Ferguson

[CRedskinsRule]

Originally Posted by tshile

You give no credence to the idea that it's for his safety while an investigation is ongoing?

You think it means there's a cover up going on?

No, I don't accept that as a valid rationale. If I were to shoot someone, even in a heated exchange, my name would not be withheld for safety purposes. In fact it would be published out right. The better tact, imo, would have been to release the name, and at the same time release a statement that he has been suspended (with or without pay) while the investigation is ongoing. To show the community that a police officer can't shoot someone with impunity. Now maybe that would not have calmed the situation, but that is the appropriate way to handle it. Further, if you look at Ferguson, like in the Post article I posted earlier, this is not a community prone to violent resorts, and if they felt the situation was being handled openly, then I believe their response would have been more measured.

My use of the term cover up was probably poor word choice, I don't know that a coverup was going on, I do think police arrogance and refusal to acknowledge the community's anger, justifiable or not, was what was on display. And not releasing the name was a big FU to the community.

Finally, I think the vigilante justice aspect is ridiculous. With proper safeguards, no one was going to gun down Officer Wilson lest the police might over react and bring out militarized vehicles and start tear gassing them, oh wait...