Editor’s note: This is written under the assumption that the officers involved in this shooting acted justly. Law Enforcement Today supports officers and we are unashamed to do so, but we do recognize that there are instances (though rare) where officers act outside of the law and/or policy. We encourage our readers to get all the information in before making a judgement against an officer and generally we follow the same rule for everyone else too. This is a generalized editorial using the most recent public outcry event as an example.
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TUSCALOOSA, AL - A 24-year-old man, Tristan Decedric Clark, was shot and killed by police last Wednesday, and now his mother is on the local news demanding “justice.”
What she forgot to include in her tearful speech was that the man, who was wanted on an outstanding warrant, had a gun in his waistband, police told him not to go near it, he tried to pull it out, and they physically fought with him before pulling the trigger.
Oh, and the two officers involved were from the Violent Crimes Unit working on a narcotics-related investigation.
Of course, any loss of life is tragic, and it would have been much better for everyone involved for Clark to simply follow the officer’s orders and not attempt to pull a gun on them. It’s completely understandable that the mother, Jacoya Clark, is sad and hurting and wishes her son was still alive.
But demanding “justice” of the police, assuming the involved officers are found to have followed all the laws, policy, and training, as most are, is absurd.
"I want justice for my son," Jacoya Clark said in a press conference. "I want justice for me, my family and his children. Because what happened to him, he did not deserve, no one's child deserves what happened to Tristan Decedric Clark."
Chakira Poe, Clark’s aunt, also spoke, saying, "This young man also represents not just his mom's child, but he represents that this could have been your child, this could have been your son, this could have been your daughter.”
The family alleges that they have "uncovered" that Clark's hands were raised during the entire encounter with police and that he "didn't have time to react" to what the police were telling him. It's unclear when their evidence of this will be released.
Don't worry, the NAACP (once a great organization) was also in attendance for their turn at police bashing.
Right on cue, Democrat politicians started running their mouths, condemning the officers involved as essentially bad cops, bad people, and (of course!) racist. Representative Juandalynn Givan got some publicity during the conference by calling for “immediate accountability” and murder charges against the cops.
Clark was, according to her, killed because he was “riding while black.”
Never mind the drug investigation. Never mind the warrant. Or the gun. Or the fact that he tried to pull the gun on the officers and then fought with them so he could continue to try to pull the gun on them.
Then the “powerful call to action,” according to local news outlet and NBC affiliate WVTM, came, with Givan encouraging people to “say his name.” This is, of course, the common call when someone is killed by police, whether they’re justified (they usually are) or not (which is extremely rare and of course should be handled by the justice system).
This is not the first time, nor will it be the last, where a criminal will attempt to injure or kill an officer, gets himself killed in the process (because officers are not required to allow someone to kill them before they defend themselves), the family screams for “justice,” politicians irresponsibly and with little to no information follow suit, the community goes crazy, the police are found to be in compliance, the community goes crazy again, the family is given a few thousand dollars, wash, rinse, repeat.
This is centering around Tuscaloosa right now because it’s the most recent example, but this is a constant in modern policing. No one cares that the officers involved are likely struggling mentally because they’ve taken a human life.
No one cares that their families are likely suffering because of the criminal’s family and local politicians ripping them apart (most likely lying to satisfy their own awful narrative) on live TV in front of their entire community. Or sometimes even on national social media, including a sitting president of the United States!
No one cares that by constantly undermining the police and their ability to shoot only when necessary, and not just because someone is “riding while black,” and by the contribution of politicians and mainstream media, we are causing perhaps irreparable damage in our once-civilized society. It’s all about using their tragedy to get some money, and/or some votes (or a lot of money and votes, if they get elevated to a Floyd scale).
It is extremely sad that this situation unfolded the way it did. But maybe, just maybe, we should look at all the Clarks of the country and determine the root of the problem (drugs, guns, poverty, family, society, etc.) rather than ruin the lives of two perfectly good human beings who happen to be police officers. Perhaps at least some finger pointing should go elsewhere?
The involved officers, per standard practice, have been placed on administrative leave. Which is, in fact, standard practice so that the investigating agency and local prosecutors can be sure they didn't commit a crime. It's unclear when the looting will begin.
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TUSCALOOSA, AL - A 24-year-old man, Tristan Decedric Clark, was shot and killed by police last Wednesday, and now his mother is on the local news demanding “justice.”
What she forgot to include in her tearful speech was that the man, who was wanted on an outstanding warrant, had a gun in his waistband, police told him not to go near it, he tried to pull it out, and they physically fought with him before pulling the trigger.
Oh, and the two officers involved were from the Violent Crimes Unit working on a narcotics-related investigation.
Of course, any loss of life is tragic, and it would have been much better for everyone involved for Clark to simply follow the officer’s orders and not attempt to pull a gun on them. It’s completely understandable that the mother, Jacoya Clark, is sad and hurting and wishes her son was still alive.
