CommentsRANTZ & RAVEZ-It all started as another case of police abuse against an African American caught on video.
Not just an alleged case, but a case we all saw on video. A veteran white police officer arrested George Floyd, an African American, for possession of an allegedly counterfeit $20 bill. This was a matter that justified a police investigation.
Mr. Floyd submitted to arrest and was placed in handcuffs without incident. Then he was placed in the police vehicle. Shortly after that, Mr. Floyd was removed from the police vehicle and placed on the ground in a prone position with uniformed Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin’s leg pressing on his neck for nearly nine minutes. A scene many viewed as the white officer was oppressing the cooperative Mr. Floyd on the ground.
Three other officers were at the scene and never intervened in the action of Officer Chauvin. Mr. Floyd ultimately died, and a video of the incident set off alarms across America. It was obvious from viewing the news reports of the incident that there was no justification for the officer’s action. Why didn’t the other officers intervene by stopping the actions by Officer Chauvin? I did discover the tactic is an approved use of force by the Minneapolis Police Department.
The outcry across America was loud and direct from all parts of society. Family members, politicians, law enforcement, entertainers, media, and a host of others who commented on the incident.
Within a few days after more public outcry, officer Chauvin was arrested and charged with the death of Mr. Floyd. As the case moves forward, Americans will be watching every step of the way.
The tragedy of Mr. Floyd’s death has caused a national reaction -- outrage by honest people of all races, creeds, and backgrounds. People who are upset with the criminal justice system in general and heavy-handed law enforcement tactics in particular. However, while Americans have the legal right to peacefully protest, they don’t have the right to destroy public and private property.
We have all witnessed the looting and fires set by a select group of individuals taking advantage of the situation. Burning public buildings and police cars does nothing to bring about change and justice for all people in America. All it does is undermine the foundation of services we all depend on in our communities.
There are many elements at work during this time of unrest in America. The one that concerns me most and should concern you is the orchestration of violence and destruction of public and private property occurring in Los Angeles and throughout America. State after state has seen honest people gathering to protest in a peaceful manner that later turns into rioting, looting and violence on the part of some. It is not by accident that this is happening. I believe that there are organizers engaged in the extreme violence we have seen in California and throughout the country.
If you look at the targeted locations, you can put one and one together and conclude that it is not all by accident. It is ANTIFA or some other group that is organizing throughout our nation to turn peaceful protests into riots and looting, the violence we are watching on TV. When did you ever see the current level of violence grow so much in a matter of days?
After a long period of time, we have begun to re-open businesses that have been closed due to the coronavirus -- businesses that want to open their doors and bring back workers to earn a paycheck and return to a good life. With the current destruction of property, many of those jobs will be lost once again.
It is time to regain our composure and look to our common values: Love thy neighbor as Thyself. Stop the violence that is tearing up our cities and nation. May God bless us all at this time of fear, unrest, anxiety, and great frustration.
(Dennis P. Zine is a native of Los Angeles who retired from the LAPD after serving 33 years. Dennis remains an active Level 1 LAPD Reserve Officer. Dennis served for two years as the vice chairman on the Elected Los Angeles City Charter Reform Commission and was a member of the Los Angeles City Council for 12 years.) Edited for CityWatch by Linda Abrams.
