Current Events > Cop during traffic stop: Don't worry, "we only shoot black people."

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http://www.ajc.com/news/local/cobb-cop-during-traffic-stop-remember-only-shoot-black-people/I3RAuy3GVMmoM4WsXBGN7H/

A Cobb County police lieutenant has been moved to administrative duty for making what the department deemed were “inappropriate racial comments” during a traffic stop last year.

Channel 2 Action News reported that its request for body camera footage of the incident prompted an internal investigation of Lt. Greg Abbott.

The footage shows a white female driver pulled over during a DUI traffic stop telling Abbott that she was scared to move her hands in order to get her cellphone because “I’ve just seen way too many videos of cops ... ”

At that point, she is cut off by Abbott.

“But you’re not black. Remember, we only shoot black people,” the police veteran of nearly three decades can be heard saying. “Yeah. We only kill black people, right? All the videos you’ve seen, have you seen the black people get killed?”
The footage is from July 2016, before Mike Register took over as chief of Cobb police.

He said that Abbott will remain on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation, for which he didn’t give a timeline.

A statement Wednesday from the department said Register just found out about the recording Friday.

“No matter what context it was said, it shouldn’t have been said,” Register told Channel 2.

This was also before a study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police ordered the department to address public perceptions of racism and discriminatory policing.

Suri Chadha Jimenez, who is representing the driver in the case, said he thinks the officer was being sarcastic after the woman “gave him some lip.”

“It makes you cringe when you hear it. It’s unacceptable,” Jimenez said.
Lance LoRusso, Abbott’s attorney, gave the station this statement:

“Lt. Greg Abbott is a highly respected 28-year veteran of the Cobb County Police Department. He is cooperating with the department's internal investigation and will continue to do so. His comments must be observed in their totality to understand their context. He was attempting to de-escalate a situation involving an uncooperative passenger. In context, his comments were clearly aimed at attempting to gain compliance by using the passenger’s own statements and reasoning to avoid making an arrest.”

In the police statement, Cobb County commission chairman Mike Boyce is quoted as saying: “I have seen the video and obviously have great concerns. I find the comments on the video repugnant and offensive beyond measure.”

This comes a day after the department released information about an officer-involved shooting that injured a 16-year-old’s upper thigh. The shooting was deemed justifiable by a grand jury.

“We are going to keep going forward to make sure we, as a police department, service the community in a most professional way. All segments of the community,” Register said.

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Even the cops are admitting it. And yet there's still gonna be deniers in this topic

Jesus Christ
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At least he's an honest racist.
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but guys, there's no systemic racism in the justice system.
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It's called a JOKE

wow.

even if he was being sarcastic, that's one of those things you don't joke about.
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yeah it was clearly a joke, but a dumb joke
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APM posted...

It's called a JOKE

of course SMAL would defend it
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what the fuck?!
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Sarcasm is too hard for the general population

It's like if he said 'don't worry we don't shoot pretty girls'
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PerseusRad posted...

yeah it was clearly a joke, but a dumb joke

time and a place...
good comedian knows audience, yadayada
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He was joking.

But it's incredibly unprofessional and he should have known better than to make a remark like that, even in sarcasm.
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Sounds like he was trying to sarcastically criticize her for assuming he was a threat to her, and just said something dumb.
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After watching the video, it's pretty clear that he's being sarcastic and trying to lighten the mood of the terrified woman, but this is just idiotic to say given the current environment with police brutality issues. The cop deserves to be fired for this, it's just too far beyond what should be acceptable in 2017.
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No Cop should be joking like that on the job. You get a little lip and you immediately jump to that? A person admits to you they are nervous and your first reaction as a cop is "oh my god this again!? WE SHOOT BLACK PEOPLE OK geez"....Yea that's totally gonna help her calm down and make your job much easier, officer!

...what is wrong with these people....

boxington posted...

APM posted...

It's called a JOKE

of course SMAL would defend it

Lol that's actually SMAL? Good God
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TheVipaGTS posted...

No Cop should be joking like that on the job. You get a little lip and you immediately jump to that? A person admits to you they are nervous and your first reaction as a cop is "oh my god this again!? WE SHOOT BLACK PEOPLE OK geez"....Yea that's totally gonna help her calm down and make your job much easier, officer!

...what is wrong with these people....

They were trying to calm the woman down. She was clearly having a psychotic episode

The Admiral posted...

