NYPD Should Be Ashamed of Track Record, Media Theatrics

As many of my longtime readers can readily attest, when I am in my role as an op-ed columnist, I am never at a loss for words. However, I always dig as deep as possible for the truth on any matter and always call things the way I see them, whether I want to or not - and before anyone asks - no, I have never been one to wear rose-colored glasses while objectively reviewing any topic.

Having said that, I want to take the time to go on record right now and say that the city of New York - and more importantly - its glory-seeking police department - have crossed the line from their normal levels of underhandedness and sheer stupidity to outright, civil rights infringements and Gestapo-like tactics against average everyday citizens.

As a point of reference, I'll quickly use the NYPD's ongoing case against New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress to point out the deceitful practices the department has put in place these days. While Burress is far from an 'average' New York citizen, his case highlights the devious intentions of the NYPD perfectly.

First, the NYPD tried to flex its media muscle by making a big production out of its overly aggressive pursuit of Burress, a 'me-first' kinda' athlete that I'd categorize as 'harmless' for all intents and purposes.

Let me just say that way the way the NYPD is handling the Burress situation is nothing short of an absolute travesty, particularly when you consider the fact that the NYPD literally, has a plethora of more pressing problems that don't call for self-serving 'Kodak Moments' in front of national television cameras the way Burress' situation calls for.

I mean, to come right out and say it, I don't believe a single word that comes out of the hypocritical NYPD's press offices these days - at least not until its officers can stop killing innocent, unarmed New York citizens.

Really, in the grand scheme of things, what's more important; a silly, pro football player shooting himself in the leg or a handful of NYPD officers unloading their respective weapons on a car of unarmed, law-abiding citizens as was the case when a team of undercover police officers, (a term I use very loosely here and never, out of print) opened up on three unarmed New York men that were leaving a local night club, firing a whopping 50 bullets at the mistaken suspects while killing Queens native Sean Bell who was at the area night club celebrating his wedding the following day.

Maybe I should go back a decade and point to the 1999 police killing of Amadou Diallo who has fired on a whopping 41 times, getting hit 19 times all because he 'looked like' a criminal suspect police were looking for.
Police initially ofered up an explanation that they believe Diallo had a gun, but all that was found on his deceased body was a wallet.
Or how about a more recent incident?

Just this past September, New York police fired a Taser at a naked Brooklyn man named Iman Morales who was armed only with a fluorescent light tube, sending him falling to his death from a second-floor ledge after the man went on a 40-minute rant.

After arriving on the scene, Morales' mother - along with other neighbors and residents - begged officers not to hurt the mentally ill Morales - right before an Emergency Services officer, acting on the orders of his boss, fired at the 35-year-old man, sending him into a headfirst plunge that killed him.

I won't even get into the sickening 1997 case of Abner Louima who was beaten in a police car by 4 cops, then repeatedly sodomized with a plunger in the bathroom of a NYPD precinct.

The bottom line is this. I have a major problem with the NYPD parading around a famous athlete in front of the national press for their own benefit while talking about fully prosecuting a 'harmless' professional athlete to the fullest extent of the law when they can't even control their own, low IQ officers that are gunning down law-abiding everyday citizens like it's become sport.