Op Ed – by Rickford Burke, President of the New York Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID)
The resignation of Chief Philip Banks, the highest ranking African-American official, of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) is an unfortunate circumstance that should be troubling for Mayor Bill deBlasio and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton, as it is for the entire City.
It is disgraceful that, in 2014, the NYPD now has no minority representation among its top echelon, which is dominated by white males. This failure rests squarely with the Mayor and Police commissioner!
Many believe that black and brown populations in New York City have historically been subjugated and policed by the NYPD as if it were Ferguson, Missouri. This has shattered trust between these communities and the Police and pushed the department’s credulity to its nadir.
Chief Banks worked tirelessly to build relationships, reestablish trust and create strong, vital ties between the community and Police department. His endeavors helped restore a measure credibility and confidence in the NYPD. We will be watching keenly to determine if Mr. Bratton, Chief Banks’ replacement and the department in general will build on this effort.
There’s already cause for concern. Commissioner Bratton’s expressed commitments to a diverse force and improved relations with the African-American community have been hollow thus far. Much like his predecessor, Mr. Bratton has not fostered diversity in the department. He has not been predisposed to meeting with Caribbean-American leaders to discuss serious concerns about the NYPD.
A group of thirty-four Caribbean-American leaders, representing a myriad of communities, wrote the Police Commissioner months ago requesting a meeting but received no response. The people voted for change but are getting more of the same!
NYPD’s Patrol Boroughs and precincts command lack diversity as well. Patrol Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, and precincts within those Boroughs have an appalling lack of diversity at the commanding and executive officer levels.
Almost one year after the mayor assumed office, the Police department looks the same. Some argue that the NYPD more resembles an archaic and unacceptable apartheid structure, rather than contemporary New York City, with rich, vibrant ethnic and racial diversities.
This violates the covenant Mayor Bill de Blasio entered with minority communities, and desecrates the mandate which empowered his mayoralty. The African-American; including Caribbean, Hispanic and Asian communities in New York City overwhelming voted for candidate Bill deBlasio because of the progressive policies he espoused. He was elected with a specific mandate to affect change within NYPD. Without these essential reforms, his tenure would be nugatory.
Cosmetic changes at the regular patrol officer level are disingenuous and unacceptable. What is needed is genuine diversity from top to bottom of the NYPD. This responsibility clearly cannot be left alone to Commissioner Bratton. Mayor deBlasio owes it to his constituents to establish a diverse and transparent administration, not least among which is the all important Police department.
It would be of lasting shame for the Mayor to come up short on implementing genuine police reforms and breaking with a distressing history of institutional racism within the NYPD, and of poor police-community relations, understanding and collaboration.
All of our elected officials should work to attain this objective and the citizenry should hold them to account
145 responses to “NYPD Chief Philip Banks Exposes Police Department Top Echelon is Unacceptably Dominated by White Males”
Someone once described Barbados as a bastion of Mutual Apartheid.
Easy Squeeze
An equal society goes far beyond the concept of equal opportunity, or economic -empowerment. And the concept of equality is an unreachable goal in the human affairs of life.
Colonel Buggy
And the person who described Barbados as a bastion of mutual apartheid is probably correct in his/her assumption because people are drawn to they own kind. Take a close look at the animal kingdom for example: you never see a Hyena cohabiting with a Lion right? Bother are competing for the same food source and at times are respectful of each other boundaries.
Hmm, might as well, might as well
I get out, I get out of hell
Because hell would never be made for me
So I’m gonna search, search ’till I’m free
No love at all, no sympathy
What kind of love, the people got for me
I’m on my way, my way to happiness
Where I can find some peace and rest
It doesn’t sound that difficult to me…if you want the make-up of the police force to be less white…. do away with that..you cant have a criminal record to apply clause.
@Vincent Haynes
We as a people are,as the case maybe, 260,000 or 270, 000 individual people.
Rastafari On A Pinnacle
Lawson, you’re a stiff dick. What are you insinuating, you asshole?