After watching the video, it's pretty clear that he's being sarcastic and trying to lighten the mood of the terrified women, but this is just idiotic to say given the current environment. The cop deserves to be fired for this, it's just too far beyond what should be acceptable in 2017.

lol "current enviroment"

It's too far beyond what should be acceptable ever.
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Sounds like he was offended by what she said

"I just know how you cops are"

"WHAT? We shoot black people? That's the videos you saw right? Yeah I'm a serial killer of black people"
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If he's stupid enough to make that sort of joke, i can't help but doubt his decision-making capabilities.
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For fuck's sake, people, he was going for the humor route to put her at ease. I know sarcasm can't be read online, but it's was prettu Goddamn apparent that he meant it ironically.
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Obviously a joke but it's an inappropriate joke to make on duty.
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xD its just a joke guys totally not inappropriate given the circumstance.
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APM posted...

It's called a JOKE

Dude, get bent. I know you're being purposefully dense as hell for reactions, which is absolutely low and pathetic, even for you, but this isn't something to joke about.
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The black guy in me is appalled.

The devil's advocate in me also thinks it's just a poorly timed attempt at defusing tension.
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I'm honestly not surprised its Cobb County. I say this as a Georgia resident
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Darklit_Minuet posted...

Even the cops are admitting it. And yet there's still gonna be deniers in this topic

I mean it's crystal clear the cop was making an embittered joke about how unfair he thinks the stigma is. Still wildly inappropriate though.
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Nomadic View posted...

He was joking.

But it's incredibly unprofessional and he should have known better than to make a remark like that, even in sarcasm.

This. It was clearly a joke but obviously the woman who recorded it or complained was NOT in the joking mood.

I mean I'm black and I'm not "APPALLED" like @thompsontalker7 but this was obviously in bad taste.
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thronedfire2 posted...

Sarcasm is too hard for the general population

It's like if he said 'don't worry we don't shoot pretty girls'

I didn't realize that we had people protesting over the last few years over the alleged murders by police officers of pretty girls.
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TrollSlayer11 posted...

Nomadic View posted...

He was joking.

But it's incredibly unprofessional and he should have known better than to make a remark like that, even in sarcasm.

This. It was clearly a joke but obviously the woman who recorded it or complained was NOT in the joking mood.

I mean I'm black and I'm not "APPALLED" like @thompsontalker7 but this was obviously in bad taste.

I'm appalled because he thought that was an acceptable joke towards anyone.
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It's a PRANK BRO!! LOLOLOLOL
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Nomadic View posted...

He was joking.

But it's incredibly unprofessional and he should have known better than to make a remark like that, even in sarcasm.

To me it sounds like a social commentary on other cops.

But definitely doesn't seem like he's being racist
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yeah that's not a smart thing to do
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leave with pay

what a punishment
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BootyGif posted...

leave with pay

what a punishment

When you consider that other cops got the same treatment for actually murdering black people it's relatively harsh which is a rather sad statement on the justice system

BootyGif posted...

leave with pay

what a punishment

Not sure why this needs to be mentioned in every topic, but this is the procedure the department needs to follow as per the police union agreement. You can't fire cops without going through a formal hearing first. Don't like? Start criticizing the power of public unions.
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PerseusRad posted...

yeah it was clearly a joke, but a dumb joke

This

but i admit i laughed
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They can get away with murder, they can get away with saying this.

How the fuck is that a joke?

Explain to me the setup and punch line of that joke.
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KiwiTerraRizing posted...

How the fuck is that a joke?

Explain to me the setup and punch line of that joke.

It's deadpan it doesn't need a punchline..
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Anyone calling this a joke should explain how it's funny

The Admiral posted...

BootyGif posted...

leave with pay

what a punishment

Not sure why this needs to be mentioned in every topic, but this is the procedure the department needs to follow as per the police union agreement. You can't fire cops without going through a formal hearing first. Don't like? Start criticizing the power of public unions.

i know i know. he just doesnt deserve it since its on tape/film and theres not much investigating to be done.
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1) Cops shouldn't make jokes to citizens, really
2) Cops shouldn't make jokes about murdering US citizens, especially
3) Just all-around fucking stupid thing to say.
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Clearly it's a joke but still stupid to say to the public. Keep that crap in the station.
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thronedfire2 posted...

KiwiTerraRizing posted...

How the fuck is that a joke?

Explain to me the setup and punch line of that joke.

It's deadpan it doesn't need a punchline..

That is not deadpan, deadpan is saying something ridiculous in a serious way. He did the opposite and it wasn't humor.
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Obvious sarcasm but still unbelievably stupid and tasteless to say
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The Admiral posted...

After watching the video, it's pretty clear that he's being sarcastic and trying to lighten the mood of the terrified woman, but this is just idiotic to say given the current environment with police brutality issues. The cop deserves to be fired for this, it's just too far beyond what should be acceptable in 2017.

Pretty much this
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BootyGif posted...

leave with pay

what a punishment

Any other job and they'd be fired...
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