But demanding “justice” of the police, assuming the involved officers are found to have followed all the laws, policy, and training, as most are, is absurd.
"I want justice for my son," Jacoya Clark said in a press conference. "I want justice for me, my family and his children. Because what happened to him, he did not deserve, no one's child deserves what happened to Tristan Decedric Clark."
Chakira Poe, Clark’s aunt, also spoke, saying, "This young man also represents not just his mom's child, but he represents that this could have been your child, this could have been your son, this could have been your daughter.”
The family alleges that they have "uncovered" that Clark's hands were raised during the entire encounter with police and that he "didn't have time to react" to what the police were telling him. It's unclear when their evidence of this will be released.
Don't worry, the NAACP (once a great organization) was also in attendance for their turn at police bashing.
Right on cue, Democrat politicians started running their mouths, condemning the officers involved as essentially bad cops, bad people, and (of course!) racist. Representative Juandalynn Givan got some publicity during the conference by calling for “immediate accountability” and murder charges against the cops.
Clark was, according to her, killed because he was “riding while black.”
Never mind the drug investigation. Never mind the warrant. Or the gun. Or the fact that he tried to pull the gun on the officers and then fought with them so he could continue to try to pull the gun on them.
Then the “powerful call to action,” according to local news outlet and NBC affiliate WVTM, came, with Givan encouraging people to “say his name.” This is, of course, the common call when someone is killed by police, whether they’re justified (they usually are) or not (which is extremely rare and of course should be handled by the justice system).
This is not the first time, nor will it be the last, where a criminal will attempt to injure or kill an officer, gets himself killed in the process (because officers are not required to allow someone to kill them before they defend themselves), the family screams for “justice,” politicians irresponsibly and with little to no information follow suit, the community goes crazy, the police are found to be in compliance, the community goes crazy again, the family is given a few thousand dollars, wash, rinse, repeat.
This is centering around Tuscaloosa right now because it’s the most recent example, but this is a constant in modern policing. No one cares that the officers involved are likely struggling mentally because they’ve taken a human life.
No one cares that their families are likely suffering because of the criminal’s family and local politicians ripping them apart (most likely lying to satisfy their own awful narrative) on live TV in front of their entire community. Or sometimes even on national social media, including a sitting president of the United States!
No one cares that by constantly undermining the police and their ability to shoot only when necessary, and not just because someone is “riding while black,” and by the contribution of politicians and mainstream media, we are causing perhaps irreparable damage in our once-civilized society. It’s all about using their tragedy to get some money, and/or some votes (or a lot of money and votes, if they get elevated to a Floyd scale).
It is extremely sad that this situation unfolded the way it did. But maybe, just maybe, we should look at all the Clarks of the country and determine the root of the problem (drugs, guns, poverty, family, society, etc.) rather than ruin the lives of two perfectly good human beings who happen to be police officers. Perhaps at least some finger pointing should go elsewhere?
The involved officers, per standard practice, have been placed on administrative leave. Which is, in fact, standard practice so that the investigating agency and local prosecutors can be sure they didn't commit a crime. It's unclear when the looting will begin.
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The opinions reflected in this article are not necessarily the opinions of LET
Comments
2023-12-31T08:30-0500 | Comment by: Carl
Written concisely and without the rhetoric that never helps. Outstanding!
2023-12-31T15:57-0500 | Comment by: Robert
OUTSTANDING JOB OFFICERS, God Bless you all. If you point a firearm at a LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, you deserve to die. Period B.L.M. = "BLUE LIVES MATTER".
2024-01-01T13:25-0500 | Comment by: Jim
So we know that the suspect that was killed was Black but dollars to donuts the Officers were White simply to perpetuate that all Officers are racists and murder innocent Black people because they hunt Blacks to murder and get away with it. As a retired Officer myself I have NEVER ONCE heard ANY Officer state they hoped to shoot a suspect, Black, White, Hispanic or any other race of skin tone. I HAVE heard many Officers say prayers that they hope to NEVER have to shoot or kill any suspect in the line of duty and if it HAS to be someone, let it at least be another White guy with a record that is over decades of criminal behavior and in front of honest citizens who can testify how it was totally justified!
2024-01-01T18:19-0500 | Comment by: Dennis
"Hands up don't shoot!" We've heard it before as the lie that birthed BLM
2024-01-02T17:38-0500 | Comment by: Michael
"causing perhaps irreparable damage in our once-civilized society." Obama reversed the progress we were making, once. The article properly stated everything, including that it is based on the known facts. If said families have evidence of improper action, bring it forward. But if only trying to defend criminal acts of a loved one due to their own grief over the end result, they should be careful pointing a finger - when you do, there are 3 other fingers pointing back at you.