Reich, there was never really a purge of Nazis from the West German institutions.

Which does raise the question how much these institutions are infiltrated by the very people they're supposed to protect us from. Makes one feel a whole lot less safe, doesn't it?

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

You know what the worst thing about this topic is?

I feel like it's already lost.

As a member in the Black Community born in the 80's, I remember it being explained to me how Police will never really be on my side. That they will think I'm a criminal first because of my skin color. Innocence won't matter. My conduct won't matter. That I'll have to rely on luck.

This was confusing due to media. Cops were the good guys. They always put themselves on the line. They were heroes. And I had to be told that they are, but for white people.

As a childish mind does, I couldn't comprehend how white people will see this and accept it. My family went on to explain to me that some white people are actually ok with the treatment Police Officers visit upon us. But the other half, the other half just doesn't see what happens. They couldn't because they aren't there, and the Police have such a good reputation and we have such a bad one that no one will believe us.

I grew up thinking that if I could just shine a light on the truth, everything would change. Even if there was a small contingent of white people who liked minorities being treated bad, the rest were human beings. They would care. Things would change.

Then came Rodney King. Even as a child, I could plainly see how this was all the proof we needed that everything we said was true. But it wasn't. Maybe people just needed more proof.

Then the cell phone came. Evidence came out in droves. And I thought finally, finally we can work to fix this mess. Then I learned about the term 'Mental Gymnastics'.

"That's only twenty seconds of video showing that cop punching/slamming/shooting that black guy for seemingly no reason. I don't know what lead up to it." As a guy who tried to fix the problem from the inside by being a cop, I can tell you that it would never matter. You give enough force to effect an arrest. Anything over that is excessive force.

"Do you know what cops have to deal with in Chicago?! It's a tough job!" That's almost a thousand miles away. Go another thousand miles, and hate groups go out in droves and harass any minority they see. Can I use their actions to justify how I feel about you? No? How odd it works that way...

"Look, mistakes happen." You just officially outed yourself as not human. Congrats on that.

The light is shone. And most of the majority seemed to suck their teeth and said that was a shame, and then went on about their own business. The lies of police and how the video evidence contradicts them doesn't matter, the word of witnesses doesn't matter. Nothing really seems to matter because the majority isn't affected.

And of course, the relatively small number of police who were frankly dumb enough publicly link themselves to these groups are just that. Relatively small. We, in fact, don't know how many officers sympathize with these groups but are yet smart enough to not show it. And then we have the general ineptitude of the police training who yells "MINORITY = BAD DEMONS COMING FOR YOUR LIFE!!!" for 24 weeks and kicks them out with more firearm training [https://www.vox.com/2016/7/7/12118906/police-training-mediation] than de-escalation tactics, and adds the cherry on top of 'Your only duty is to come home every day'.

The police are a travesty now.

And everyone is too comfortable with the way it is for the police to do anything but meaningless lip service.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

...so this is what it's come to, huh?

 

[Marik2]

I thought facebook was starting to delete alt right groups and anything not lefty.

 

[Elfgore]

*insert the Fry shocked meme here*

People obsessed with authority and control gravitate towards jobs that let's them enforce these whims as they will with little to zero consequence. Shocker!

 

[Saelune]

People need to stop pretending being a cop is inherently good. Being a good cop is good, but most cops are not good.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Sounds about right.

Sometimes people seek out positions of power specifically because they want to abuse that power. Sometimes people in positions of power accidentally found out they can abuse their power and roll with it. Sometimes people in power abuse their power and don't see it as abuse at all.

There's a proportion of police officers who are police officers because they can exert power over people they don't like, and ruin their lives. If I was to go out on a completely un-researched limp I would say that the number of police officers who abuse their power over minorities is pretty similar to the number of teachers who abuse their power over students, is similar to the number of priests who abuse their power over their congregations.

Bad people exist in our society, when they get into positions of power within an institution they end up being protected by that institution. It isn't even necessarily that those institutions want to protect the people who abuse their power, but they do want to protect themselves from liability, and in doing so end up protecting the abusers.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

Coincidentally, I rewatched Captain America: Winter Soldier this weekend. This kind of reminds me of that, and you know they say art imitates life.

Except of course in life problems aren't solved by getting punched by a dude in a star spangled costume who is ironically the Aryan physical ideal.

 

[Samtemdo8_v1legacy]

So what is stopping the Civilian populace from protesting and picket signing the Police Department that houses these supremacist groups?

 

[Baffle]

So what is stopping the Civilian populace from protesting and picket signing the Police Department that houses these supremacist groups?

Saying anything negative about the police is considered unAmerican by people who have less reason to fear the police. Also, you'll be accused of terrorism, a car will drive into you and you'll have a heart attack.

 

[Agema]

The light is shone. And most of the majority seemed to suck their teeth and said that was a shame, and then went on about their own business. The lies of police and how the video evidence contradicts them doesn't matter, the word of witnesses doesn't matter. Nothing really seems to matter because the majority isn't affected.

Fundamentally, people inclined to respect and like the police for law and order don't like to deal with the cognitive dissonance that they can also be jackbooted thugs, and perpetually give them the benefit of the doubt.

