"FIREBOAT - Stories of Maritime Valor" An Introduction, a dedication, and a note from the author

 “Public Perceptions of Police: Mob Psychology”

In the Academy, we were given an overview on how to address an angry mob. We were taught that most groups of protestors that gather are attracted by the dynamics of the crowd itself. Usually there are a few, or maybe even only one, who initiates an action against a perceived enemy.

 

This may seem a tongue in cheek example, but let’s look closely at this image. It demonstrates the concept perfectly. You see two individuals dressed in business suits, surrounded by Groundskeeper Willie, several housewives and teenagers, and Chief Wiggum and his son Ralphie. Obviously, the Chief shouldn’t be on THAT side of the crowd, but it does show how easily an otherwise law-abiding citizen can fall victim to the emotions of the moment.

Here's what really happens. A handful of individuals set about to rile up the crowd against a target. They recruit a group of individuals who distribute themselves within a crowd and “push their buttons” about the injustice that is going to be addressed and invite their support. These otherwise peaceful people become incensed and take up the fight, even to the point of arming themselves. Joining them will be a certain number of people who see this as an excuse for civil disobedience. More have absolutely no idea what the subject is, but fall victim to the emotion of the time and are drawn in.

January 6^th is a perfect example, as a number of individuals never entered the Capitol or took to violence, but were still there.

In my last column, I wrote about an ice cream store owner who felt the need to speak publicly about the presence of officers wearing “heavy duty tactical gear” in his establishment. He chose a social media outlet to announce officers wearing this type of tactical gear would not be served, as their presence was disturbing to the family atmosphere he promotes.

The reaction was immediate. The Chief of the Detroit Police called his statement “Shameful and apparently unprovoked”. The story reached Yahoo News, which is where I heard about it. I contacted the owner, and supplied him with these graphics:

        

This set off a firestorm of reactions. Although there were far more approving “Likes” in the form of “thumbs up” and “hearts” than negative reactions, the people who did NOT like the meme chose to comment. This is where the real issue started.

Because Facebook offers what some believe to be repercussion free commenting, abusers feel they can say whatever they want. As a result of the publication of the above meme, as well as two of my columns on the subject of police use of force, the crowd turned and came after me. I identified about a half dozen individuals who were posting the main comments, which led to others adding their own voices below. At one point, they decided to block me from seeing what they were saying; true anonymity and the actions of cowards.

       Rather than engage me in an intellectual discussion, they chose to dispense the vilest and personally slanderous statements against me. Even when I tried to explain what the effect the uniforms have on the general public, (backed up by scientific evidence), and what the owner originally meant was the problem, the vitriol got worse.

Before I continue, I publicly call out the individuals who took the time to incite a virtual riot against me. You affected my professional reputation and if I could I would take legal action against you.

One individual who according to her Facebook profile is a police officer and lives close enough to Tiger stadium to go there posted a review of the shop. Here it is verbatim “

"They won’t serve anyone wearing armor including Detroit Police and Detroit EMS. Posting also so criminals know it’s never occupied by cops!!! On or off duty!!"

A POLICE OFFICER POSTED THAT. An invitation to criminals to attack the store. The review has been reported to the DPD Internal Affairs Division. And it’s too late to take it down, because I have a screen capture. 

What does this mean? Here’s a live action Chief Wiggum on the wrong side of an issue, holding up a sign that says "criminals enter here" and jeopardizing her career. Along with allegations that I lied about my police service, a self proclaiming police officer posted that. I protect my former profession, and she doesn’t belong in it.That's why i reported her to the Internal Affairs Division of the DPD.

I was told that Detroit is a war zone, and officers “don’t have time to put on all this extra gear” when there is an emergency. I was told that their survival depends on wearing external body armor, cameras (which are required), tasers, and I don’t know what else. It was maintained that for the sake of the officer's health, all of this gear has to be hung from a vest and not a belt. I demonstrated that the New Jersey State Police have urban areas like Newark and Camden, and rural response areas. The NJSP has found a way to carry the necessary equipment needed for officer safety today. Troopers are not issued electronic weapons of any type as part of uniform; uniforms that have been standard and unchanged since before the 1980s. I demonstrated that they wear body armor under their uniform shirts and that external vests for carrying equipment were unnecessary. In true mob practice, the most logical argument against the use of the heavy duty military gear was disregarded.

Let’s get back to mob psychology. Officers are trained in diffusing these situations by forming a wedge, driving into a crowd, and yes, they are wearing additional protective gear for their safety. When they encounter a particularly vocal individual who is screaming more at the people around them than the focus of the protest, they are isolated and removed. The NJSP protocol reveals that the crowd will subdue itself on its own as more and more individuals are removed in this manner. Moving through the crowd to isolate these subjects is the only way to do it. Most of the people on the outskirts are otherwise innocent people and as the situation is no longer being heated byvthe instigators, they will remove themselves. 

So how are social media and street protests the same?

·        Each has a subject of interest that has been publicly advertised. Prior to January 6^th, Former President Trump among others invited people to the demonstration, with the words “Be there, it will be wild”.

·        Either through word of mouth or by advertising on Facebook, social media, or the news media, people are encouraged to be involved with the issue and are discouraged from forming objective opinion; the language will be inflammatory.

·        On site, whether at a location or virtually, continued language is used to elicit an emotional response, and the pressure is increased.

·        Personal attacks of individuals representing the cause being protested will be made. Threats to themselves and their families are common. I am still receiving spam emails to my business and personal email accounts because of this. Even my spelling was used to question my credibility, as well as the town I live in.

·        There will be no reasoning with the crowd, and certainly not with the instigators.

The experience with the “Ice Cream Mob” as I will refer to them now, caused me to doubt my value to my profession. That is, until I realized with the help of friends that this is the nature of social media. If there is a “Fake News”, social media is it.

On Saturday, I will post Part 3 “Perceptions of the Police: The influence of Social Media”. This is a topic I have lectured on at Stockton University on several occasions. And I’m inviting the ICM to sit front row. I know they are watching. I made it clear in my first post that First Amendment Right to Free Speech doesn’t apply here. Not if you abuse it.