Lawson, you have a criminal justice system here in America which gives White man a slap on the wrist and throw the book at the Black man. DO YOU KNOW THAT IN AMERICA, WHITE FOLKS SERVE LESS JAIL FOR POWERED COCAINE, THAN BLACKS DO FOR THE CHEAPER ROCK-COCAINE? The same substance; one powered form but more expensive and the other solid but much cheaper.
Who knows what goes through the head of a leader when he makes his decisions…
An interesting excerpt from an article back in May.
++++Late last year, a probationary cop turned up drunk and belligerent at the 73rd precinct. She pulled down her pants, urinated on the floor, then passed out.
Ordinarily, such behavior would merit summary dismissal…
At a top-level hearing to determine her fate, First Deputy Raphael Pineiro took the standard department line and pushed to fire her…
Chief of Department Phil Banks argued that the officer — who was said to be a victim of domestic abuse — was young and deserved a second chance. ++++
See the full article @
http://nypdconfidential.com/columns/2014/140519.html
Lawson, everyone talks about the 1% Blacks who are caught up in the Criminal Justice System here in America, but no one talks about the million Blacks who graduates university every year here in America. So if you want to be a sucker and believe everything the madia put down your throat about Black people, then go right ahead sucker.
And finally Lawson, when I departed the Military 2001, I took the police test and I haven’t a criminal record. And they’re thousand of Black brothers and sisters who have served this country, that haven’t a criminal record. Now, excuse my spelling above because I have allowed by emtions to get the better of me in my hasty response to your bullshite.
So Dompey what is your reasoned logic on the reasons that more of your thousands of military bros and sis did not get recruited into Police Deps across the US.
I know of course that not all of them were suitable candidates as police officers so beyond that.
Dee Word
The job of police here is a very hard job to get and the criteria are follow
1)Writing test
2) physical fitness test
3) Psychological test
4)Polygrap test
5)FBI background check
6) You have go before the board comprise of Police officers and members of the public.
7) qualifify at the police Academy
8) Then finally pass one probationary on the job training with a season police office.
Barbados is a cake to compare to America! So Dee Word that one of the reason.
Dompey the only way you were getting to university was in a jar …so the army was a good place for you……..you had a good home and you left your right you left your right . You seem to be the epitome of that oxymoron military intelligence LoL
Lawson, and you seem to be the stiff dick I spoke about eariler.
Lawson, you have the audacity to talk about human intelligence and made such an imbecilic statement above. Man leave me alone and go and hide yourself some way out of sight. I have dealt with you on previous blog and I cognizant of the fact that you have the potential to be an ostentious anincompoop.
Dompey if you were with the military I respect your service, remembrance day is big in Canada, we appreciate what soldiers have done and the sacrifices they make I promise I will not bait you till after Nov the 11 in appreciation of your duty to your country
Lawson, if intelligence dealt mainly and merely with the articulation of vain words, you might have been the most intelligent guy on the blog.
Another blog allowed to descend to first person interest. Blog will be closed if it continues.
Lawson
I have to seriously question the psychological apparatus, as well as the values, principles and convictions, of a man who would make such a stereotypical statement as you have done above. And it ought not be taken lightly because enterlaced within it are racial overtones.
I do not know about the USA or Canada, but very few Servicemen leaving H.M. Forces (that’s Royal Navy, Royal Air Force of the British Army, have a desire to join a British Police Force.
And we are not all Left,Right, Left Right, three bags full sir. Some of us have served in highly skilled Corps , some of which, like my old Corps, require the highest intelligence level for acceptance .
Mr. Dompey thanks for the details. Not pertinent though.
I was hoping that based on your own experiences of military life that maybe you would provide some insightful reasons on why black former military personnel were unable to break into police dept. in greater numbers
Interestingly you seem to be making the point facetiously suggested previously by Lawson, that is to say: why would background checks etc be stumbling blocks unless a record was a concern.
Your list is really not useful as an answer.
1)Writing test- a literate military person should qualify easily I expect.
2) physical fitness test — able bodied former soldier etc. = fit. Thus, NP.
