Excerpted taken from an article published by Allen B. West on April 9,
2015
(I don’t generally follow Mr. West or his politics, but his
article today really hit home for me and I felt the need to agree and share. –
Chief Scott, MRPD)
“As reported by NBC News, “A white police officer in North Charleston,
South Carolina, was charged with murder after a cellphone video was released of
him fatally shooting a black father of four in the back following a traffic
stop. The release of the footage — which shows Officer Michael Slager fired
eight times at Walter Scott — was praised by the 50-year-old victim’s family,
who during a news conference said: “All we wanted was the truth.”
Officer Slager, 33, was arrested earlier by the South
Carolina Law Enforcement Division and faces 30 years to life in prison or the
death penalty if convicted, state officials said in a news release. He was
being held without bond in the Charleston County Jail.”
This
is a sad and tragic incident and having watched the complete video I can say
there is NO excuse for what the police officer did in shooting Scott in the
back. There is no excuse to shoot an unarmed person in the back, especially
when you had their vehicle and knew their identity. A simple description and
apprehension would have sufficed.
But
we don’t need any speeches about police re-training. This was the action of one
bad cop. Nor is it a reflection on the entire force. And I’m quite sure the
North Charleston Police Department is angry about this incident as well, along
with the tarnishing of their reputation to “Serve and Protect.”
Let
us take the time to offer our condolences to the family of Walter Scott and
maybe what should be done is establish a scholarship fund for his four children
to attain what is sorely needed in the black community: better education
opportunities.
At
this time we need to once again focus on correcting that which ails the black
community: strong families and economic growth. It pains me to know that for no
apparent reason, four children will not have a dad at the Thanksgiving table.
This
is a time where we can turn this tragedy into triumph. It’s a time when we can
turn the page and not proliferate a victim mentality but advance the spirit of
victors. Let us not allow those who would impart racial divisiveness to
continue to drive a wedge in America to find a gap to exploit.
I
pray this tragedy can strengthen the bonds between the North Charleston law
enforcement officers and the community they serve. I am 54 and the death of
Walter Scott serves to remind me once again just how blessed I have been in
life.
And
all lives matter.”
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