Who Is Behind Police Unions? | NowThis
Summary
TLDRThis special episode of 'Who Is?' delves into the role of police unions in the United States, particularly their unique power and influence amidst protests against systemic racism and police brutality. It highlights cases like George Floyd's murder and the controversial support police unions provide to officers involved in such incidents, often complicating accountability and reform. The script also examines the militarized training, political connections, and aggressive tactics of some union leaders, suggesting the need for a cultural shift within law enforcement.
Takeaways
- 🏙️ The state of Minnesota initiated an inquiry into the Minneapolis Police Department after the murder of George Floyd by a police officer.
- ✋ The death of George Floyd sparked global protests against systemic racism and police brutality, highlighting a pattern of Black individuals dying at the hands of the police.
- 🔬 A study revealed that Derek Chauvin, the officer responsible for Floyd's death, had been involved in multiple police shootings, indicating a broader issue of police conduct.
- 👮♂️ Police unions in the U.S. have a unique role compared to other public sector unions due to the militarized nature of police work and their ability to use lethal force.
- 💵 Elected officials are often tied to police unions through donations and campaign support, complicating the pursuit of accountability for police misconduct.
- 📜 A Reuters examination of police union contracts in 2017 exposed the challenges in holding police accountable for their actions.
- 🛡️ Bob Kroll, the former head of the Minneapolis police union, implemented a warrior-style police training approach, which was later banned by the city's mayor.
- 🐺 Patrick Lynch, known as the 'blue bulldog,' led the New York police union in supporting Officer Daniel Pantaleo, who was involved in the death of Eric Garner.
- 🚫 One of New York's police unions engaged in the controversial act of doxxing, posting the private information of Mayor Bill de Blasio's daughter on Twitter.
- 🆚 In Chicago, the head of the police union, John Catanzara, faced numerous misconduct allegations, some of which were substantiated, reflecting issues within the union leadership.
- 💰 Police unions have been known to raise funds for officers involved in high-profile killings, such as in the cases of Michael Brown and Freddie Gray, suggesting a systemic bias in support of their members.
Q & A
What triggered the nationwide and global protests against systematic racism and police brutality?
-The murder of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, by a white police officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on his neck, sparked the protests.
What is unique about police unions compared to other public sector employee unions in the U.S.?
-Police unions are unique due to the militarized role police have assumed in recent decades, which includes the power to use lethal force and implement unjust orders.
How are elected officials tied to police unions and what impact does this have on accountability?
-Elected officials are tied to police unions through donations and campaign support, which makes holding police accountable for misconduct nearly impossible.
What was the role of Bob Kroll in the Minneapolis Police Department and how did his leadership affect the department?
-Bob Kroll was the head of the city's police union, implementing warrior-style police training and being an outspoken supporter of President Trump. His leadership was controversial, with accusations of misconduct and racial bias.
What was the stance of the Minnesota State United Labor Unions Organized AFL-CIO President on Bob Kroll?
-President Bill McCarthy released a statement calling for Bob Kroll to resign his post due to his controversial actions and statements.
Can you provide an example of police union support for an officer involved in a high-profile case?
-In New York, the police union backed Officer Daniel Pantaleo, who killed Eric Garner with a chokehold, and the head of the union, Patrick Lynch, defended Pantaleo even after his firing.
What was the incident involving New York's police union and Mayor Bill de Blasio's daughter?
-One of New York's police unions doxxed Mayor Bill de Blasio's daughter, posting her private information on Twitter and publicly threatening her during protests over George Floyd's murder.
What is the background of John Catanzara, the head of Chicago's police union, in terms of misconduct allegations?
-John Catanzara has had 50 misconduct allegations against him, with 10 of those allegations sustained, indicating a violation of policy or procedure.
How did the police union in Ferguson respond to the murder of Michael Brown by Darren Wilson?
-The police union in Ferguson raised over $200,000 for Darren Wilson, the officer who killed Michael Brown.
What is the suggested solution in the script for addressing the issue of police misconduct and the role of police unions?
