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A group of officers filed a lawsuit in federal court against Prince George’s County, alleging that the police department discriminates against black and Hispanic employees and retaliates against those who report racist or inappropriate conduct involving white officers.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/legal-issues/police-officers-sue-prince-georges-county-md-alleging-racial-bias-and-discrimination/2018/12/12/0bf5353c-fe36-11e8-862a-b6a6f3ce8199_story.html?utm_term=.0f1d574c246a I know this isn't as compelling a concern as the Nationals needing to be renamed but this is noteworthy. While I have my doubts that these officers are going to be successful in their lawsuit because the "Blue Wall of Silence" will no doubt deter most cops in the PG County Police Department from saying anything, yet and still I admire these officers who have spoken up for having the courage to go against the code and call attention to this problem.
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Sounds like this is a prelude to Alsobrooks (the PG County Executive) culling the mostly white-conservative PG County police leadership.
They're done-zo. |
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I still don't understand how a predominately, overwhelmingly black police force (except for the current chief) can have "systemic racism".
How are black officers being racist against other black officers?!?! |
What does the leadership look like? There is your answer. |
Did you read the article? It clearly states that “the department denies officers of color promotions and disciplines them more harshly than white officers.” Who grants promotions and disciplines officers? Police leadership that’s who and the lawsuit specifically names Prince George’s Police Chief Hank Stawinski who is part of police leadership and who is not white. |
Typo - he IS white. |
A white chief, and like half a dozen black assistant chiefs, and like 50 black majors and captains. One white guy at the top does not a racist cabal make. |
In addition to Stawinski, the lawsuit targets former Chief Mark Magaw and two current department heads: Major Kathleen Mills and Deputy Chief Christopher Murtha. |
Nor do minorities in higher-level positions prove there is no racism. It's a pretty well-known phenomenon in employment discrimination law to have a minority who has been promoted despite systemic racism then perpetuate the racism themselves for fear they'll be retaliated against if they don't. |
Mills is so racist she married a Black man
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Maybe she didn't notice? |
That doesn’t mean she isn’t racist. Or more likely, that she doesn’t have implicit biases against black people. Our culture is so steeped in racism against blacks, no white person can escape it 100%. |
| I know Hank Stawinski personally and he’s not explicitly biased. But I don’t know if he’d work really hard to end racism in the department. He inherited a deeply racist police department. Even if he is working round the clock to ensure equity, it will take awhile before it gets there. |
Only in the minds of certain Barry-style activists |
Everyone has biases, which our animal brains usually form based on experience. Remember the Rev Jesse Jackson’s candid observation: “There is nothing more painful to me at this stage in my life than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery. Then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved.... After all we have been through. Just to think we can't walk down our own streets, how humiliating.” |