3) Psychological test — all jobs have this, what’s the big deal: you either are suitable or not
4)Polygraph test — what is there to lie about?
5)FBI background check —no issue if you are an upstanding citizen
These below are relevant after you actually get into the program.
6) You have go before the board comprise of Police officers and members of the public.
7) qualify at the police Academy
8) Then finally pass one probationary on the job training with a season police office.
Anyhow, thanks again for the quite underwhelming response.
If you do have actual pertinent info re my original query please do give an update.
If it’s just to rebut my points above then please save your energy.
It seems that you are you suggesting that the average black former military person was so far below the standard of their white counterparts to pass the above hurdles?
Colonel, your response. though re the merry ole England, does provide the type of substantive info that’s useful re my original query to the good Mr. Domps.
In the US though quite a few former military personnel (white) did join police depts. Are you saying that a similar phenomena did not take place in the UK or rather that at your level and that of your contemporaries your education and abilities allowed other and better options.
I’m sure many formed up new sections of the intelligence services as one example.
Just wondering from your informed position.
Oh, of course I am mixing time frames here a bit. The Colonel goes back to the ‘great war’ I presume, whereas Mr. Domps is like Vietnam, Korea or even later.
So the influx (to police depts.) after ’45 is very much different to any period thereafter.
So let’s accept that the all things being equal dictum.
Dee Word
As I have said above: the job of a police officer is a difficult one to obtain. The process is quite rigorous.
Dee Word
You ask what is there to lie about
Well, on the polygraph test, a question such as: have you ever taken a pen from a previous employer can put one between a rock and a hard place because you already know that police departments are generally looking persons of good moral character. So one is obviously conflicted with his response to such a question, whether it be honest or dishonest.
Dee Word
Now can I go to bed? Or must I continue to engage in this senseless display of ignorant questioning? When I tell yaa the process is difficult believe me brother. Now go and rest yaa old bones mista, tomorra is yaa naader day.
Pleasant dreams, Mr Domps
The struggle against institutional, systemic racism and racial injustice which in this case represents itself by the blatancy of “Dual Policing” is exhausted/crippled by Black Folks depending on the moral acuity of White folks to get in the fight.
Mr. Dablasio on his ‘White horse” is our latest rescuer whose product leaves us again with an unpalatable but predictable chagrin.
Dee Word | November 6, 2014 at 8:31 PM |
My time frame is not the Great Way but circa 1980
The British Army ,and the two other Services, operate their own Educational Systems. In the Army its the Royal Army Education Corps ,staffed by highly qualified Soldier-Teachers,one of whom a Captain, a Bajan who was a teacher in Barbados. Most soldiers are encouraged to take advantage of the various academic courses they offer. Many times a soldier has no choice. These Military qualifications are recognised by other examining bodies, industries and universities. Many of the Barbadians who were recruited in Barbados by the British,IN THE EARLY ’60’s, went on, to not only gain these academic military qualifications, but those who were in technical Corps, such as the Royal Engineers, Royal Signals and the Royal Electrical Engineers also gained some well respected and valuable Technical Qualifications,not to mention working and management experiences, second to none.. At the end of their military career,as they were in the process of what we call De-mobbing, the Captains of industries within the UK, would set up recruiting booths near the exit Army Depots to try and woo these very experienced ex Servicemen into their fold. Tom Adams ,did likewise, in sending his military advisers up to Germany and the UK, to bring back home these Bajan ex Servicemen.
In the British Army, we were not looked upon as just cannon fodder,like some other armies, but as a valuable resource. There were equal opportunies for all in the British Army,regardless of background.
Thank you Colonel.
Clearly your situation and that of the Domp man is the proverbial chalk and cheese. So absurdly different of course.
Commissioned and enlisted at minimum but beyond that highly skilled and cannon fodder (with due respect to all).
You speak with a wise head so that’s why I was putting you in a rocking chair!
BDF folks like the current city MP also had the opportunity for training at Sandhurst, West Point and so on. After that type of exposure and what you described the job of policing would not be on your agenda.
