Van Dyke — cop who murdered McDonald in cold blood
This week evidence emerged that certain members of the Chicago Police Department have engaged in damaging dash-cam equipment and microphones to cover-up probable criminal activity by fellow police officers.
This is another example that the code of silence among cops, known as the “Blue Wall,” is alive and well in police departments across America.
One of the only remedies that has been proposed by a few politicians is the mandatory use of dash-cameras among police officers. But if police sabotage these measures implemented to force greater transparency into their activities, then how will they be held accountable for their actions?
According to the website DNA-info Chicago, “Chicago Police Department officers stashed microphones in their squad car glove boxes. They pulled out batteries. Microphone antennas got busted or went missing. And sometimes, dash-cam systems didn’t have any microphones at all.”
Reportedly, among the officers involved in these willful attempts, to conceal criminal conduct by cops, was Officer Jason Van Dyke, the murderer who fired 16 shots at 18-year-old Laquan McDonald—while the teen was walking away from cops. The events—most of which still need to be ferreted out—regarding the cover-up of the police video showing the callous killing of McDonald, have many Chicagoans, rightly, calling for Mayor Rahm Emanuel to resign.
And analysis, by DNA-info, found that “Maintenance records of the squad car used by Jason Van Dyke, who shot and killed Laquan McDonald, and his partner, Joseph Walsh, show months long delays for two dash-cam repairs, including a long wait to fix “intentional damage.”
DNA-info also noted that “On June 17, 2014, police technicians reported fixing a dash-cam wiring issue in police vehicle No. 6412, the squad shared by Van Dyke and Walsh, about three months after it was reported broken, records show. A day later, the same vehicle’s dash-cam system was reported busted again. It took until Oct. 8, 2014, to complete repairs of what technicians deemed ‘intentional damage,’ according to reports.
Just 12 days later, on Oct. 20, 2014, dash-cam video recorded from squad car No. 6412 on the night Van Dyke shot and killed McDonald did not record audio. The video that went viral showing Van Dyke killing Laquan was taken from a different squad car, but it, too, had no audio.”
Recently, the Chicago Police Department’s own investigation into this matter found that 80 percent of their dash-cams did not record audio and that 12 percent didn’t record video either. They have blamed these failures on “operator error or in some cases intentional destruction.”
Isn’t it clear cop criminals are covering up for one another?
This information of police sabotage of microphones and video lends total credibility to the accusation leveled at Chicago Police by Burger King manager Jay Darshane who said there was 86 minutes of video footage missing, taped around the time of the McDonald shooting, after the police viewed it for over two hours. “I was just trying to help the police with their investigation,” Darshane said. “I didn’t know they were going to delete it.”
This new revelation of sabotaged police microphones and dash-cams is just another illustrative example that wholesale changes need to be made in America’s police departments. Band-Aid solutions will not fix the corrupt culture that rules police departments. America’s police departments plays by their own rules and they arrogantly flaunt their disrespect for the rights of the citizens they supposedly took an oath to “protect and serve.”
For some time now, the promotion of requiring police to use dash-cams is one of the only measures that a few politicians have advanced as a remedy to stop police violence against Black people. Police should indeed be required to use dash-cameras. But if police will tamper with that technology to hide their nefarious deeds, then what?
The willfulness of police to cover-up and destroy evidence of the crimes, killings and murders committed by their brothers in Blue will not stop until drastic fundamental changes are made. This means serious punitive punishments must be taken against those who abuse their power. Shouldn’t there be a zero-tolerance policy for police who commit crimes?
In every state in America, those who murder police will face the maximum sentence. In those places where the death penalty is the ultimate punishment, cop killers—especially, if they happen to be Black—will surely face execution. Why should it be any different for police who wantonly murder?
Currently, we have two police officers who clearly murdered Black men that are now on the streets. South Carolina Officer Michael Slager who murdered Walter Scott was recently granted bail and Officer Jason Van Dyke the murderer of Laquan McDonald was also granted bail. Both of these officers violated the public trust by shooting down Black men—in the back—in cold blood.
Why were these two murderers ever granted bail?
Would any jurisdiction in America grant bail to any Black cop killers? Would that even be considered by any judge? Given the political power of police unions, we know the obvious answer.
Police unions are the primary fear politicians have when facing this topic. The corrupt culture of cops is maintained by police groups like the Police “Benevolent” Association. Malevolence not benevolence is what Black people usually experience from police.
Think of it, in nearly every circumstance these folks always back whatever horrible action was taken by officers. Their arguments are often beyond absurd. Honesty, is not a virtue for these folk.
For example, in New York, PBA President Pat Lynch argued that Eric Garner caused his own death—even though we have a video showing Officer Daniel Pantaleo choking Garner’s life away, as Garner says “I can’t breathe.” Lynch also condoned the disrespect a group of NYPD officers showed to Mayor Bill de Blasio, when many turned their backs on the mayor because they wanted him to rubber-stamp every action of police as being correct—even when they wrongfully kill and murder people.
This is why politicians cravenly cave to police and will not denounce even those who brutalize and kill innocent people. This is why one of the biggest bullies in the Tri-State area, Governor Chris Christie slanderously lied claiming Black Lives Matter Movement activists were calling for the killing of police. With his failing presidential campaign going nowhere, this was nothing more than a tactical attempt to gain the support of police unions.
Recently, Chicago Congressman Bobby Rush has been trying to launch a congressional panel to discuss the problems with prejudice police and their oppressive functions in the Black community—with very little support from Congress. Also, this story has virtually gotten no traction in the so-called mainstream media.
This means without Black America’s acceleration of activist agitation no real change will happen.
The two political parties must be made to speak on this issue. The only Republican candidate for president who has said anything of substance on this issue is Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. The others usually just say nothing at all—except idiotic talk of supporting police.
The Democrats, who we give most of our votes, are not much better. Hillary Clinton gives good sound-bites—but trusting her is a risky proposition. Bernie Sanders has said meaningful things—but he must forcefully outline his policies for restructuring the police.
Congress will only act when force to. Some Congressmen are afraid of police unions—and others have absolutely no problem with police violating Black people’s rights. Some don’t even care if Blacks are murdered.
Why else, in light of all the developments of the unjustified police killings, murders and cover-up, do they still remain so silent?
