Yes, the National Guard was called out, but not when the mayor asked for them. They were held outside the dangerzone for at least a day, maybe two. The mayor called the governor several times and he ignored his calls.
As for CCTV, it's great to have them, but they have to be budgeted. Some municipalities just don't have the money for them.
I'm sorry for your experience, but I think when we look at the big picture it's the thugs that make it bad for everyone. That doesn't excuse mistreatment by cops, by no means. Ultimately if people were honest instead of criminal there wouldn't be a need for police. That's pie in the sky, but still true. Getting back to your experience, I'm sure it could have been a lot worse, but you (I'm assuming) maintained your control, kept calm and spoke respectfully. Your behavior kept you safe. Assuming I'm correct, if more people followed your example more lives would be saved.
Thanks
Were partisan politics why governor ignored the mayor?....was it during an election year for either of them?
I don't know the costs but cameras put up and monitored in high crime areas has to be more cost efficient than hiring a single extra officer.
and F1, the humiliation doesn't start until everything checks out and the officer says things to you as a man that are meant to provoke you. The first day I was humiliated by an officer I felt like how the mortician's story was told in the Godfather. Followed every rule, believed in the system , did everything by the book only to have the rug snatched from under me. I'd read the book before but my next time reading it after the incident...my ears were burning reading that part. I'm no victim though. More important than what happened to me is that I always follow up and file complaints . I have friends in law enforcement who steer me towards the proper channels.
I mentioned my past experiences to say that I understand the overall issue BUT Mike Brown was NOT the guy to frame the discussion around.Absolutely not. I see local counterparts to Mike Brown all the time and I've seen the exact type of behavior that was shown on video and described in the report,including the walking in the middle of the street,blocking traffic. I wouldn't care one way or the other if something bad happened to these local wannabes so I knew that I really didn't care about what happened to Mike Brown. That's part of why I decided to sit it out and not follow it.