@ Dee Word
Like I said in an earlier post, Dompey suffers from an inferiority complex.
The criteria he has listed is not difficult at all.
If you have lived in America you will know most cops are not the smartest people and so getting in cannot be earth shattering.
I didn’t see in the criteria a need to have a college/university degree to make it a barrier for those who left the military with a honorable discharge.
The requirement would also be a high school graduate or GED equivalent which people leaving the military would have.
Most blacks who leave the military are not interested in becoming cops especially those leaving the Airforce as they go into the civilian world recruited for better jobs because for the most part are qualified in technical higher paying and less stressful jobs.
Being a cop would be looked down upon.
Anthony
Police Departments are looking right people with the best suited characyeristics to do the job and not the brightest Anthony. And another fact Anthony, police departments like to employ guys from Army and Marines because of the nature of our training. The Airforce is looked at as being soft brother; I hope you weren’t a member. I am Sorry about the last part of my statement I messed up.
Do you still live in the country? Most departments in my state require an associate – degree, three years military experience, or a high school diploma. Now, listening as asshole: after I departed active, I spent three years in 143 Military Police Unit in the state National Guard, so I know what I am talking about brother.( JUST LISTENING AND LEARN) Which of the Police Departments in America would really want to employ a member of the Airforce, when yall reputation as civilians in uniform flying around the Military like your misleading words.
The process of becoming a police officer in America quite is difficutlt Anthony. I have never said that it required a specific amount of intelligence, so let’s get that straight brother. The focus is on finding the right kinds of people with the right motives to do the Job and not the most intelligent Anthony. And reason for that is a lot of people both Black and White etc, going into department with wrong kinds of motives whather is be Racist whatever. And finally Anthony, , the most important part of becoming a police aren’t written test, the physical fitness, the psychological, the polygraph test etc but the Board Anthony. When you go before the Board the residants on the board along the police officers, when to find out what is your motive for becoming a police officer Anthony. Police Departments are looking for the people right with the best suited characteristics to do the job of police officer, and not the brightest Anthony.
And lastly Anthony, you said that I suffers from an Inferiority Complex, I never heard that one before Doc. But just to inform you: the Army push one to the limit physically, mentally and emotionally and by the time you’re finished with your military career, you have pretty good idea who you are as a person. I KNOW WHO I AM AS A PERSON BROTHER, SO TAKE YOUR PSYCHOLOGY SOME WAY A ELSE SIR AND PUSH IT.
TO BY PASS ONE FOR ANOTHER MIGHT MEAN ONE IS AN UNCLE TOM? WHICH ONE?
Yes Anthony, actually quite familiar with boogie down Brooklyn and NY. Was an active resident during David Dinkins and then Guiliani’s mayoral days. Also always had an interest in military and police matters and try to read as much as I can in those areas.
To your point the good Mr. Domp simply ‘flatters to deceive’ so to speak.
I engaged him on this matter because he held himself to be someone who had walked the walk. However, his remarks were not enlightening to me as all that he said was readily available otherwise; so it was a wasted engagement.
His comments about air-force personnel for example was an unwarranted ad hominem attack and really spoke of some type of complex indeed.
It’s common knowledge that the ‘average’ air-force person (pilots in particular) would absolutely not see policing in generally as a career path because they can command better paying or more cushy jobs after their discharge.
His remarks were absolutely nonsensical on this point.
I inadvertently gave the man his get-off thrill for the week and I will now revert to the ‘do not engage’ policy with him. There is no enlightenment there. Often,, his comments seem to be 1 word too many.
Say what!
http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2014/11/07/backlash-5/
@ Anthony, you know although I have had a few stupid cop moments (even racist I think at times) I try to give them the benefit of the doubt, so I’ll say that most of them try hard to be sensible in the face of very pissed-off citizens.
But generally, I would have to agree with you that not unlike Mr. Dompey some fail badly in the face of skeptical black males and definitely respond in an absolutely stupid and unjust manner.
