Almost one month ago an incident took place on the north side of my fair city and video evidence of a police officer kicking a handcuffed suspect in the face was released. Scratch that-- the video clearly shows said suspect, Demarko Anderson, lying on his stomach, hands cuffed behind his back, submitting to a different police officer when he was kicked in the face. I think that I reposted the original news story on my Facebook page, but then I just sat back and waited for it all to be revealed. And what was revealed was predictable and disappointing.
The same officer that was in the news last summer for the murder of Henry Green was confirmed as the officer attempting to stomp out Mr. Anderson on this video. That's right... Zachary Rosen, one of the two cops involved in the Henry Green shooting last summer, was caught, on camera, involved in yet another indictable offense. Let's talk about this...
I have always maintained that this blog was not a place to dog the police-- and it still is not. Being a police officer (or any kind of first responder, actually) is an incredibly tough job, no doubt. Plus, I don't want to be judged by the actions of all Black people, so I really do try my best not to slap a label on a whole group of people. In my opinion, it is lazy to do so. With that said-- I understand why folks are painting the police with a broad brush. I totally get it-- because if a Black person does something trifling or questionable, I am QUICK to call them out on it... to their face, on social media, in letters to the editor of our local paper, etc. I cut them NO slack. But when officers partake in questionable, trifling actions the only thing you get is a little statement that says "Officer so and so is under investigation" and then after a few months of desk duty officer so and so is back on the streets, tormenting our neighborhoods. Need proof? Exhibit A should be last summer's Henry Green murder. The two officers involved were "investigated" and brought before a Grand Jury and what happened? Not one thing. Officer Rosen was released yet again on our neighborhoods to torment the same taxpayers who pay his salary.
Again, no way am I saying all cops are bad. That simply cannot be true-- in any large city, under any circumstance. There will ALWAYS be cops that choose that job for all the right reasons. In fact, some of the best folks I know serve our city. BUT, Zachary Rosen should not be allowed to police our streets ever again. At what point do we all, as a community (both civilians and police), hold officers like Rosen accountable? When is an "investigation" going to swing in the favor of the community? After he kills another mother's child? After he stomps on someone else's face? What else does he get to do to us? Who gets to be his next victim? Me? My husband? My baby??
Police, in every city, need the respect of their communities in order to do their jobs well. In order for them to GET respect, they need to earn it. How is supporting/hiding/aiding an officer like Zachary Rosen earning the respect of your citizenry? How is anything short of an independent investigation and criminal charges for Rosen earning the respect of those you are charged to protect and serve? How does the Columbus Police Department have the gall to leave these questions unanswered? We pay you. We help you. You are in our community-- we.are.you. At least that is how it is supposed to be. Bottom line: the police want us to trust them... I want the police to earn it.
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