Barrio Barrister

A police oath says:

“On my honor, I will never Betray my integrity, my character, or the public trust”

But does this honor and integrity and public trust stop on cue?

When the skin changes to a different hue?

“I will always have the courage to hold myself and others accountable for our actions”

Unless I find that it would be more favorable for me to pretend that

The person who differs from me takes a fall.

Afterall, it’s a stereotype so who would favor them at all.

“I will always maintain the highest ethical standards and uphold the values of my community, And the agency I serve.”

The community values are served if the community is pure of doves.

The ethical standards are questionable.

Can we trust the values of the agency once created

To capture runaway slaves?

I guess the breaking point started there, since they often took freed people of color as well.

When we have protected and helped these types of officers into leadership roles, We have failed our communities.

To the rescue of the innocent and the unjustly accused

Came a Med student whose heart hurt for his people.

A man who wanted to be a voice for the people

Not for what he would gain but for what the people as a whole would gain.

He put down one hat for another

He became a Barrio Barrister

Who understood the Police Officers oath

He knew there were many Police Oaths throughout the land

And many obstacles to face.

But nevertheless

This Barrister took a pledge to make officers who cannot follow their oath

To be held accountable in a court of law.

To allow the defendant who has been brought to trial unjustly

Have access to and bring into account the officers work history and allow that to be viewed.

Afterall, he is a public servant.

So, all records should be available to the public.

One Barrister could not sit idly by and think, “Oh this is just the way the world works.”

He came to fight for these indecencies to the citizens.

To make police accountable for their ongoing attitudes towards those of a different color.

To stand strong and fight for the civil liberties that are supposed to be a part of citizenship.

The Barrio Barrister felt the people should not constantly be at odds because their skin does not match society’s standards.

Suffering because they look different.

Talked differently.

Instead of the beauty of these differences being embraced

They were shunned and made to feel less than.

All lives matter they say.

We believe blue lives matter they say.

But JUST THINK if All lives truly mattered

Why would we have to single out this fact

To remind people that People of Color matter?

Because the stigmatism still exists.

Generations are still hurt and hurting from this belief.

Things are only coming to the forefront in a huge way

Because now all lives are mixing together.

Hopefully we will get to the point of

A new Oath for police.

The Oath that the Barrio Barrister

Would be proud to see:

On my honor, I will never betray the public trust despite the color of their skin.

I will not betray the trust of the community

Understanding that my community consists of a variety of ethnicities.

I promise to diligently get more of a detailed description of a person other than he was a shady fellow

Who looked suspicious and wore jeans and a t-shirt.

I will actively work to make sure I actually only arrest people who are

Committing actual crimes during a protest or a strike.

Not those who are striking because they have noticed unjust pay

Due to the color of their skin and they demand equality for the same pay for the same work.

I vow to protect the people as though they were my own family.

I pledge to be responsible for the capturing of criminals despite the skin color.

I will treat all criminals the same, I will not provide a criminal caught in the act of murder to lunch because he is the color of ivory,

While wrestling a person of color to the ground due to a traffic stop or a jaywalking violation.

I will hold my fellow officers responsible for their integrity and will bring it to light

When they unjustly use their authority of the law.

I expect my fellow officer to hold me responsible when I betray the public

On My Honor I pledge to uphold these standards every time I put on my badge.

May I be subject to a trial by the public if I fall from the high standards this position hold.

I solemnly swear to uphold the position of Officer of the Law as stated.

Thank you, Miguel Garcia, for being the Barrio Barrister who fought for not only your people but all ethnicities. To hold police accountable for their actions as any employer would hold an employee and should.

I believe in police protection, and I also believe in accountability for all jobs. Thankfully all my interactions with the police have been ones that were cordial and respectful. But for those who didn't, and will not there are people like Miguel Garcia who have paved the way to make sure all ethnicities are treated equally.