Dee Word
I have never been in the Airforce because it is for the weak of heart, but I have trained with the Airforce in joint operations at the (NTC) National Training Center in California and (JRTC) Joint Readiness Training Center in Lousiana and I have noticed that Pilots constituted 1% of the Airforce force and the rest of its members were in supporative roles. And why would a Pilot with a four years degree, would ever want to be a cop? It is the members in the supporative roles in the Airforce that usually applying to police departments.
Anthony
Boy you mek me laugh by the way in which you advanced your diagnosis of my mental -health based on the mere articulation of words. Haven’t you heard the Ancient saying that” Philosophers do not write as they live?” I think the same energy you tek to point to my mental incapacity, you ought to tek that same energy and turn the spotlight inwards brother.
oh the lord the gift to gee us to see ourselves as others see us
Mr. Cop
Dee Word
You’re not good at extrapolation at all right? But you’re quite correct in your above assertion. Why would a pilot’s want to apply to any police department when he already has his four degree, plus his pilot’s experience?
It is the 99% of the Airforce members in those supportive Roles who usually applies to the police Department because let’s face: a lot of the Air force’s Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) are not transformable to the civilian level.
Dee word, who is best suited for the job of a police officer based on military training: is it a member of the Navy, Airforce, Marines or the Army? And who would a police department prefer to have on it force out of the four? I think the answer to the question is readily apparent. Now brother, believe me when I tell you that I know what I am talking about brother. During the initial attacks on America during 9/11. I was attached to the 143th Military Police of the State National Guard, and the Governor of our state mobilized our Unit to work in conjunction with the State Police, conducted security checks at the major airport in our state. I was assigned to that Mission for six month sir. And finally, the only reason I did not pursue a career in law enforcement, is based on the fact that my wife advised against it at the time because I was a father of four your children.
Note: And by the way: you have to put on the police application your military service. Which given some veterans ten points ahead of the general public.
Lawson
I am not crazy. I am just a little disturbed, I know, but just while and you will see, the better part of me. I am not crazy. I am just a little unwell. Great song Lawson, you ought to sing it someday
@ Dompey
It is the 99% of the Airforce members in those supportive Roles who usually applies to the police Department because let’s face: a lot of the Air force’s Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) are not transformable to the civilian level.
………………………………………………………………………………….
Are you serious , Bro ? From the list below, these man are in demand, not only in the airline industry in the USA, but all over the world.
http://www.airframeandpowerplant.com/Airforce.htm
@ Colonel Buggy
Come on boss…..the poor chap admits to being ‘disturbed”…
…what say we cut him a bit of slack…? 🙂
@ Colonel Buggy
I rest my case.
Facts are out of all 4 US military Branches (Army. Marines, Navy, Airforce) the Airforce admission test has the highest standard out of all 4, with the others following in the order of Navy, Marines and bringing up the rear the Army.
Airforce enlisted high school graduates are among the top performers among their peers academically.
The Airforce and Navy are seen to be the Service Branches with the smarter personnel as their jobs for the most part are more technical and specialized.
As it relates to the Marines and the Army enlisted they are MOSTLY trained to be front end (combat) ground troops, hence why their admission tests are less rigorous. However the boot camps (basic training) for these two Branches of Service are more physical challenging.
The above are the facts.
So I will not challenge Mr. Dompey as I believe that facts should speak for themselves.
*
You will all look at the star…you will feel drowsy and you will repeat the following.
…I WILL NOT ENGAGE WITH DOMPEY, I WILL NOT ENGAGE WITH DOMPEY, I will give Dompey peace.
The name Dompey will become unintelligible to me.
This comment will self-destruct at the period. POOF!
LOL
Give the man peace and let him bask in his supreme, verbose, continuum of non-sequitur nothingness !
.
The LORD permited Balaam’s ass to speak a few times for a definite purpose. This ass spoke a few times only.
NOW WE HAVE A SECOND BALAAM”S ASS CALLED DOMPEY MARK FENTY.
EVEN THE LORD CANT GET HIM TO SHUT UP