Throughout yesterday evening, reports were surfacing that many Atlanta police officers were either calling in sick and not reporting for duty – the so-called “blue flu” – or were checking in, making a token run (perhaps to a favorite coffee shop – a number of witnesses report seeing unusually large groups of cops drinking coffee and talking) and then returning to their precincts and refusing to go out again.
What’s more, mainstream news media appear to be under-reporting the full extent of the problem. I’m informed by my law enforcement friends and contacts that at least three out of six districts in the Atlanta metro area aren’t responding to anything except life-threatening emergencies, and even those are seeing a much delayed response. The police department is allegedly even pulling corrections officers out of Atlanta-area jails to respond to crime calls, because no-one else is available. Neighboring agencies are allegedly refusing to assist, except if an officer is in danger and calling for help.
There also appears to be a great deal of discussion about Atlanta (and Minneapolis, and Seattle, and New York, and many other cities where police are under attack by politically correct administrations) among police officers across the nation. Police officers talk to each other about such things. There are entire online forums and social media groups, many invitation-only, for police to discuss such issues, and they’re buzzing right now. I have a feeling that Atlanta’s “blue flu” may become a nation-wide law enforcement pandemic in its own right before very long.
It’s made worse by the fact that the officer who shot Rayshard Brooks is clearly facing excessive and legally unjustifiable charges, even by the dubious standards of Atlanta’s own District Attorney and the laws of that state. As Sundance points out, that may be related to a political spat between the DA and his possible opponent in this year’s primary elections. Bold, underlined text is my emphasis.
Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Paul Howard Jr., held a press conference earlier this afternoon to announce eleven charges against police officer Garrett Wolfe for the shooting death of Rayshard Brooks. The shooting took place at a local Atlanta Wendys.
In what appears to be a decision heavily influenced by local politics, DA Howard is charging officer Garrett Wolfe with felony murder; an unlawful killing with malice, forethought and specific intent. It looks like Howard is purposefully making a mess.
. . .
There is something rather unusual about the way DA Paul Howard framed the encounter between the police and Rayshard Brooks, because CCTV video and body-cam footage do not support the district attorney’s version of events. Obviously in a courtroom the defense is going to replay the DA statements while they run simultaneous footage of Mr. Rayshard Brooks resisting arrest, fighting with police and ultimately taking one of the officers’ tasers to use as a weapon.
. . .
The lead investigative agency, The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), didn’t even know the press conference was going to be held today and they have not completed their investigation. They had no idea the DA was going to file charges.
. . .
Regardless of internal Atlanta politics, the message to police is chilling. I would not want to be living anywhere around Fulton county, Georgia; because I suspect there is going to be a massive drop in law enforcement. Crime will likely rise, violence will likely escalate, and the suffering community will be the same black neighborhoods who might currently be thanking DA Howard without realizing what consequences are looming.
There’s more at the link.
To make matters even worse, one of the justifications for a murder charge against the officer was that the deceased used a taser – regarded by many as a non-lethal weapon – and therefore did not “deserve” to be shot in return, a firearm being a “more lethal” method of defense. However, Atlanta’s DA, just two weeks ago, pointed out at a news conference that under Georgia law, tasers are considered lethal weapons:
If the officer had been trained to act in terms of Georgia law, and acted in accordance with his training and the law, then how can he possibly be charged with felony murder? I’m sure every Atlanta PD officer is asking that question, more or less profanely, right now: and I’m sure the officer’s defense attorneys are rubbing their hands with glee at the thought of asking the prosecution precisely that question in court. It’s unanswerable, except to dismiss the charges.
I hold no brief for police misconduct and over-reaction. Regular readers will know that I’ve spoken out against that on numerous occasions. However, in this case, I think it’s pretty clear-cut that the charges are simply ridiculous. I’m not surprised to see Atlanta cops reacting to them in this way. When the justice system they’re supposed to uphold turns against them, what else can they do? Why should they put their futures, their families and their paychecks on the line when their own superiors won’t back them up if they do their job as they’ve been trained to do it?
I’ve worked with law enforcement, in a support capacity. None of those with whom I worked would have put their necks on the block if they knew their superiors were likely to chop their heads off to save their own – and I don’t blame them. When a department loses the trust of its own officers, it’s doomed. The only thing that can save it is a wholesale house-cleaning from top to bottom, new and strong leadership – not of the politically correct variety – and solid support from its leaders for rank-and-file officers.
