The more we know

Its 1989-1990 and the DC Police Department are having a hiring drive where they literally grabbed people from the bus stop. And this would later b e the beginning of a group of young black officers known as the dirty dozen. These officers were responsible for helping drug dealers.

The arrest of the dirty dozen was a big deal for any police department, but for the DC Political Department that at the time was 75% black, with a black chief and black assistants, it was really bad. Add to that the arrest and then the re-election of Marion Barry, sent the government into a tizzy. And therefore they did not allow any city work to get a raise until the mayor was gone.

I joined the DC Police Department a week out of high school. Joining as a police cadet, becoming a sworn officer in 1977. By 1989 I was a Master Patrol Officer responsible for training new officer. I retired October of 2000 after 26 years, 4 months and 12 days.

There were more new officers than there were training officers so I decided to put together a training manual. It was approved to be used a training book for all the new officers coming to 7D.

7D also known as Anacostia County because they basically left us alone. Over 300 homicides in 1988 and 1989. It was the deadliest place in the United States.

As many dead young people that I have seen, nothing prepared me for the death of Mr George Floyd.

This was the worst thing I have ever seen. The eyes of the officer were empty. There was nothing there which let me know that he was not there. The fact that a human being was under his knee did not seem to register to him.

Angry, pissed, hurt and scared for my 16 year old autistic and adhd adopted son. What the fuck were the other officers thinking?

And I have more questions?

1st. How many people sit in their vehicle after knowingly passing a 20.00 bill?

2nd Who contacted the secret service and asked them about the arrest?

3rd What happened to the bill?

4th When was the ambulance called?

4th. What happened between walking him to the car and him getting murdered?

I watched the video of the EMT putting Mr Floyd on the stretcher. His head slid off the stretcher and you could tell that it was only being held on by a string. Like every bone in his neck had been crushed.

I watched the service from Minneapolis today. It was during the service when the Rev said to stand for 8 mins 40 seconds, I cried.

Do not misunderstand me, there was/ is racism on the D.C. Political Department. Growing up in DC in the 60’s/ 70’s, it was known as Chocolate City. The only white people that you saw were your teachers and your police officers.

So imagine my shock upon joining the DC Police Department when there were black and white male officers actually fighting each other. Wow.

I used to hang out with the white officers because they were funny and told the best jokes, the black officers were way too serious.

One day while in the locker room, in the basement of 300 Indiana Ave, where the communications divison was located, where i worked for my 3 years as a cadet, I was stopped by two of the black officers that I worked with.

They wanted to know why I always hung with the white officers and I told them that they were way to serious and that the white guys were fun.

Shaking their heads they left me alone and barely spoke to me. Yes it would have worked