Is this a joke? There's really someone roaming the college campus with a head filled with this kind of garbage and packing a pistol?

"someone roaming the college campus"

Uhhh, actually roaming the streets. Mine. Yours. Theirs.

"By the way if anyone feels they can't breathe or their lives matter I'll be at the movies tonight, off duty, carrying my gun."

Assumed this was made up, given no links posted. But.... Web Link

That is a dude who should not carry.

I have to say as an ex-police officer, this guy's tweets were way out of line. If I know SJPD, he's going to be looking at some discipline.

I would hope Menlo College would be swift to react and make a stance on this. I have not seen anything yet to support that (albeit, until this article I only knew he was SJPD). Menlo College - do the right thing here in the interest of your faculty, students and community.

Menlo College did fire him as coach. He's on paid leave from San Jose Police. I doubt he'll get fired as a police officer because of first amendment issues, and although the argument can be made that he acted in a manner unbecoming, i.e., against policy, the union is just too strong to fire a police officer.

In a way, despite the repugnant statements, I do admire his candor. I think too many police officers think this but are too aware to say it. Yes, many don't as well, but it's an issue that needs to be faced.

The police seem driven to self protection (with all the riot gear) at all costs. Civilians are injured by police actions, but the police themselves brook no argument against maximum protection for themselves in meting out their "justice." That rationale is rolled out to justify all this military level of readiness. To argue against it ... how can you do it?

Who is going to make the argument that the rules of engagement are out of balance? No one. The police have all the cards.

I'm not saying that police don't have a right to protect themselves, but if they're going to put themselves in harm's way like that, then they HAVE TO acquire the personal psychological wherewithal to intelligently and humanely use their power. No excuses.

Sports figures are inappropriately saddled with this ridiculous role of being ethical role models. That role may be more appropriate for police officers. I don't know, but maybe they face ethical dilemmas all the time. Maybe police departments need to fully accept that and change the culture.

I have no idea if what I'm suggesting makes sense, but something is way out of kilter with respect to modern day policing vis a vis our rights as stated in the Constitution.

??? "being ethical role models... That role may be more appropriate for police officers."

LMFTFY

"ethical role models... That role MUST be for police officers."

By law. The deal is: we give you a gun, ultimate authority and a lifetime pension - you WILL be held to a higher standard, and if found lacking, removed.

This cop is lacking. Period.

From the Mercury News:

"I couldn't reach [San Jose Police Chief] Esquivel or White for immediate comment. But to insiders in police departments, this situation presents an irony. Esquivel can fire White. But whether a firing will stick is another matter.

Binding arbitration

If White were to appeal a firing to binding arbitration, my sources tell me, he would stand a good chance of getting his job back, with back pay, albeit after a year or so without a paycheck. It is very difficult to fire a cop. White could argue that his transgression was a matter of words, not action."

No consequences, courtesy of the "arbitration clause."

This has come up on the Almanac before.

Why have the Alamanac Folks treated this with kid gloves. This idiot was a Head Coach at Menlo Atherton and Woodside HS besides an assistant at Menlo college. Does the Almanac editor and his/her reporters not have their own opinions?

Is it possible Former Hoops Coach missed the story posted online yesterday by the Almanac? It seems pretty thorough to me. Here it is

Web Link

When I first read Ofc. White's tweets I thought "it's about time some of these officers said what they and MANY silent outraged private citizens think"
Having watched in horror as free speech protests culminated in mayhem, chaos, destruction of private property, and massive brutality on peace officers who are trying to protect life and property and manage these thugs with kid gloves, I was not surprised when finally a brave police officer spoke up. We are a nation of laws, for good or for bad. I personally do not agree with the decision in the New York grand jury findings, but that would not lead me to put a skateboard through someone's business window, throw feces and urine at a police officer, set fire to small businesses in the town of Ferguson, and other places. I believe that all lives matter whether black white brown purple or green. The divisiveness that has become the United States of America is disheartening, and tragic.
No one seems to care or mourn the police officers who were killed in the line of duty. No one seems to protest the black on black violence that murders thousands of black people each year in this country. Where is that outrage?
I think personal peaceful protest and free-speech are amazing and unique rights in this country that other countries do not have, but when you have people directing busloads of so-called protesters from other areas and handing them manufactured signs ready to go, it does not become a real protest any longer. Ok so I've said my peace....
I am now ready for the onslaught of vitriol ....

Agree with majority of what you say but most definitely not "massive brutality on peace officers" and "No one seems to care or mourn the police officers who were killed in the line of duty."

whatever:

you don't think rocks, bottles, bricks, tire irons, etc. are massive brutality on police officers? If you don't, how about I throw some of that stuff at you? Have you seen some of the photos of officer's injuries?

The only people I ever see mourning the death of an officer are his family and fellow officers.

Menlo Voter - there have been huge outpourings of grief when local officers have been killed in the line of duty. East Palo Alto streets were lined by mourners when Officer Richard May died. I don't recall the details, but Santa Cruz friends in the business district were involved in community mourning activities when the detectives were killed by the sex assault suspect in 2013. Their funeral was televised.