-The script suggests changing the culture of the officers themselves and reevaluating the role of police unions, which may include removing them from the labor movement if they continue to safeguard misconduct.
What was the impact of the study conducted by Reuters on police union contracts in 2017?
-The Reuters study examined police union contracts and found issues that could hinder accountability and transparency in cases of police misconduct.
Outlines
🔍 Examining Systemic Racism and Police Unions
The state of Minnesota has launched an investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department. This episode of 'Who Is?' delves into the role of police unions. The murder of George Floyd, a Black man, by white officer Derek Chauvin, sparked global protests against systemic racism enforced by police. Floyd's death is part of a broader pattern of Black people dying at the hands of police. The paragraph also discusses other cases like Breonna Taylor, highlighting the ongoing issue of police violence. Derek Chauvin had a history of involvement in police shootings, and the unique militarized role of police, unlike other public sector employees, allows them to use lethal force with little accountability. The influence of police unions, through political ties, makes accountability for police misconduct challenging. In Minneapolis, Bob Kroll, a supporter of President Trump, led the city's police union, promoting aggressive training and opposing reforms. Kroll's controversial actions, including support for the 'warrior style' training and his derogatory remarks about the Black Lives Matter movement, have led to calls for his resignation. The paragraph underscores the pervasive influence of police unions in shielding officers from consequences, both in Minnesota and across the U.S.
⚖️ Misconduct and Political Influence in Police Unions
This paragraph continues to explore the misconduct within police unions, focusing on New York and Chicago. In New York, the police union supported Officer Daniel Pantaleo, who killed Eric Garner with a chokehold, and defended him even after his firing. The union's aggressive tactics included doxxing Mayor Bill de Blasio's daughter during protests over George Floyd's murder. In Chicago, the head of the city's police union, John Catanzara, had 50 misconduct allegations, with 10 sustained. He was reprimanded for engaging in political activity while in uniform, showcasing the deep-rooted issues within police unions. The paragraph also touches on how unions have historically raised funds for officers involved in controversial killings, such as Darren Wilson in Ferguson and the officers in Baltimore linked to Freddie Gray's death. It argues that to achieve justice for George Floyd and others, the culture within police forces must change, suggesting that police unions, often led by bigoted individuals with records of misconduct, play a significant role in perpetuating systemic problems and might not belong in the broader labor movement.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Minnesota
💡Police Unions
💡Systematic Racism
💡George Floyd
💡Derek Chauvin
💡Police Misconduct
💡Elected Officials
💡Warrior Style Training
💡Breonna Taylor
💡Accountability
💡Blue Bulldog
💡Doxxing
💡John Catanzara
Highlights
Minnesota has launched a review of the Minneapolis Police Department following protests against systemic racism and police violence.
George Floyd's murder by a white police officer sparked global protests against police brutality.
Floyd is the latest in a string of Black people killed by police over the past decade.
Derek Chauvin, the officer who murdered Floyd, had been involved in at least three previous police shootings.
Police unions in the U.S. have a unique militarized role compared to other public sector unions.
Elected officials are often tied to police unions through donations and campaign support, hindering police accountability.
A 2017 Reuters investigation examined police union contracts and their impact on accountability.
Bob Kroll, the Minneapolis police union leader, implemented warrior-style police training and has a history of misconduct allegations.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey banned warrior-style training in 2019.
Kroll has been accused of using racial slurs and excessive force against a biracial teenager.
The Minnesota State United Labor Unions Organized AFL-CIO called for Kroll's resignation.
Aggressive police union tactics supporting officers involved in killings have been seen in New York and Chicago as well.
New York's police union backed Officer Daniel Pantaleo, who killed Eric Garner, and the union head defended his actions.
Chicago's police union head, John Catanzara, has faced 50 misconduct allegations, with 10 sustained.
Police unions have raised funds for officers involved in high-profile killings, such as Darren Wilson and those in the Freddie Gray case.
The New Republic argues that changing the culture within police departments and addressing police unions is key to serving justice for victims of police violence.
Some suggest that police unions, led by officers with records of bigotry and misconduct, may not belong in the labor movement.
