My friend, D.E.S. posted the following on Facebook. He gave me permission to use it. I was a Chicago Police Officer for almost thirty years. I could not have written this better.
“I am a Retired Chicago Police Detective sergeant that has spent most of my adult life working in law enforcement in several most dangerous and violent communities in America.
During that time, I have taken part in countless felony arrests and followed them through to successful prosecution. I have listened to the bagpipes play at more funerals for my fallen comrades than I care to remember. I have completed hundreds of hours of training in every aspect of criminal justice. Including a tremendous amount of training on the justified use of lethal force, as well as taught this in the police department as a training officer.
However, with all of my training and experience, I am not equipped to make a judgment call on the justification of a police action from a few seconds of a cellphone video with no supporting facts.
Fortunately, I have Facebook friends who have never worked in law enforcement in any capacity that are absolute experts on the subject, especially lethal force. With any controversial police activity, they’re able to sit safely behind their smartphone, Starbucks in hand, and conjure all of their enlightened brainpower to pull all the right answers out of their ass. They know exactly what that unenlightened, bigoted police officer should have done in that split-second life or death situation.
Thankfully, the Chicago police department is very short-handed and can use your help! Head on down to your local Police District and fill out an application. Please make sure to put me down as a reference, because I can vouch for your unbelievable wealth of knowledge and expertise about all things law enforcement.”