Systemic Racism

[Chester86]

I apologize for the length of the following post.  I typed it on my phone and I could not figure out how to change the font size.  Perhaps there will be many that will disagree with me, and I have read every post on recent threads.  I thought some might enjoy getting a perspective from a “street cop.”   My wife has discouraged me from posting it but the constant barrage of “cops are evil!!” coming from the MSM led me to give a divergent viewpoint.

[Chester86]

    Systemic racism - a phrase that is used every day on the news.  In a condensed definition it means racism that is part of a system that is both taught, implied and repeated.  By watching everything that is going on and all the angles covered by the news reporters one might think that all law enforcement suffers from this “systemic racism.”  Does an entire system suffer from this, do a large majority of police officers, sheriff’s deputies, state troopers all subscribe to this?

    My family has a long and storied history in law enforcement.  My great grandfather was killed as a Beaumont Police Officer in 1925.  My dad was an officer for Beaumont PD in the 70’s during the tumultuous times after Vietnam.  My uncle served on the force during the 70’s.  I served for over 27 years, with the last 23 for Beaumont PD - the final 15 as a supervisor.  My brother and two of my sons still serve with the Beaumont Police Department.  I say all this to show that I have literally been raised in the culture of Beaumont PD.  If anyone should have inside knowledge of the system aspect of systemic racism - surely I can shed some light on it.

    One day in the late 70’s my dad told mom that she needed to bring me to the station.  I pestered the fire out of him asking what was going on and he wouldn’t budge.  Mom loaded my sister and I up in the station wagon and drove us downtown.  As we got out of the car at the library and walked across the street to the department I saw my dad.  As a boy around ten my dad was still (and always was) my hero.  There were numerous people around the front steps and tv cameras everywhere.  About this time I saw one of my other heroes, and the reason dad wanted me there.  As I ran toward Tony Dorsett someone yelled “Cut - who is this kid?”  Tony was there in the late 70’s to film a recruiting commercial to try and attract more minorities into the department.  This was over 40+ years ago and Beaumont PD was attempting to bring more diversity into the department.  Systemic racism at play?

    When I started law enforcement in 1993, I came out of four years in the military.  Every two years every officer was required to have on-going and continuing training.  This is a state-wide mandate, and certain courses are required to continue working as an active officer.  Every two year cycle for close to twenty years was a course in cultural sensitivity.  Racism, cultural generalizations, stereotypes and a host of other racially sensitive issues were talked about and explored.  Systemic racism taught at the academy?

    What is it that has everyone up in arms around the country?  Are the police seriously racist at heart?  Could it be that a nation-wide scare of plague-caliber illness, unemployment and a host of other unassociated items have been a festering keg of dynamite that was ignited by a video?  Look you’ll not get me to side with the Minneapolis officer.  My personal opinion is that even if he had resisted you get them up as soon as you can.  If that officer lost control and it happens, a partner should have stepped in and taken control.  

    This officer should be afforded due process.  If it is proven what everyone assumes then he’ll pay the price the law mandates.  There is no vast conspiracy against  minorities.  Let me leave you with this, I worked every day that I was on the streets in a majority minority area of town.  I have experienced and been on almost every type of call imaginable.  I have seen many things I’ll never be able to unsee, but I never lost my faith.  I always tried to treat every call like it was my family on the other end of the phone.  Have I seen bad officers with bad hearts - yes.  But interestingly enough those officers didn’t seem to make it long.  We are out there every day doing the best job we can.  Systemic racism might exist somewhere but it doesn’t exist at BPD.  This coming from a man raised in the culture and that worked his entire career for a department that is out there for you.

 

    

[stevenash]

+10,000,000,000,000

[CardinalBacker]

I think Beaumont tries hard to be the kind of police force that they need to be.  They parted ways with Chase Welch after two shootings in a short period of time (and an additional shooting after he left the Beaumont PD) and it's pretty obvious that this guy was having problems doing the job without shooting people, indictments or not.

