Ft. Worth Police: We Did No Wrong in Rainbow Lounge Raid

This commentary is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of other writers at Box Turtle Bulletin

Timothy Kincaid

November 4th, 2009

I have become convinced that the sole function of police internal investigations is to provide legal defense against civil suit for excessive force or civil rights violations. I’ve ceased to be outraged and am now often amused by review boards that find the most obvious of bullies and abusers to be “within procedure” and vindicated.

So it is not surprising that the Ft. Worth Police have conducted an internal review into the raid on the Rainbow Lounge and found no wrongdoing at all. (NBC)

Fort Worth police planned to announce on Thursday that an internal investigation has cleared officers of excessive force in the controversial raid of a gay bar this summer, and no officers will be fired, said two city leaders briefed on the matter.

The long-awaited 1,000-page report is expected to fault officers for not writing a timely report on the June 28 raid of the Rainbow Lounge, but conclude officers did not use excessive force or violate other operational policies.

Nope. No excessive force.

Because that guy with bleeding on the brain who everyone present testified was slammed into a wall and floor, oh he just pirouetted and fell and hit his little fairy princess head outside in the parking lot, ya know.

I know that police think that they win when they are true blue and defend the bullies and abusers in their midst. They think that they are protecting “their own” from the perps and the faggots and the scum.

But this decision by the Ft. Worth police only serves to further bolster the mistrust and hostility with which minority communities view those who they increasingly see as the oppressor rather than the champion of justice and civility. And the respect and cooperation that police rely on as a staple in their arsenal in the fight on crime is being replaced by recalcitrance and sympathy for those who are under investigation.

Last night while driving home I heard an interview with a police officer in Richmond, CA about the gang rape of a young girl on a school campus. He just couldn’t comprehend why none of the dozens of people who knew it was going on pulled out their cell phone and called the police. The police could have stopped it sooner; they could have apprehended more perpetrators.

I find it much less difficult to understand why no one in this mostly black and Hispanic community wanted to come to the attention of police. Who would be so foolish?

Christopher Waldrop

November 4th, 2009

I think there are times when the police will close ranks even around those in their midst whom they know are wrong because they’re afraid that admitting any responsibility even when they’re wrong will make them vulnerable to a lot of unjustified attacks. And maybe there’s some truth to that, but it doesn’t matter. Protecting wrong-doers in their midst undermines the whole police force.

As for the rape case and those who “could have stopped it sooner”, I’ve heard very few police officers recommending that people try to stop crimes they’re witnessing. As awful as it is, and as much as I’d like to stop a rape or other crime, I’d be afraid of making the situation worse by not calling for professional assistance. And that’s what’s really bad about something like the Rainbow Bar raid–it makes me question just how professional the police really are.

Trovore

November 4th, 2009

Obviously the solution is to hold meetings and candlelight vigils and lay back and take whatever Texas dishes out. Piece of crap state.

Timothy Kincaid

November 4th, 2009

Chistopher,

I wasn’t adequately clear. I meant the police could have stopped it if called sooner. I’ve amended the commentary to make it clearer.

Richard W. Fitch

November 4th, 2009

I’ve followed the Rainbow Raid since Day One and been inexchanges with some of those directly and indirectly involved. Today I’m not sure which saddens me more – the loss in Maine of marriage rights or the loss of human dignity in FW.

penguinsaur

November 4th, 2009

Wow, this is just horrib… *police smash down my door with an ‘anonymous tip’ to justify it, smash my head open and I wake up with a concussion, a massive hospital bill and a police report saying that I was injured as they tried to restrain me from raping a child, as those homos are prone to do*

Ken in Riverside

November 4th, 2009

crooks with badges and guns.

Lindoro Almaviva

November 4th, 2009

Well, we knew all along that they were going to say We didn’t do anything wrong. Now it is up to the courts to tell them their 1000 page report is as good as toilet paper.

Let the suits begin and let them pay for all the damages until they are broke. God know if that happened to be I would file a suit faster than the ink in that report is half-way dry.

Where is the ACLU in all this? where they expecting them to finish this farce before they filed? Were they expecting that this time they were going to do the right thing?

Angry

November 5th, 2009

“No officers will be fired.”

Now slap a certain preposition on the end of that sentence and see if the meaning changes.

Nevada Blue

November 5th, 2009

After decades of internal investigations finding no wrong with police actions, I’m way past wondering if there is even one wrong finding in all of the states and all investigations. I just don’t think it happens.

And they are indeed wrong to cover their asses; it’s the usual choice of immediate benefit over long term bigger benefit. Because the suspicion of mistrust has spread into the mainstream.

It’s not just gay, hispanic, black or other minorities that fear the cops anymore, and obviously rightly so.

When I first started my campaign of mistrust regarding cops, some twenty years ago, mine was a lone voice, considered extreme. Recently, a friend who has always been a devoted defender of law enforcement came over to the dark side. I guess it hit closer to home, once she had to face what used to be limited to criminals and minorities – lying, corrupt cops.

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