By Steve Pomper
Ferguson, Missouri, Police Chief Troy Doyle said his police officers tried to handle an August 9th demonstration peacefully. The protest marked the tenth anniversary of when Michael Brown robbed a store and was then shot by a police officer after attacking him and attempting to take his gun. The officer was cleared of wrongdoing after a DOJ investigation.
But, as usual, after protesters began committing property damage, the chief ordered his cops to respond. During the response, rioters assaulted officers, including Officer Travis Brown, who was knocked to the ground by a rioter, “causing a serious head injury.”
This prompted the chief to plea for reason at a press conference about the violent end to yet another “mostly peaceful protest” where an officer suffered a brain injury. According to RVMNews.com, “Chief Doyle’s emotional appeal highlighted his frustration and concern for the community.”
Here is a portion of Chief Doyle’s speech transcript, thanks to Susie Moore of Red State. “It was at that time [damaging the police security fence] I sent out an arrest team to make an arrest for destruction of property. My team got out there and was assaulted by a number of the protesters that were out there on the scene. As a result, one of my police officers suffered a severe brain injury. He is at an area hospital right now, fighting for his life.”
St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell also attended the press conference and may hopefully signal a changing attitude about the rule of law. The pro-law and order Bell recently defeated the virulent anti-cop (member of “The Squad”) U.S. Rep. Cori Bush in a primary election.
Chief Doyle even posted officers to block a street to allow protesters to demonstrate to ensure vehicle traffic would not endanger anyone. The mostly peaceful protesters showed their appreciation by demonstrating that if you give them an inch, they’ll make a riot.
Giving another inch, police allowed agitators to violently shake a police security fence without response (apparently thinking it might appease them). This continued until the rioters destroyed a portion of the fence after which police finally responded, attempting to make arrests for the destruction of police property.
In his statement, the chief lambasted the anti-police environment created by some, noting that the police department has been “the community’s punching bag since 2014…” of which he observed those “officers are not even here no more.”
I want to make it clear that I am not disparaging the chief. I’m sure he was following the protocols established by city officials pressured by anti-cop extremists. I know because I’ve seen it happen in Seattle so many times. Except for these officials fostering a hands-off the anti-police goons policy, many officers would not have suffered unnecessary injuries.
The chief is frustrated as hell, and for what? For what began in 2014 as a fake “hands up, don’t shoot” pretend controversy that destroyed the career of a good cop, wrecked a community’s confidence in the police department, and gave other extremists ammunition to riot nationwide. And the lie is still given life by anti-police factions, including some government officials.
As the Glendale, AZ. FOP 12 posted on X, “10 years ago, Michael Brown was shot and killed after committing a robbery and trying to disarm a police officer. Facts. Hands up, don’t shoot is based on a lie.”
But Chief Doyle and his cops are still dealing with this recurring resuscitation of lies. Even the vaunted Associated Press (AP) is keeping the Ferguson lie alive.
Pat Droney at Law Enforcement Today (LET) reported, “FERGUSON, MO – You may not have realized it, but Friday, August 9 marked the 10th anniversary of a promising young black man named Michael Brown, who was walking down the streets of Ferguson, Missouri with a friend minding his own business, getting shot and killed by a racist police officer who was hunting down black men while patrolling the city.
“At least, that’s what the Associated Press (AP) would have you believe.”
And this wasn’t merely an AP spin or a flippant fib. It was a provable falsehood. You’d assume, working in the news biz, he’d know the facts of the case, especially after ten years. So, did he choose to lie? It’s either that, or he is the most ignorant reporter on the AP’s payroll—or, perhaps, he just loathes cops that much.
The AP’s Jim Salter (who had the nerve to write glowingly about the officer who was injured by the people the writer’s lies help to enflame) described the 2014 incident. “Michael Brown and a friend were walking along Canfield Drive when Officer Darren Wilson [for no reason, according to Salter] drove up and told them to get on the sidewalk. A fight ensued, and fearing for his life, the teenager ran.
“Though Brown was unarmed, Wilson described Brown as menacing at 6-foot-4 and claimed he came at the officer. But some nearby residents said Brown had his hands up in surrender when Wilson shot him.” Disgusting reporting.
Maybe he should ask then-AG Eric Holder. Yes, even President Obama’s DOJ cleared Officer Wilson of any wrongdoing. One more time: hands up; don’t shoot never happened. However, Wilson paid a heavy price for being on the wrong side of the extremists’ anti-cop narrative.
Chief Doyle lists many concessions the police department has made (to get the anti-cop extremists to like them?). Remember, these vile anti-coppers don’t like the police the same way I don’t like liver—and that ain’t gonna change.
Acquiring body cameras, implicit bias indoctrination, and crisis intervention training were among these concessions. The chief said they’ve done these things and more. He seems like a decent person who desperately wants to make the community happy. Of course, a leftist mayor and city council likely appointed him, so I can’t make any firm conclusions. However, I can commiserate with him in his frustration.
The extremists do not represent most of the community and don’t deserve any concessions as a reward for their violence. They are intentionally unreasonable, and they gain strength every time a city bows to any of their demands.
The chief implored the demonstrators: “What are we protesting? What is it? We even changed the uniforms at this police department because people said that the old uniforms triggered people. What are we doing?”
Attempting to placate the implacable gets a city only discontent, disrespect, and violence. The extremists don’t care what officials do; they always want more. I have a feeling the officers aren’t at a loss as to what the protesters really want—no police at all.
Officials at the top have the luxury of looking at things as they believe they should be—on paper. Cops on the line have the reality of looking at things as they are—on the streets. Isn’t it about time that the officials’ duty to serve the community places the law-abiding over the lawbreaking?
The extremists have repeatedly shown they are not interested in free speech or peaceful protest. But some officials still resist this reality. Some even believe actions like pulling down statues, blocking freeways, and taking over college campuses are merely “civil disobedience.”
Chief Doyle lamented, “Ten years later, I got an officer fighting for his life. It’s enough, and I’m done with it. We’re not doing it here in Ferguson. Our community is united behind us. Our community is fed up. We wanna heal — our community wants to heal. We want people to peacefully protest, but we damn sure ain’t gonna allow you to destroy this city, and we ain’t gonna allow you to [hurt] none of these police officers. We are united here in this city. We’re done with it — we’re not doing it anymore.”
I hope the chief’s right, but the decision isn’t only his. It belongs to the folks the people put in charge who run city government. Are they “united” with the community? Are they “done with it?” Are they “not doing it anymore?”
Who knows? But, like we’ve been repeating at NPA, a community must choose its leaders wisely, selecting pro-police individuals, or they will see this happen again and again.
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