Philly Reveals a Public Safety Gray Area

Posted May 8th 2008 12:00AM by Madison J. Gray
Filed under: BlackSpin

Here's where the clear path turns into a labyrinth.

By now, most of you have heard about the videotaped police beating of three murder suspects in Philadelphia. The cops were looking for the perpetrators of a nearby shooting that was believed to be retaliatory. Reports say they sped away from the scene of the crime and the police gave chase. No gun was found in their car, but shell casings were found at the site of the shooting.

But the Philly incident marks a city desparate to find a solution to spiraling violence that has gripped the city. The most recent incident was the killing of a Philly cop on Saturday. Citizens are wrenching their hands, and unlike the cop killing of Sean Bell in New York, an innocent man, this one is about brazen criminals who are virtually free to carry weapons being stopped before another child dies.

On the other side of it all, the cops in the video are seemingly out of control, kicking and beating the three suspects. As many as 15 officers have been taken off the street according to published reports, while the city figures out what to do about it. And if you know Philly cops, you might be thinking, damn, not another police beat down caught on tape!

Doubtless, anger will spew from the community, as it has before, and it is justifiable if the suspects are the wrong people. But I think quite a bit less sympathy will be generated if they turn out to be the right ones, simply because Philadelphia is tired of the Killadelphia reputation that comes with yet another set of black men out to murder other black men.

This is when it gets to the point where people weigh human rights in one hand, and security in the other. Black communities all over the country wrestle with this every day. As time progresses, people will debate whether they want a strong, but sometimes overbearing police force in their cities and peace of mind; or a liberal, hands-off police force, but higher probability of violence right at their front doors.

We've finally come to the point I always knew we would in our communities. Do we rely on police to police us, or will we police ourselves?

One thing is for sure, if we fail to do the latter, the former will happen with continued deadly force.

Reader Comments

1. By watching this clip, I was "APPAULD"! The Police Dept. should have handled the situation with "APPROPRIATE ACTION AND BEHAVIOR" regardless, if they were criminals! The Law Enforcement is going to say, "The policemen were under a lot of STRESS, because of an officer was killed the other week". They should be punished too for there ACTIONS!

This is "UNECEPTABLE"! It reminded me of the "Rodney King" incident!

"Ms. Tell It Like It IZ" at 9:08AM on May 8th 2008

2. I totally agree with the previous posters. This is not an issue to spew our sad American problem of racism like many other posters on another thread turned it into. This is about injustice, abuse of authority and taking the law into one's own hands. The police are to arrest suspects, not try them and punish them on the spot. There's some real lying going on here because if the police really saw these men do a shooting then they must've followed them directly from the scene. And if so where are the guns that they used? Surely if they were involved in a shooting there should be 3 guns. Where are they> No, this is not to say that these men didn't commit a crime, but this is America and we are innocent until proven guilty. There has to be enough evidence and more. So many of us Americans have a lot of nerve talking bad about so called third world countries, terrorists and anyone else that we automatically judge. Yet, look at how many of us avt. It's no wonder that America is falling apart. This country was built on racism and it's the same racism that's killing it.

Arnel at 6:37PM on May 8th 2008

3. I get angry when I see the police misuse their authority, but as a Black Man, I am more angry at another black on black voilence. I would rather get beating by a gang of white cops than killed by another black. Brothers stop the violence on each other first. Then maybe together WE CAN STOP THE POLICE VIOLENCE ON US. Black people lets take care of our own home before we look to others to help.

The Real Deal at 6:49PM on May 8th 2008

4. If a perosn follows the laws, they will not have to worry about the police. If a person chooses to commit crimes, and disobey the law, they have no one to blame but themselves! Nobody here is against anything these guy's did, the crimes they committed, and everything that led up to this; but everyone has an opinion on the police. How many people did they hurt? Let's please put everything into prospective.

casey at 7:11PM on May 8th 2008

5. To casey #5, how do you no that these cops didn't hurt others,abused, handled situations INAPROPRIATELY before in their past? "YOU DON'T KNOW"! Do you know the Law Enforcement, not sayin that all policemen are bad cops but....? "RACISM STILL EXIST! The bottom line is, the Policemen didn't follow the PROPER PROCEDURES! If there lives were in DANGER and civilians around, then they could have used NECESSARY force to protect themselves! There were no GUNS FOUND! Now, who needs to put everything into prospective Casey?

"Ms. Tell It Like It IZ" at 7:49PM on May 8th 2008

6. It's pretty simplistic to say that if a person follows the law, then they won't have to worry about the police, but unfortunately it's not true. You may have less to worry about than those who routinely break the law, but if you're a person of color your rights may be violated at any time. I live in Philly, and the police and criminals are out of control. I don't condone criminal activity, but there was another officer killed last year on Halloween, and as always, it was open season on black men, even those who didn't remotely fit the description. The city was virtually on lock down. The police fear the criminals and the criminals fear nothing. Maybe if we address some of the sociological problems that give birth to feelings of hopelessness and despair that some young black men feel in America, maybe we will see a drop in crime rate.