Transcripts
The state of Minnesota has since launched a
of the Minneapolis Police Department.
In this special episode of Who Is?
we'll explore police unions.
Countless protests against systematic racism
enforced by police erupted in the U.S.
and around the globe after the murder
of a 46-year-old Black man named George Floyd.
Floyd was murdered under the knee
of white police officer Derek Chauvin.
Three other officers participating in the arrest
from the Minneapolis police named
George Floyd's death is just the latest casualty
in a string from the past decade plus,
where Black people have died at the hands of police.
and more recently in March of this year
Breonna Taylor, just to name a few
of the many precious lives lost.
According to one study,
Derek Chauvin, the officer who murdered Floyd,
and was involved in at least three police shootings.
One of which he was place on leave
after using lethal force, a.k.a. killing a person,
Police unions are different from other
public sector employee unions because of
the unique militarized role police
have assumed in the U.S. in recent decades.
Teachers and social workers don't have the power to kill
or don riot gear and implement unjust orders,
like dispensing tear gas into crowds of peaceful protesters.
Elected officials are tied to police unions
through donations and campaign support,
rendering any sort of accountability
for police misconduct nearly impossible.
In 2017, Reuters examined police union contract.
They found
- How can you thank this guy for everything he's done
for law enforcement, wonderful president.
- [Narrator] In Minneapolis, for example,
where Floyd was murdered,
who, at the time, were still on the force.
Bob Kroll took the helm of the city's police union
in 2015 and implemented warrior style police training.
In 2019. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey
banned this warrior style training.
Kroll is a strong and outspoken
supporter of President Trump.
He's referred to the Black Lives Matter movement
as a terrorist organization.
As a young officer Kroll was accused of beating,
choking, and kicking a biracial 15-year-old boy
while yelling racial slurs at him.
And in a unique development, Minnesota State
United Labor Unions Organized AFL-CIO
President Bill McCarthy released a statement
calling for Kroll to resign his post.
These aggressive police union tactics
aren't confined to Minnesota.
In New York the police union backed Officer Daniel Pantaleo,
who killed Eric Garner with a brutal chokehold.
The head of the police union, Patrick Lynch,
who is known as the blue bulldog,
stood behind Pantaleo and was livid about his firing.
- But the decision that was passed down today
saying that this police officer was reckless is ludicrous.
New York City police officers now will be
considered reckless every time
they put their hands on someone.
- [Narrator] One of New York's police unions
also doxxed Mayor Bill de Blasio's daughter.
Posting her private information on Twitter
without her consent, publicly threatening her
while she was held in their custody
amid protests over George Floyd's murder.
In Chicago, John Catanzara, the head of the city's
police union, has had 50 misconduct allegations.
10 of those allegations were sustained,
meaning evidence indicated that it is
more likely than not that a violation
of the policy or procedure occurred.
Catanzara was reprimanded in 2017
for violating a rule that prohibits
on-duty officers from political activity
when he posted pictures of himself in uniform
holding a sign in support of Trump,
the Second Amendment, and the American flag.
which is a bit of a sea change in how unions
have handled the fallout for murders
committed by their members.
For example, the police union in Ferguson
raised over $200,000 for Darren Wilson,
Michael Brown's killer.
The Baltimore police union did the same thing,
raising money for the officers
involved in the killing of Freddie Gray.
The New Republic notes,
If justice is to be served for George Floyd
and the many other precious Black lives
that have been lost at the hands of the police
then we must change the culture of the officers themselves.
Police unions, some led by bigoted former officers
with long records of misconduct themselves,
seem to be a key way they systematically safeguard
evil behavior within their ranks.
Perhaps these police unions have no place
in the labor movement at all.
Ver Más Videos Relacionados
A brief history of police impunity in Black deaths
Police Unions And The Fight To Reform Law Enforcement
What happened when protesters questioned a Black Toronto police inspector's loyalty to her community
Boycott Black Murder!! Does Hip-Hop Culture & Police Brutality Incentivize Black Violence???
A Conversation with the Police - Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man Ep. 9
Crazy Baby Daddy Breaks No-Contact Order and Runs From Police
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)