Story by JP

The following post is something JP pumped out in response/reaction to a situation on our street the other night. There were like 5 patrol cars and 12 police officers involved. They were rude and harsh in their demeanor, and unprofessionally disrespectful of the family that lives next door to Zach and JP's house...

The police arrived in response to a complaint about people crashing in the basement of the house (a duplex). The basement is shared space, and the other tenants in the bldg are... kinda wild. So when people started living downstairs, and whatnot with all that goin' on and all... they called the cops.

The arrival of police was a good thing at first, but then they "ran" everyone in the house. this means tha tthey took the opportunity to police check everyone's record, right then. this takes a long time, and usually someone has some outstanding ticket or something, so they haul them off to jail and there are court costs and time lost and if they're trying to get their life together and have a job, now, they lose it, and like that. So "running" everyone in response to a complaint of squatters in the basement is kindof intense...

Just prior to the arrival of the police, Maurice got in a fight on the street. He's a 15-year old kid. He's 6'3". He mouthed off and got jumped for the second day in a row... So the cops are there, he's complaining, and Zach walks right up and enters the house, checking on M.

M. has blood on his shirt, is talking about getting jumped and jacked, and Zach is wondering what's up, and the cops threaten to arrest him and all this is going on, and Zach has issues with disrespectful authority and whatnot, and the police aren't being professional or wise...

and I'm outside, now. I have heard that there's a situation at M's house, specifically that he's been jumped. Zach is inside (getting threatened) and I'm walking up. I stop at the perimeter of the scene, where I see the first officers. I stand in view, waiting to be looked at, but they are ignoring me right now.
an officer finally looks at me, but looks away. I have trouble reading these guys, but it seems like they're hoping I'll just move on. I won't. I'm waiting to talk to you, officer.

The officer turns to me as he sees four more of us converging on the perimeter.

I step forward and offer my hand, stating my name and my profession (pastor), indicating my residence, next to the church, there.
Officer looks annoyed, speaks sharply, gestures rudely and dismisses me.

I offer to him that I'll be right over there if I can be of any assistance, since the family is in the care of our church, and the young man in there who was assaulted is one of our regulars... He assures me that I'm not necessary and gestures rudely again, obviously exasperated by my presence and interest.

I wait on the perimeter, and when things calm down, I leave...

There is good conversation among us about how the police have lost/never had a professional attitude toward the people of this area...