In another case a young officer that I know personally was having some real problems with anger management.  I'm aware of a domestic violence incident and another off-duty fight.  Beaumont PD cut ties with the guy before he ever turned into the kind of cop that we all worry about.  He's intimidating people at HEB, now, lol.... Wasted a trip through the academy. 

Beaumont PD tries. 

[SmashMouth]

1 hour ago, Chester86 said:

I apologize for the length of the following post.  I typed it on my phone and I could not figure out how to change the font size.  Perhaps there will be many that will disagree with me, and I have read every post on recent threads.  I thought some might enjoy getting a perspective from a “street cop.”   My wife has discouraged me from posting it but the constant barrage of “cops are evil!!” coming from the MSM led me to give a divergent viewpoint.

I don’t know you, but I’m glad you posted your story. I believe the majority of cops share your same beliefs and practice. I’m thankful that guys like you are looking after us. 

[Ty Cobb]

4 hours ago, Chester86 said:

    Systemic racism - a phrase that is used every day on the news.  In a condensed definition it means racism that is part of a system that is both taught, implied and repeated.  By watching everything that is going on and all the angles covered by the news reporters one might think that all law enforcement suffers from this “systemic racism.”  Does an entire system suffer from this, do a large majority of police officers, sheriff’s deputies, state troopers all subscribe to this?

    My family has a long and storied history in law enforcement.  My great grandfather was killed as a Beaumont Police Officer in 1925.  My dad was an officer for Beaumont PD in the 70’s during the tumultuous times after Vietnam.  My uncle served on the force during the 70’s.  I served for over 27 years, with the last 23 for Beaumont PD - the final 15 as a supervisor.  My brother and two of my sons still serve with the Beaumont Police Department.  I say all this to show that I have literally been raised in the culture of Beaumont PD.  If anyone should have inside knowledge of the system aspect of systemic racism - surely I can shed some light on it.

    One day in the late 70’s my dad told mom that she needed to bring me to the station.  I pestered the fire out of him asking what was going on and he wouldn’t budge.  Mom loaded my sister and I up in the station wagon and drove us downtown.  As we got out of the car at the library and walked across the street to the department I saw my dad.  As a boy around ten my dad was still (and always was) my hero.  There were numerous people around the front steps and tv cameras everywhere.  About this time I saw one of my other heroes, and the reason dad wanted me there.  As I ran toward Tony Dorsett someone yelled “Cut - who is this kid?”  Tony was there in the late 70’s to film a recruiting commercial to try and attract more minorities into the department.  This was over 40+ years ago and Beaumont PD was attempting to bring more diversity into the department.  Systemic racism at play?

    When I started law enforcement in 1993, I came out of four years in the military.  Every two years every officer was required to have on-going and continuing training.  This is a state-wide mandate, and certain courses are required to continue working as an active officer.  Every two year cycle for close to twenty years was a course in cultural sensitivity.  Racism, cultural generalizations, stereotypes and a host of other racially sensitive issues were talked about and explored.  Systemic racism taught at the academy?

    What is it that has everyone up in arms around the country?  Are the police seriously racist at heart?  Could it be that a nation-wide scare of plague-caliber illness, unemployment and a host of other unassociated items have been a festering keg of dynamite that was ignited by a video?  Look you’ll not get me to side with the Minneapolis officer.  My personal opinion is that even if he had resisted you get them up as soon as you can.  If that officer lost control and it happens, a partner should have stepped in and taken control.  

    This officer should be afforded due process.  If it is proven what everyone assumes then he’ll pay the price the law mandates.  There is no vast conspiracy against  minorities.  Let me leave you with this, I worked every day that I was on the streets in a majority minority area of town.  I have experienced and been on almost every type of call imaginable.  I have seen many things I’ll never be able to unsee, but I never lost my faith.  I always tried to treat every call like it was my family on the other end of the phone.  Have I seen bad officers with bad hearts - yes.  But interestingly enough those officers didn’t seem to make it long.  We are out there every day doing the best job we can.  Systemic racism might exist somewhere but it doesn’t exist at BPD.  This coming from a man raised in the culture and that worked his entire career for a department that is out there for you.

