I suppose we should all be relieved that the Seattle Police Department, already equipped with drones, SWAT units and plenty of Defense Department dollars, has temporarily deactivated its plan to use a wireless network to monitor and surveil all of us enemy combatants… ummm, I mean law-abiding citizens. We should be relieved, but the deactivation is only temporary. Our police force — OK, not ours exactly: I suspect they are actually owned by interests that serve the 1 percent — like all police forces in America, are becoming more militarized every year.
I still remember quite vividly being doused full in the face with pepper spray by one of our city’s finest. It happened while in full clergy vestments, with my back to the police as I attempted to separate protesters from the police line.
It was a flagrant, deliberate and unnecessary violation, but the officer did it — because he could. And he could because he is being trained in a culture of militarism that sees us as a threat. It makes me wonder whether we, the people, should trust the police.
Now don’t get me wrong. I actually have several cop-friends. An Everett detective was there by my wife’s side as she delivered our first-born son. The wife of a Port of Seattle officer was present at the birth of son number two.
I have had officers in most of my congregations. Indeed, I had to face the thorny, ethical issue of allowing one on-duty officer to wear his gun while in worship in sleepy little LaConner.
Cops have hard jobs, and most of them are fine neighbors and decent upholders of the law.
Unlike most of us, a routine part of their job forces them to take on frightening responsibilities and make life-or-death decisions that require courage and wisdom. But that doesn’t excuse any one of them when they go all cowboy, disgracing their badge, abusing the citizenry and acting like puffed-up bullies we should respect just because they wear a uniform.
Lately, it seems we are hearing on an almost-weekly basis about cops gone wild, treating citizens as if we were terrorists.
Just look up the stories of David Eckert, Tyler Comstock and Andy Lopez. The list goes on and on, and we haven’t even mentioned the routine beatings, intimidation, racial profiling and overall thuggery that so many cops think is part of their job.
Until the police are demilitarized, I think we will continue to see the hardening of their attitudes. They are being used as tools to control a public that is perceived as a threatening enemy.
With more austerity the iron fist will get tighter and tougher. Police will no longer serve and protect the citizenry. Rather, they will serve and protect Seattle. And Seattle is owned by — whom?