Sunday, March 22, 2009

A Dark Day for the Thin Blue Line

I've read several blogs written about the four Oakland Police Officers murdered in the line of duty. I first heard about it from a telephone call from my sister as I was driving down Interstate 5. The information received was sparse and sketchy to say the least. When I arrived home late last night I had a message on my cell phone from my motor partner about the Officers.

I was shocked, angry, outraged and sad all at once as I watched the news story on television and read today's newspaper. The only consolation was the fact that Lovelle Mixon won't waste our tax money on what would have been his incarceration before trial, defense, jury trial, lengthy state prison term for life or the time spent in prison before all of his appeals would have been used up prior to the death penalty he hopefully would have received.

To the sympathetic Pieces of Shit who cheered the deaths of these Honorable Officers as detectives were on scene investigating this crime, and jeered the Officers who did their job and eliminated the threat of taking out that fuck stick Mixon. The next time you become a victim of a crime, you handle your own shit.

I was told by a non law enforcement friend, "Man I wouldn't want your job no matter how much it paid."

We don't choose this career to get rich. Why do we then? Is it a calling? I'm not sure I'm qualified to say why we do, but can say why I did. The fact that there are cruel and dangerous predators out there who are stalking their prey, who believe in lawlessness and have no regard for human life or just life for that matter, who's going to stop them?, who's going to protect the public?

Us, yes, us, those of us who feel that in our careers we do and did make a difference in society, helped that one soul from going down the wrong road. Us who chose an honorable profession to make this world a better place to live in. We get bashed from all sides, our retirement is too lavish. Lavish! How much is your life worth? A five or six digit salary?

After a 20 or 30 year career, most Officers pay a high price for their "Public Service" on a personal level.

Those Oakland Police Officers paid the ultimate price to protect the public. The same public which has groups which slander them, spit upon them, and believe that those of us who wear the badge are not a necessity for society.

You won't see the families of the fallen Officers protesting about their loved ones being murdered and making it a racial issue. You won't see John Burris, the attorney representing the family of Oscar Grant III suing the parents of Lovelle Mixon for wrongful death on behalf of the Officers families.

I've heard and been told that "You picked your line of work and the dangers that come with it." Yeah okay I did pick this profession and have accepted the inherent dangers as well as my friends and family have. So these fucking loser parolees, and career criminals, they chose their way of making a living and I would imagine the inherent dangers which come with their life style. So why the big ruckus when one of these scum sucking low life's is killed?

Lets face it, Lovelle Mixon was not going to be a Nobel Laureate, nor was he going to find the cure for cancer. He was a piece of shit who should have been flushed down the shit hole of society long ago. The world is a better place with him gone.

So to honor these slain Police Officers, I along with others will be attending their services to remember them, their sacrifice, and to honor their families.

To the Oakland Police Department, and to the families of the slain Police Officers our hearts and prayers are with you.

To all who wear the Badge of Honor whether they be a star or shield, stay safe.

Rest in Peace, Sergeant Mark Dunakin - Motor Sergeant, Officer John Hege - Motor Officer, Sergeant Erv Romans - SWAT Member, and Sergeant Dan Sakai - SWAT Member.

5 comments:

  1. Very well said! I salute you and all in uniform!(or on the JOB)

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  2. I found it ironic that Mixon's family said he was not a "monster". What the hell do you call someone who guns down four innocent people, if not a monster?

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  3. how about calling them pieces of shit!!! or scum of the earth!!!! or.....LOSERS

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  4. from my own blog.....

    While, overall, I'm feeling anger and grief, I'm conflicted. Two scenarios are rumbling around in my brain..... I'm neither for nor against either one, just wanted to throw them out (mostly cause it helps to get them out of my brain by sharing them, but also just to give everyone some things to think about in light of this immense tragedy).....