 

    

I’ve only lived in Beaumont since 2001. I’ve never felt scared to live here. Thank you sir, and a big thank you to your family, for serving me. For serving us, the Beaumont community. You and your family have done a job that I could never do. I appreciate you and everything you’ve done. My family is, and will always be a backer of the police force!!!

[THE DUDE]

wasn't BPD in a lawsuit many years ago because they would pass over more qualified white males to hire minorities and females?

[tvc184]

14 minutes ago, THE DUDE said:

wasn't BPD in a lawsuit many years ago because they would pass over more qualified white males to hire minorities and females?

Yes. 

[THE DUDE]

41 minutes ago, tvc184 said:

Yes. 

how did that turn out?

 

[tvc184]

Systematic is a buzz word right now. Every complaint is a systematic problem.

I heard Joe Biden today saying something else was systematic  

Systematic: Involving a system or plan.

So the claims of systematic racism, most in larger cities, is a claim that the city officials are sanctioning and condoning the racism.

 In Baltimore,MD where there were riots after Freddie Gray’s death, was it systematic racism that caused it? The mayor, police chief, driver of the police van where Gray died, the main suspect (van driver) and the judge hearing the cases were all the same race as Gray. So was it a conspiracy by all of them to do away with Gray’s civil rights?

 In southeast Texas, we have Port Arthur where the entire city council, the mayor, the municipal court judge, the city manager, the city attorney and the police Chief are all of the same race.

As the definition of systematic says, it is planned as part if the system. So when people are protesting locally, are they saying that the systematic racism is these leaders? 

[tvc184]

1 minute ago, THE DUDE said:

how did that turn out?

 

BPD is a civil service agency  That means that there are legal practices that must be adhered to for hiring, discipline and promotions  It is intended for fairness and to get the good ol’ boy system out of the police department. Examples are promotions must be done by test score after all officers have had the books for the test listed for at least 90 days and at least a 30 day notice of the test, All tests must be done at the same time and location (no secret tests) and each candidate has 5 days to file appeals of test questions. Hiring must also be done by test scores in order with all candidates tested at the same time and location. 

Civil Service mandated rules can be changed locally only by a collective bargaining contract if the city and union agree during negotiations. 

If I remember correctly Beaumont changed the hiring state law by contract. They changed from the state mandated hiring the highest score first to a 3 tier hiring system. A minority (Black or Hispanic), a female and the a white person (or something similar). I guess by that system there could have hired a Black female, any female and then a white female since a female could be in multiple categories. But... I wasn’t working for them so.... I just remember the case.

 Also if I remember correctly, a White male (who I believe had a brother working for BPD) scored high enough to get hired (“maybe” even #1 on the test) but he was not hired because..... there were not enough candidates that passed on the first two lists. Like maybe they hired a Black officer but no female candidate passed everything so no “second” tier. They could not get to the qualified third tier so the White candidate who passed everything could not be hired because he was White male.

Or so my fading memory goes.  I “heard” that he settled or was awarded by a jury, 6 figures and BPD changed their discriminatory hiring practice immediately.

I may not have all of the details correct but think I am pretty close. I an fairly certain they had a tier system by race and sex and it cost them...

[CardinalBacker]

10 hours ago, tvc184 said:

BPD is a civil service agency  That means that there are legal practices that must be adhered to for hiring, discipline and promotions  It is intended for fairness and to get the good ol’ boy system out of the police department. Examples are promotions must be done by test score after all officers have had the books for the test listed for at least 90 days and at least a 30 day notice of the test, All tests must be done at the same time and location (no secret tests) and each candidate has 5 days to file appeals of test questions. Hiring must also be done by test scores in order with all candidates tested at the same time and location. 

Civil Service mandated rules can be changed locally only by a collective bargaining contract if the city and union agree during negotiations. 

If I remember correctly Beaumont changed the hiring state law by contract. They changed from the state mandated hiring the highest score first to a 3 tier hiring system. A minority (Black or Hispanic), a female and the a white person (or something similar). I guess by that system there could have hired a Black female, any female and then a white female since a female could be in multiple categories. But... I wasn’t working for them so.... I just remember the case.

