Veteran Cop: ‘If You Don’t Want To Get Shot,’ Shut Up – Even If We’re Violating Your Rights

Veteran Cop: ‘If You Don’t Want To Get Shot,’ Shut Up – Even If We’re Violating Your Rights

‘In a column published Tuesday in The Washington Post titled, “I’m a cop. If you don’t want to get hurt, don’t challenge me,” Dutta responds to mounting criticism of the policing tactics on display in Ferguson, Missouri, amid the hyper-militarization of law enforcement and accusations that officers have violated the First Amendment rights of both demonstrators and journalists covering the events. In a particularly telling passage, Dutta argues that citizens could deter police brutality if they were simply more cooperative, even when they’re unjustly targeted.
“Even though it might sound harsh and impolitic, here is the bottom line: if you don’t want to get shot, tased, pepper-sprayed, struck with a baton or thrown to the ground, just do what I tell you,” he writes. “Don’t argue with me, don’t call me names, don’t tell me that I can’t stop you, don’t say I’m a racist pig, don’t threaten that you’ll sue me and take away my badge. Don’t scream at me that you pay my salary, and don’t even think of aggressively walking towards me. Most field stops are complete in minutes. How difficult is it to cooperate for that long?”‘
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