I’m surprised cops haven’t already “downed tools” in Minneapolis, Seattle, New York and other places where their administrators have thrown them to the wolves. It says a lot for their dedication to duty. However, everyone has a breaking point. It looks like Atlanta PD officers have reached theirs. How far will this spread, and how fast?
Oh – and remember my advice a couple of weeks ago? “If you haven’t got a gun, GET ONE. NOW.” That goes double when you don’t know if the police will be willing or available to come to your help. Even if they do, until they arrive at the crime scene, you’re on your own. That being the case, you’d better be ready, willing, able, and equipped to defend yourself, your loved ones, and your property.
If you’re not, police have a word for people in your position. They call them “victims”.
Peter
CCTV video and body-cam footage do not support the district attorney’s version of events.
So,, just to be clear,, there is Video that Contradicts what this guy is SAYING…
Now, for clarity's sake,, Im gonna cut to the chase and just SAY Itttt…
When there are Two versions of a story,, and One of them is ON VIDEO,,
Where Im from,, we just call that other version
A Lie..
I hope he goes to prison after the cops are finished revolting because of what HE has dont to the force..
Everything that happens because of what he has done should be on him,,
But,, hey,, maybe Im sick of watching people screw America up,,
I live in NE Atlanta. You couldn't pay me enough to go into the city after dark. My observations:
First doctored video was released showing white cop unloading on black guy and then multiple other videos were released by the people in the drivethru that showed series of events. Somehow bodycam video was also released in the ongoing investigation that discounted first videos.
Mayor KLB ignored APD protocol and encouraged city council to fire cop before internal GBI investigation was complete. She also called cop a murderer in front of reporters.
Police Chief quit.
Lame Duck DA filed 11 charges before internal GBI investigation was complete. One of those was murder.
In an early statement Mayor KLB said a taser in the hands of a cop was a deadly weapon. KLB latter stated the taser in the hands of a black man was non-life threatening.
Reality:
KLB has stirred the race war pot and stoked the fire. ATL cops know they do not have upper management support and will be thrown to the wolves. Police officers eligible to retire are dropping their packages to make it happen. Every county outside the ATL beltway is being flooded with applications in the local PD's and sheriff's offices. Only fools travel into the city unarmed.
Putting on my culturally-appropriative mystic turban and going into a trance, I make a bold prediction!
The good cops from cities like Atlanta will disperse and find employment elsewhere, in better-run jurisdictions.
Atlanta will end up with nothing but bad cops, and will end up paying them extra just to get them to stay.
Also, good luck with anything resembling commerce. Weren't the truckers warning, just a few days ago, about not delivering to cities without police?
"I'm surprised cops haven't already "downed tools" in Minneapolis, Seattle, New York and other places where their administrators have thrown them to the wolves. It says a lot for their dedication to duty. However, everyone has a breaking point. It looks like Atlanta PD officers have reached theirs. How far will this spread, and how fast"
Those locations have had PC baloney pushed for so long, the police that cared about doing their jobs correctly are gone. What's left is the ones who are on board with it. Boot lickers. Not all of course, but the majority.
I just watched a documentary on the issues facing Seattle police not that long ago. The ones that cared are gone.
I suspect we're about to see a "certain change;" it will not be publicized, there will be no "cocktail party talk" about it, it will garner no widespread attention, and whatever indication of its existence will be somewhat hidden in "trailing" data.
People will, very quietly and surreptitiously, initiate disinvestment from U.S. geographic areas with even a below-moderate tinge of Blue or concentrations of black residents above about 10-15%. It will be a multi-year phenomenon, occurring so gradually that only when nearly complete will it receive notice.
Some areas, because of their political, and to some degree, economic, foundations – Washington, D.C. comes to mind, as do Sacramento, Seattle, Portland, Orlando, NYC, etc. – will be resistant, but not completely immune, to the emigration.
Now that "distance work," coupled with a massive increase in internet procurement, has received nearly full accreditation, those, and simple job change, will aid in the process.
Our host, for example, emigrated from Nashville to northern Texas; the situational degradation in Nashville over the past 12-24 months demonstrates that move was well considered and prescient.