Also, East Palo Alto residents have often protested black on black violence through matches, youth engagement and their Live in Peace movement. Of course, I should probably amend that to say, *including* black on black violence, because their Polynesian and Latino residents wrestle with theses problems, too.

I hear this complaint about people not protesting black on black crime frequently, which isn't true. Black communities do protest these crimes. This makes me ask: Does it only count when whites protest it?

I also assert that your question is used by many as an attempt to dismiss the institutionalized racism at work when white authorities abuse blacks by using unnecessary force. I expect criminals to behave like criminals, but not for the police to.

Menlo Voter: Eric Garner had a tire iron in his pocket?

AV: "if anyone feels they can't breathe or their lives matter I'll be at the movies tonight, off duty, carrying my gun" is NOT what "MANY silent outraged private citizens think". Blessedly, only a few, most of whom are smart enough to remain silent.

If you feel so, then you need to get out more. Or turn off faux news and Shawn Hannity's fixation with faux witness number 40.

memories:

interesting. Perhaps the public mourning officers last in the line of duty isn't publicized well. Nor are the protests of communities over black on black crime.

I don't dismiss institutional racism in law enforcement. There is some, but not all officers are racists. It just seems that the public is far more up in arms when an officer kills a minority than when a minority is killed by another minority. The fact is the odds of a black or brown person dying of homicide are FAR higher from another black or brown person than they are at the hands of a police officer. And minorities killing other minorities happens much more frequently. It almost never even makes the news anymore. Maybe the news doesn't cover the protests.

"It just seems that the public is far more up in arms when an officer kills a minority than when a minority is killed by another minority."

Let me fix that for you:

"the public SHOULD BE more up in arms when an officer kills a CITIZEN than when a citizen is killed by another citizen."

As it should be.

East Palo Alto is often covered when they have anti-violence events and marches. The same is true of Oakland.

As for mourning fallen officers, I see a lot of info online and via TV news when an officer in the Bay Area dies on duty. East Palo Alto sure reacted strongly when May was killed.

The more recent double murder of the Santa Cruz officers was covered for days, and as I mentioned, the funeral was televised.

Institutionalized racism is pervasive and insidious. It's incredibly difficult to eradicate. It's also expensive to maintain. Look at what Menlo has dealt with inside its own department when officers left due to the actions of a racist senior officer.

henry:

no need to fix anything for me. When a police officer kills a citizen, in most cases, that citizen chose to attack a police officer. The public should be up in arms over the stupid choice of that individual, not the fact an officer chose to defend himself. But that's not what happens is it?

"East Palo Alto is often covered when they have anti-violence events and marches. The same is true of Oakland. "

I must be watching the wrong news. I haven't seen it.

We just went to 114 police officers killed in the line of duty for 2014. Four in the last 24 hours. Where's the outrage? Where are the protests? Where are the riots? Where are the demands for "change?"

Law enforcement lives matter.

Menlo Voter - I'm honestly surprised that you haven't figured out the answers to your questions posted above.

memories:

I know the answers to my questions. Two officers were executed in New York last week. Another in Florida. It looks like some people have declared war on the police. If that is the case this isn't going to end well for anyone.

Interesting opinion piece: Web Link

"This war on law and order is as dangerous as any global enemy we face. And it's built on a lie."

"Our nation’s police are not at war on blacks or Hispanics or poor neighborhoods. Cops fight lawlessness each and every day, putting their lives on the line in communities all across this country to keep our citizens, children, schools, institutions, and neighborhoods safe."

"Yet if you have listened to some in the media, purported civil rights leader Al Sharpton, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and others around the country over the last several weeks, you’re forced to believe that nearly all of America’s local and state police are out to kill minorities."

"It’s a lie!"

I think the overall thought (if there is one) is that Police serve a function. Like Teachers and Judges, there are good cops and bad cops. I believe what is missed is that good cops by far out weight bad cops. Who in their right mind says I will run toward shots fired and help those who no one else would help. Not taking a side, but it sure seems cops have taken a beating on this when I am certain the last thing they did before leaving their families that morning/evening was say I am going to kill someone. Every cop I have met is scared to shoot/ kill someone and will error on the other side. I feel for those who are forced to shoot especially in the holidays as they know they took a life. For the bad cops who hate others - well I have nothing to say except - they know their future.

@Robert: My feelings exactly.

From Frank Sommerville's Facebook page:

"I saw this today on K9s4Cops.org
It was written earlier this month by Lt Daniel Furseth.
He works for the DeForest Police Department in Wisconsin.

I've included the entire article.
It didn’t feel right to try to condense it."

"He’s what Lt Furseth wrote:

Today, I stopped caring about my fellow man.

I stopped caring about my community, my neighbors, and those I serve.

I stopped caring today because a once noble profession has become despised, hated, distrusted, and mostly unwanted.

I stopped caring today because parents refuse to teach their kids right from wrong and blame us when they are caught breaking the law.

I stopped caring today because parents tell their little kids to be good or “the police will take you away” embedding a fear from year one."

Here's the link to the rest: Web Link

It's good that Menlo got rid of this self-righteous, bigoted idiot when they did - they can't afford the liability of someone like him.