The Salem Police Chief issued a statement about this (is.gd/DXxXI9) which I'll reinterpret:
1. "He wasn't fully briefed" = "he did exactly as he was briefed”
2. "I know this officer" = "I agree with this officer"
and, most importantly...
1/
1. "He wasn't fully briefed" = "he did exactly as he was briefed”
2. "I know this officer" = "I agree with this officer"
and, most importantly...
1/
3. "Evaluate risk to officers/can we safely deescalate" = "We're not racist; we're exceptionally courteous to ALL citizens who are armed better than we are."
Which makes sad sense: if cops pepper-ball a Proud Boy, he might return fire! Wiser to give them a polite heads-up.
2/
Which makes sad sense: if cops pepper-ball a Proud Boy, he might return fire! Wiser to give them a polite heads-up.
2/
Honestly, what happened in the video may qualify as sensible, conflict-avoidant (if tone-deaf) policing in the Before Times. But things need to change STRUCTURALLY so that no facially-neutral algorithm or heuristic results in armed white > unarmed Black, ever.
Which is why...
3/
Which is why...
3/
... Which is why this last screencap is so sweetly opportune.
Hey, #Salem #SalemOregon residents!
Your city wants input on the new police chief! Why don't a few thousand of you go give it to them?
4/4
Hey, #Salem #SalemOregon residents!
Your city wants input on the new police chief! Why don't a few thousand of you go give it to them?
4/4
P.S.: All else aside, I gotta give a quick shoutout to the @SalemPoliceDept twitter guru for consistently being courteous to people trying reach the Salem police in... India. It's a problem @BoringOregon doesn't have.
