I agree with your assessment, especially the question of whether this is
institutional intimidation. There is no doubt that it is. Whether it is
sanctioned as policy, or just the macho image prefferred by a few is quite
another story. The fact that these occurrences happen should be cause for
alarm.
Consider the mindset of an individual bent on exhibiting power, or control,
over others through a show of force. What are the obvious outcomes of
encounters with the citizenry? An even larger concern is the inability of
the department to check this behaviour or, more specifically, the fact that
it is either un-challenged or ignored.
One thing that may be missing are questions regarding these sightings from
the individual witnesses. Other than the young man that you encountered, did
you relay your concerns to any one in the department? Citizen involvement is
key to addressing concern over acts of civil servants and elected officials.
It is also a means to exercising citizen participation in the governmental
process: grass roots control at its finest.
It is we the people who should be concerned about such practices for we are
vulnerable to incidence arising from this lack of accountability in
govenmental units. There are only a few subject to unusual treatment for the
moment but, left un-checked, it could quickly engulf us all.
Robert Anderson
LD 61B Candidate
-----Original Message-----
From: timothy connolly [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2000 11:33 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: handguns and carry permits
This past Saturday I was walking down Nicollet Mall at
approximately 5pm. As I was crossed fifth street i saw
a tall man dressed in black jeans, a black tank top, a
tattoo on his left bicep, carrying a black canvas bag,
with a handgun and holster strapped to his waistband
crossing NSP(Excel)Plaza headed toward fifth street.
As the downtown command office of the MPD is directly
across from this plaza I presume that he was an off
duty officer on his way into work. I also presume he
has a carry permit as is generally the case with many
police officers. I have no reason to suspect
otherwise.
Having said this I must say that I felt an immediate
sense of fear and revulsion at the sight so much so
that I stopped to ask another young man sitting nearby
if he had seen the same thing. He said yes and shook
his head in a sort of sad resignation.
Several weeks earlier I had seen another person
standing on a the corner of 6th and Nicollet dressed
in shirt and tie, smoking a cigarette, a gun likewise
worn on his waist. I made him for a cop as well.
What Gives? Does anyone else find this offensive? Does
the MPD have any rules regarding this display of fire-
power. Is it some macho trip on the part of a few or
is this institutional intimidation?
I'm not a gun guy myself but I must say that I react
pretty strongly to intimidation. Am I taking this all
too personally? Should I just say, "hey, that's just
these guys thing" and let it go at that.
I think it is just them to some degree and it ought
not effect me so and yet I find it incredibly
provocative and though I am not a gun guy, I repeat,
and not given to violence, it makes me want to pick up
an ouzi. It makes me even more frightened than by what
I saw ten feet away during ISAG.
For years I have considered the MPD nothing more than
a well armed gang of thugs and shakedown artists. This
is the ultimate blatant outcome of failing to police
the police. Does anyone else see this as a
problem????????
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