Former Baltimore cop's tweetstorm reveals examples of police misconduct and corruption

THIS.

This is what we've been saying.

A former Baltimore Police Sergeant has gained widespread attention for tweeting about the "corrupt" and law-breaking practices he witnessed and participated in while serving on the force.

Michael A. Wood, Jr., a former marine, began his tweetstorm late yesterday morning, testifying to the physical abuse, racial profiling, and illegal searches that plague BPD practices.

Link

Photos of the—and more—tweets at the link.

A detective slapping a completely innocent female in the face for bumping into him, coming out of a corner chicken store.

Punting a handcuffed, face down, suspect in the face, after a foot chase. My handcuffs, not my boot or suspect.

But it's just a "few bad apples" right?

Need we say more?

a reply to: Liquesence

One bad apple spoils the bunch.

And with impunity...

I'll probably catch some #%^$ for this but....

I wonder how many of these abusive cops are former military who served time in a combat zone. The reason I wonder is that I know police forces actively recruit former military...the same military that has become numb to being inhumane towards "the enemy"...the same military that has an incredible number of individuals suffering mental illness as a result of war.

I wonder what percentage of cops with military experience are bad apples compared to the percentage of bad cops with zero time spent in a war zone.

I suspect there is a statistically significant link.

a reply to: LeatherNLace

I'd bet your wrong. I'd bet we see more former military police standing with this man. I'd bet they are the least fearful, most disciplined, and honor bound men on the force. Of course we have been at war, so there will be some of the worst psychos in that group, but this is the first I've heard of something like this, and I'm not the least surprised that it is a former marine.

I hope and pray more like this man follow suit. It's an alarm that should be hard to sleep through.

a reply to: ISawItFirst

Although he blew the whistle, he also participated in the those things. It is honorable that he came forward, but that does not absolve him of his part in the abusive, illegal activity.

a reply to: LeatherNLace
After many years of observation and a bit of research on this very thing, I posted a thread on this topic a while ago. On the phone now, so I can't link it. As you'd expect, ATS opinions varied.

a reply to: LeatherNLace

Once a person is trained to dehumanize, it's hard to unlearn.

Don't look now, --we are the new "savages"

a reply to: LeatherNLace

After reading the article, the only thing he did was not turn in his colleagues, and unjustly search and target demographics. Those two things are practically in the job description. There can not be a single officer not guilty of this. It is not possible.

I forgive his silence for speaking out now. I'd love it more if he named names, but he probably has people that he loves. Perhaps if we show compassion and empathy, more will come forward and everyone will rally behind them so names can be named, and the people who make and enforce these policies can be taken to task.

Any officer who 'comes clean' and 'forgets' his own transgressions is even lower in my book. I can understand them wanting to keep there head down and stay completely out of this, especially if guilty as hell, but playing both sides would be lower than low.

I agree with the pervious poster, just because this Baltimore cop is exposing the corruption in the police force, doesn't absolve him of his abusive and illegal activity while he was on the force. A person who has any sense of morality and protection for the public they serve, would have exposed illegal and abusive activities when he witnessed it.

True patriots of this country are those who risk their own welfare and security to protect the rights of American citizens.

a reply to: Liquesence

I see what you're highlighting but from a previous thread of mine I've come to the conclusion that it IS just the few bad apples that we are forced to debate.

I never thought I'd say this but... Realistically there are bad police everywhere, let's not dwell on the 'divide and conquer' headlines and publicity that we are force fed.

Stereotypes are easy... Thinking outside these pre-constructed ideas isn't. Take the hard route.

a reply to: WeRpeons

I agree. But if you recall another thread, there was a cop who DID in fact expose these things while he was on the force, and was basically harassed by the other cops so that he had to leave town and the state because he feared retaliation.

True, this guy is not absolved from anything, but at least he did come out.

a reply to: and14263

There's a lot of few bad apples.

How many is a few?

a reply to: onequestion

Depends if you let the mass media control your opinions or not.

IMO not many.

originally posted by: LeatherNLace
a reply to: ISawItFirst

Although he blew the whistle, he also participated in the those things. It is honorable that he came forward, but that does not absolve him of his part in the abusive, illegal activity.

History shows that he will be absolved.

But if he testifies, his plea bargain should be revoked after the trial-if it makes it that far. The brass should've learned their lesson from Sonny Gravano, who testified only to be let out to sell ecstasy to school kids, and the fact that this is a cop makes it far worse.

originally posted by: and14263
I never thought I'd say this but... Realistically there are bad police everywhere, let's not dwell on the 'divide and conquer' headlines and publicity that we are force fed.

But you have to also accept that the USA seems to have a far higher proportion of "bad apples" compared to most nations.