    First, the anger........ news reports said that a crowd of people gathered near where the motorcops were shot and were taunting police and cheering the deaths of the cops (as some sort of payback for the BART shooting). GREAT!!! That the way you feel about the police? OK, you are not deserving of their protection. I think OPD should shut down police service to that neighborhood (and others who make it obvious that they don't like police either by committing crimes or by refusing to provide information to police to arrest criminals). If the movie and book "Gangs of New York" was a true account of the history, then police and fire service sprang from the gangs of that era. Let these communities go through the same violent birth pangs, as the gangs who run them provide the fire, police, and medical services for their people. Let's see how long the non-gang affiliated people continue to protect the gang members, or remain in the area. I know it will be brutal, but hey, you don't like the current system? Fine, do it yourself! We're fucking tired of dumping unending dollars, sweat, tears, and even blood into these communities that take no responsibility for their own people and their own actions. Let us know when your people become civilized and we will welcome you back into full society.

    OK, now grief......... what was not reported as well as it should have been, was that average citizens, right after the motorcops were gunned down, ran to their aid. They called 911 to report the shooting, ... the officers never got a chance to radio that they were under fire. These average citizens attempted CPR on the officers, even tho Dunakin was already dead. They were able to keep Hege's body alive, but unfortunately, his brain was beyond anything they could do. On the news, I saw that memorials for the officers have sprung up on all four corners of the intersection where the motor officers died, up and down the street, and in front of the building where the SWAT officers died. All placed there by grieving citizens who know the value of what police officers give to Oakland. These citizens come from the same community, same socio-economic status, same environment as the POS that put these events into motion. Those are the people that Dunakin, Hege, Sakai, Romans, and every other OPD officer are there to protect...... and THEY deserve to be protected..... Dunakin, Romans, Hege, and Sakai died for them and I will not diminish their sacrifice by wishing OPD to leave those citizens (and others like them) to the wolves that run with gangs. So, in writing this out, I find my answer and my paragraph of anger is voided.

    Thanks for letting me vent............. RIP Dunakin, Hege, Romans, and Sakai

    Cophawk

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  5. What I don't understand most is the way in which peolple that complain choose not to do. When my best friend came back from 3 plus continous years of combat in the middle east I asked him how he could be so calm about having placed himself in the middle of what he had went through for all that time. His words were "in this world there are the sheep and the wolves. When I first got into country I thought I was a wolf. But I was mereley a sheep sacrafising my life to follow the wolves desires."
    It took me a brief moment to grasp the complexity of his simple response but, soon I got it. Capitalism and greed seep into our deepest most gracious intensions and once we taste it, or those in charge of us taste it, we often forget what is truely important. If you patrol a particular area where the average income is less than the poverty level and you made $262,315.00 to do so. Don't you think there is a problem much deeper than a few maniacs running around with guns? Yes in most of the decent areas of Oakland and surrounding areas you must make this much to live average. But Growning up around a place that quite simply ignores its problems until too late has turned my once open view of local politics into cynisism. Maybe growing up under a "brass" man I heard too much of the real "reasons why" things don't work in such places as Oakland. Murder is wrong! Expecting peace in an area with such a desparity of incomes and education levels is naive! Unfortunately this won't be the last senseless loss of life in this city. With a union so strong it out leverages the city it polices, with a department deemed as tactically capable as the local federal policing agencies agencies(whose presence are very strong.Look downtown). With a department so large still not under any community review board. Everyone! that goes out for the department knows or quickly learns how backwards it all is! Everyone in this city knows and tollerates it, or moves! Just as we tollerate our public school system being syphoned of its monies by higher ups, and instead pay the high price to send our kids to private school (1000.00/month/child). This is a problem as old as man. It may change here but, it will allways exist somewhere. Those that can't, suffer. Those that can, do only for themselves. Sometimes they loose a few worker bees on the way. But things allways stay the same. This is not a black, white, rich, poor, thing. It is a social economic firestorm brewing under the feet of this country rearing only its finger tips from time to time. It will get worse as we ignore it.
    RIP to all that have fallen for the love of their fellow man.

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