Also, I think a lot of the excusing is really a sort of psychological defensiveness. That the police, which they view as protecting them, are dodgy and might decide to rough people - including perhaps one day them - up for shits and giggles is anxiety-inducing. It is thus calming to simply refuse to believe that will happen. I think the same sort of process is part of victim blaming in rape: to believe that someone raped "did something wrong" to bring it on themselves creates an illusion of control with which to believe it will not happen to oneself.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

There was an ambivalent moment some time ago where it was believed soon no-one would have a reason to connect to a Rage track anymore because they would've dated terribly due to political progress heading somewhere and newer generations wouldn't have to understand; a small sadness within a slowly bettering world. That it was basically a dead sub-genre destined solely for nostalgic listening. But here we are. Where the only positive that can be extracted from this horrid bullshit is that they aren't forgotten just yet. Not really worth the trade, but it's not like there's a choice anyway.

 

[CaitSeith]

People need to stop pretending being a cop is inherently good. Being a good cop is good, but most cops are not good.

I say we should make good cops stand out too; not as a "not all cops" argument, but to show to bad cops that being a cop is no excuse for abusing the power. Make those cops Chiefs so they can clean up their local police department.

 

[ObsidianJones_v1legacy]

Fundamentally, people inclined to respect and like the police for law and order don't like to deal with the cognitive dissonance that they can also be jackbooted thugs, and perpetually give them the benefit of the doubt.

Also, I think a lot of the excusing is really a sort of psychological defensiveness. That the police, which they view as protecting them, are dodgy and might decide to rough people - including perhaps one day them - up for shits and giggles is anxiety-inducing. It is thus calming to simply refuse to believe that will happen. I think the same sort of process is part of victim blaming in rape: to believe that someone raped "did something wrong" to bring it on themselves creates an illusion of control with which to believe it will not happen to oneself.

Which, on the surface, shows why Black America can't just 'fit in' as the majority wants so desperately. Because the people you so rightfully spoke about are people from the Majority or the Acceptable Minorities. One that are presented with an one reality. Government doesn't actively try to screw them over, Police do not torment them, Their race has never been a true hindrance for them.

The most common response I've heard after a sympathetic person from the majority is brought to light about what happens is usually "This is awful" with complete shock and disgust. That's understandable. But the common response right after is "How could I not have known". And that's where I'm mixed.

To not have known, there is only one possible reason: You come from a very insular community where you don't have minorities around. And save for a few special examples, even that is hard to believe because one would have to work to avoid all media. And yes, there are people like that. But not many people as who claim they had no idea.

Here's a clip of a really on point and very, very well done look about race and gun rights. The following was a documentary/expose about how the public views Whites and Blacks with open carry guns. The presenter is speaking about a time where a Black Activist Group called Guerrilla Mainframe decided to have an Open Carry Protest at a Texas football game. Which compromises of them kitted out in some serious firearms and doing chants, mainly opposed to the treatment of Blacks by police. And spoiler alert, most of them are angry and feel the nice way just gets you ignored. Listen to 30:23 to get my point


I invite everyone to watch the whole thing. It was fascinating to me from beginning to end. But to the clip itself, we are all living a facade. One of Pro-Everything Good. While I try to be a good person without bias, I gotta tell you that I get Guerrilla Mainframe's frustration. You ask yourself do people just want you to be civil so they can either ignore you or yell over you, like people did with Kaepernick.

Meanwhile, you get the majority of people who are like those kids (He calls them kids, but at a certain age, even 20 year olds become kids). Who pretend to be without bias and who are saints who are with it, but who are so deeply uncomfortable with the idea of Blacks calling for change like whites have with open carry and/or racist ideals that they were willing to make that place into a potential bloodbath with involving police. If they know the buzzwords and what to say (i.e. "I don't even see color"), then they know the current climate and what happens when Police are introduced to a situation with black people. THESE are the people more dangerous than a dozen Hate Groups.

The ones who pretend to be allies while being completely scared and self-serving. Those who say enough so they don't have to be hassled. To look enlightened. But are not ready to suffer a modicum of work or effort to actually affect change. Sadly, too many people once heard these platitudes and thought them real. That reason and sense will win the day. But in reality, The movement was started and the Black Community from themselves largely alone.

People need to stop pretending being a cop is inherently good. Being a good cop is good, but most cops are not good.

I say we should make good cops stand out too; not as a "not all cops" argument, but to show to bad cops that being a cop is no excuse for abusing the power. Make those cops Chiefs so they can clean up their local police department.

The problem with that is you don't know what's for show. Have you ever heard of the Dancing Cop?

He sucker punched a man (Jonathan Robinson) [https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/claudiakoerner/video-showed-the-dancing-cop-punching-a-man-in-the-face-now] who placed his body between his wife and child after an officer (with his hand on his gun and according to Robinson, his finger on the trigger [https://www.nbcnews.com/video/body-cam-footage-shows-ohio-dancing-cop-punching-man-61704773855]) commanded her to not go back into their own house.

After Robinson was arrested, this happened

'None of this was necessary,' Robinson says from the back seat.

'You did this to yourself,' another officer replies. 'You came running up on a scene with your fist clenched. And you swung at an officer.'

Robinson said his only concern was his wife and children.

'What was you ready to do to my wife and kids,' he said. 'You were ready to hurt her, was you not?'

Officers already adding to the charges to justify an arrest. There was no swing, but they have to say there was to make it a just bust. No matter of the video evidence.

Sadly, with all people, Good Cops are good when they are good. And subject to being crappy just like the rest of us.

 

[CaitSeith]

The problem with that is you don't know what's for show. Have you ever heard of the Dancing Cop?

No, I haven't.