Fran at 8:08PM on May 8th 2008

7. It's sad to see that the ones that were hired to help us are killing us and no matter the amount of money given to the families of the victims it will never be enough because at the end of the the day i would much rather have my family and that is something they could never give them back

michell b at 8:45PM on May 8th 2008

8. So your saying that being a criminal is ok until you have to face the repercussions? These men are murder suspects, and I know they haven't been convicted,but the police aren't chasing me around in the middle of the night. Why not; because I'm in bed sleeping, not involving myself in criminal behavior! I have a job,that I am responsible to go to, to provide for my family.Instead of talking about what happened, let's talk about what can be done to stop our youth from taking this criminal path! We need to instill values,respect,and ethic, and untill we're ready to take responsibility for ourselves, than we have to stop blaming others. Let's stop taking the easy way out!

casey at 8:55PM on May 8th 2008

9. Then donate the money to youth programs or organizations that are trying to keep our kids off the streets, and into a productive society. Why doesn't anyone care about these kids until it's too late?

casey at 8:59PM on May 8th 2008

10. ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS PEOPLE NEED TO STAY THERE BUTS HOME AND STAY OUT OFF THE STREETS GET IN TO TROUBLE.I DON'T EVEN LIKE COPS AND I HAVE ONE IN MY FAMILY SO JUST PRAY AND HANG IN THERE.(LOVE PEACHES)

PEACHES at 9:14PM on May 8th 2008

11. Casey #8, it isn't RIGHT for any criminals to get away with murder or any crime. They all should be punished. Your right, we all need to come up with SOLUTIONS in order to cut down on CRIME! We are living in a RECESSION and not to use this as an excuse people seek doing crimes the only way out! Maybe, criminals never had a role model in their lives to look up to and guide them in the right direction? Maybe criminals don't have the education, jobs, whatever to live the right way? We should have more recreations for our youths, more awareness programs, work training, jobs, ect.. to better people that do crime. The individual at the same time, has to CHANGE themselves if they want to go in the RIGHT DIRECTION and be a better person in society! We shouldn't just point the finger on just one race for crimes in our country. It is with all races and needs to be brought to attention. On the other hand, there should be classes for Law Enforcement on more Anger Management problems, Handling Proper Procedures, ect... so officers know how to handle a bad situation in the PROPER WAY! You have to look at different incidents where there are cases where law enforcement did bad things or killed a person that had nothing to do with a crime? A innocent person being killed or mistreated because the color of his or her skin or whatever reason is wrong (Sean bell)! STEROTYPING HAS TO STOP! There are Crooked Cops and there are Good Cops. This has to stop!

"Ms. Tell It Like It IZ" at 9:16PM on May 8th 2008

12. Tell it # 12, your stating the problem, and proving my point.I'm 52 years old, I myself have had enough pointing fingers. What is the reason that our black youth needs to think that crime is the only way out? Why don't they have a role model to look up to? We need to look at ourselves: Not as black, or white,or whatever race, but as elders. We can write the future. We have the power to stop the sterotypes. All I'm saying is we need to stop pointing fingers,and bring it back home.Let's be the positive one's.

casey at 9:33PM on May 8th 2008

13. wanted to add, we should have programs and mentors not just for the criminals that are adults but for our young youths that have been in trouble and for the ones that have not been in trouble.! I see this all around outside and around my neighborhood, children under 10 yrs old hanging outside past the curfew at night. You have to ask, "Where are the parents or Guardians"? "Don't they care? I don't understand, why don't the parent, parents, or guardian keep their children INSIDE. I am afraid each and ever time I see these young youths out late out night, something bad is going to happen. They don't have to be the ones to cause the trouble but; could be caught in a cross fire at the wrong place, and at the wrong time.

Crime doesn't have to be at night. There was an incident where I lived 2 weeks ago, a 12 year-old black boy got shot in broad daylight in the busiest part of day in the afternoon. He got shot in a crossfire. Another incident, a mother and her 14 year-old boy was at KFC, got some chicken, went through the drive through and her son got shot for no reason! He wasn't involved in any crimes. This makes me so sad! How sad to see this happen to innocent people over drugs or whatever reason! But even if you are with your child anything can happen now a day wether it be at night or in the day time.

Like Obama says, we are spending billions and billions of dollars every year towards the war and not putting it towards our economy, children, jobs, education, health, and the list goes on! He is right on point! This could solve some of the issues that we have today.

"Ms. Tell It Like It IZ" at 9:45PM on May 8th 2008

14. I live in Philadelphia and it seems as though the only time we see the cops is when you turn on the
TV and see a flock of them beating and kicking a
suspect! Where are the police patrols when there is
open dealing on your block and when you have given
them tons of information which could lead them right to the perpetrators? When you phone in complaints to
your local police district, you shouldn't be kept
on hold for 20 minutes or told something like, "Didn't
you just call here the other day"? And when your
driveway is blocked by some by some slob who's too
lazy to walk a half block, you shouldn't be told by
your police district to "Call a tow truck"....not
when the offense is taking place on a city street!
Have the Philadelphia Police never heard of the
"broken window" theory of crime prevention? If you
take care of the small, quality of life crimes, then
you send law-breakers a message and then the entire
police force won't be tied up looking for a cop-
killer while the rest of the city goes unprotected!

Evelyn at 10:31PM on May 8th 2008

15. if the guys that got the beat down were the ones, I feel they should get punished, but i do not feel the police should be able to beat them as they did, let the system do its job but to be beat like the police did is truly not right, as a young man i was at a bus stop and witnessed the very same thing some black youths stole a car and tried to get away and the police beat them the same way, this was back in the 70's it was wrong them and wrong now

harry waters at 10:47PM on May 8th 2008

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