 Also if I remember correctly, a White male (who I believe had a brother working for BPD) scored high enough to get hired (“maybe” even #1 on the test) but he was not hired because..... there were not enough candidates that passed on the first two lists. Like maybe they hired a Black officer but no female candidate passed everything so no “second” tier. They could not get to the qualified third tier so the White candidate who passed everything could not be hired because he was White male.

Or so my fading memory goes.  I “heard” that he settled or was awarded by a jury, 6 figures and BPD changed their discriminatory hiring practice immediately.

I may not have all of the details correct but think I am pretty close. I an fairly certain they had a tier system by race and sex and it cost them...

Hiring based on skin color, sex, or any other such “qualification” is wrong. Even if you’re doing it to try and correct a wrong.  It’s still wrong. 
I have a cousin that got a CJ degree from Lamar in the mid 90s and his plan was to join the DPS. He admittedly wasn’t a top-tier candidate, and at the time the DPS was committed to hiring 60% minority candidates if my memory is correct. The only problem is that they weren’t getting enough minority candidates of any tier... you had to be Superman to get hired if you were white, but preferred (POC, female) candidates would get hired if they could fog a mirror. 
He’s in school administration now, lol. 

[Kountzer]

In the mid nineties I worked for Texas Workforce Commission.  I was a civilian employee at dps.  Ever since I started working there they were begging for troopers to apply. 

[Big girl]

3 hours ago, CardinalBacker said:

Hiring based on skin color, sex, or any other such “qualification” is wrong. Even if you’re doing it to try and correct a wrong.  It’s still wrong. 
I have a cousin that got a CJ degree from Lamar in the mid 90s and his plan was to join the DPS. He admittedly wasn’t a top-tier candidate, and at the time the DPS was committed to hiring 60% minority candidates if my memory is correct. The only problem is that they weren’t getting enough minority candidates of any tier... you had to be Superman to get hired if you were white, but preferred (POC, female) candidates would get hired if they could fog a mirror. 
He’s in school administration now, lol. 

White people are hired only because they are white all of the time.

[CardinalBacker]

56 minutes ago, Big girl said:

White people are hired only because they are white all of the time.

I’m sorry that you feel that way, but it’s just not true. 

Contrary to what you believe, successful business owners want the best candidate for a position, period. The only color that they care about is green. 
 

That ol’ racist NFL would prefer to give all of those player salaries to white guys, right? So why don’t they?

[SmashMouth]

1 hour ago, Big girl said:

White people are hired only because they are white all of the time.

Are you implying that some people can be white just some of the time?  I’m confused. 

[NetCat]

2 hours ago, Big girl said:

White people are hired only because they are white all of the time.

Pretty sure this is a racist statement. 

[NetCat]

1 hour ago, CardinalBacker said:

I’m sorry that you feel that way, but it’s just not true. 

Contrary to what you believe, successful business owners want the best candidate for a position, period. The only color that they care about is green. 
 

That ol’ racist NFL would prefer to give all of those player salaries to white guys, right? So why don’t they?

How about the NBA? 

[CardinalBacker]

23 minutes ago, NetCat said:

How about the NBA? 

It was just an example and I'm sure that we could find plenty that go the other way... 

[SmashMouth]

1 hour ago, CardinalBacker said:

It was just an example and I'm sure that we could find plenty that go the other way... 

Like Popeye’s in Beaumont?

[BS Wildcats]

5 hours ago, NetCat said:

Pretty sure this is a racist statement. 

What would you expect from someone as blatantly racist as big girl?

[BS Wildcats]

8 hours ago, Big girl said:

White people are hired only because they are white all of the time.

You have that statement completely wrong.  Minorities are hired before whites all the time, no matter if hirings are based on some type of test scores.  Now let me see you explain how that is not racism at its finest!!

[PhatMack19]

10 hours ago, Big girl said:

White people are hired only because they are white all of the time.

Which cities are giving refineries tax breaks for hiring white people?

[PhatMack19]

[myrecordwashorrible]

By using the phrase all of the time, you imply every white person has a job because they are white.  Spew more hate please.