We're looking at years, not months, for this, and the result will be an "automated and welcomed Balkanization" of some areas of the U.S. Eastern Washington and Oregon will gain, despite being tied to Seattle and Portland (for the time being, at least), because political and economic mass will shift.
One result will be moderately Blue areas become substantially more Blue as those shifts manifest themselves, resulting in a steepening of the curve for those areas.
It'll be interesting to watch the gradual effect of changes in thinking.
Absent "divine truth" one cannot know with 100% certainty every detail of what happened. But what we do know seems clear: Everything was polite and fine until the "choir boy" figured out he was going to go to jail. And then, he attacked with what has been deemed a lethal weapon – the taser he stole from the cop.
Remember: The Left WANTS chaos. The Left WANTS anarchy.
Would this have been the deceased 'third strike'? I've seen reports here in the UK that it would have been but can't find any confirmation either way.
Things are looking more and more as though Kurt Schlichter's scenarios are coming to pass… heaven help us.
One of my close associates has one child in government service, diligent and dedicated to the mission statement but convinced "the authorities" can and should be the ones to maintain order; hopefully he does not get a brutal wakeup when the foundations are eroded. Another has been coopted into SJW-thought and hopefully will not pay an unintentional price for lying down with lions. A third appears to have head correctly on swivel and is paying close attention to the ensuing confusion and excitement.
Unidentified victim, how do you see the eastern USA changing?
Thanks
Badfrog, Rayshard 'The Gentle I am getting better' Brooks was on probation for violent assault of his children. Any negative contact with police would have sent him back to prison for quite a few years.
So, on probation, with most likely the restrictions on using alcohol and drugs, of which he was both on.
And it's the cop's fault.
So, a long-term violent offender was on probation for good behavior with restrictions to see if he learned to be a better person. Welp, the answer is 'no' and he learned it in a rather fatal manner.
Heard the decedent's wife on WSB this morning, mourning her late husband. She doesn't share his last name….
I read this morning on Don Surber's site (donsurber.blogspot.com)
that Atlanta is 52% Black, and the Atlanta Police are 58% Black.
@ deb harvey – My opinion – given the concentration of large, older metro areas in the east I expect slow migration of whites and all affluent people of any race away from the larger metropolitan areas. Everyone says they want to live "in the country" but they also heavily value convenience and socialization, so small towns will be their preferred destination, especially those not in the shadow of larger metro areas and in areas where the weather is better (ex: on paper, places like Marietta, GA look great, but Marietta happens to be 16 miles from downtown Atlanta).
People in areas with questionable futures will sell their houses and rent others (many will be at least partially trapped by employment or family and have to stay); if things deteriorate your money may be locked into in a house (or business property), or at least facing a reduction in value. Walking away from a lease or rental payments if you have to is a lot easier than trying to recover a large real estate investment in a severely down market. This means owning rental property will be attractive, at least for a while; remember, this will be a multi-year transition, not something that happens quickly. It'll be one of those things where you go to the store you've been going to for years and one day suddenly notice the clientele, the staff and the local environment, has changed.
Careers will change; instead of looking long term people will start looking at more "employment cycles" that are shorter term, and valuing flexibility. Going to the office once a week or once every other week makes a 30+ mile commute acceptable whereas a daily commute of that distance wouldn't be. Think "decentralization." Which means "other things will concentrate in the places people vacate."
The perp- that is the dead guy was sentenced to 7 years for beating his kids. He was let out because Chinese flu. Then he drove drunk to Wendy's. He caused his own death. When he net Jesus, he had to explain that he had took a tazer away from a cop and was attacking him with it. That was not a good choice as he found out. I wonder if he had a good enough excuse.
So far, what I haven't seen mentioned about this situation is that cops view an attack on them with a taser, whether handheld or police style, to be a precursor to disarming them and killing them with their issue weapon. Their SOP is to shoot the attacker, due to their perception that it is a lethal level assault on a cop.
You can find u-tube videos of this situation.
As Micheal Bane has said infinitum, you are ALWAYS ON YOUR OWN. More so now than ever before…
@Beans, thanks for that. I can stop giving a toss about him with a clear conscience.
The cop's Mother in law just got fired from her job. Tucker Carlson covered this.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/tucker-carlson-reports-stepmother-of-ex-atlanta-officer-who-shot-rayshard-brooks-fired-from-job