I don't know the statistics, but the USA seems to be more on a par with despotic nations when it comes to abuse of authority and police brutality, and far behind the UK - and much of Europe - when it comes to policing standards.

There has to be reasons for that, you can't put it down to being just a few bad apples who get the headlines when there are so many bad apples creating so many headlines.

We maybe get a story about police abuse in the UK once every five years, you guys seem to have ten ongoing every week. Even taking into account the increased numbers of police working, this is very wrong.

I have a feeling it is indeed related to military service. There are a lot of former military who go into policing, and it seems as though in many cases the fact that someone served is deemed to be training enough to be a cop.

This mentality is clearly displayed in the many examples we have seen of men and women in a police force reacting to being challenged, rather than enforcing any law. These people seem to spend more of their time concerned about being obeyed than serving their public, and we often see them overreact as though they're wardens in a high security prison.

a reply to: Rocker2013

I know many military types. Most have a very different mentality. None of them are cops. Some of them are bad dudes, and you don't want to cross them, but they don't even get excited unless it's another bad dude that's involved.

Military has much more severe rules of engagement. Soldiers had to be fired upon in many cases prior to firing themselves. How many cops do this. None.

Yeah some ex milatary are going to feel unshackled as police, and go nuts, but much of that is the training and culture they find when they join.

Just my opinion, I could be way off base. I certainly see how it could be the opposite. None of my military buddies went the police route.


Every single police officer is guilty of trampling your rights.

When they ask, Do you know how fast you were going?, it is a clever and subtle ploy, which by answering, you have just waived your right to silence, and council. Not that you can't then shut up, just that anything you say is now considered a voluntary admission which can be used against you in court. Almost everything they say is carefully drilled into them such that they skirt the intentions of our rights, often totally unknowingly.

Try a pattern interupt (conversational tactic) on a traffic cop. It will infuriate him and he may not know why. Don't blame me if you get shot.

Police aren't taught why they interact this way, they just know the bases they have to hit on the way.



To be clear, I don't think his coming out absolved him of anything. He should be willing to tell the truth and take his medicine. That's a tall order though, especially for people who are accustomed to unquestioned authority. I think to solve our police problems, priming the pump so to speak by allowing some sort of amnesty or maximum punishment for whistle blowers whose testimony leads to the conviction of their friends and colleagues, is reasonable.

originally posted by: Rocker2013

originally posted by: and14263
I never thought I'd say this but... Realistically there are bad police everywhere, let's not dwell on the 'divide and conquer' headlines and publicity that we are force fed.

But you have to also accept that the USA seems to have a far higher proportion of "bad apples" compared to most nations.

I don't know the statistics, but the USA seems to be more on a par with despotic nations when it comes to abuse of authority and police brutality, and far behind the UK - and much of Europe - when it comes to policing standards.

There has to be reasons for that, you can't put it down to being just a few bad apples who get the headlines when there are so many bad apples creating so many headlines.

We maybe get a story about police abuse in the UK once every five years, you guys seem to have ten ongoing every week. Even taking into account the increased numbers of police working, this is very wrong.

I have a feeling it is indeed related to military service. There are a lot of former military who go into policing, and it seems as though in many cases the fact that someone served is deemed to be training enough to be a cop.

This mentality is clearly displayed in the many examples we have seen of men and women in a police force reacting to being challenged, rather than enforcing any law. These people seem to spend more of their time concerned about being obeyed than serving their public, and we often see them overreact as though they're wardens in a high security prison.

Freedom isn't free buddy. In order to make an omelet you have to break a few eggs. Jesus died on the cross so the USA could be free and spread our freedom across the globe.

Our life is a good life. Kids on skateboards, old women in SUV's and blind men with cains are dangerous and need to be confronted with force in order to protect the constitution. This is how we liberate mankind.

Iraq= liberated. Afghanistan= liberated. The streets of the USA are next. Love it or leave it buddy. God bless our military. God bless the Pentagon. God bless all of the SWAT teams across the country. These men do gods work and deserve our unquestioning love, support and admiration.

a reply to: Rocker2013

I don't like the type of person who becomes a copper as much as the next man. But I won't let the current agenda sway my thoughts. You need to be asking why this stuff is constantly publicised. There is corruption in the forces everyday, every country. Our information comes from a manipulated source with an agenda.

You guys can get angry and vent, reinforce the divide and maybe feel better having a specific target to focus on. I won't fall for it though.

a reply to: and14263

My opinion is formed from life experience.

Some things cannot be revealed to the public.

Let's just say that every once in a while a department is supremely corrupt. Mafioso, omertà.

a reply to: LeatherNLace

Coming Home to Roost: American Militarism, War Culture and Police Brutality