BELIEF IN THE UNBELIEVABLE

As noted in this space before, cops can be hated, attacked and even killed for some isolated activity, committed hundreds or even thousands of miles away, by someone they’ve never met, don’t know and who’s only connection is the color of a uniform; the very definition of sick and hateful bigotry, and supportive voices of protest, especially from many who decry bigotry and injustice from almost anywhere else, seem ‘few and far between’ when it comes to these critical issues. Consequently, many in our past and present profession have become ‘desensitized’ by negativity we’ve learned to expect. Recently however, in of all places, a local institution of higher learning, fostered and attended (myself included) by so many NYPD members, a person trusted to instruct and enlighten students, and in a faculty position, proclaimed in an August 23rd tweet that “it’s a privilege to teach future dead cops”. Unbelievable? Believe it!

John Jay College of Criminal Justice notes in its Mission Statement that they are “a community of motivated and intellectually committed individuals who explore justice in its many dimensions” and “our faculty members are exceptional teachers who encourage students to join them in pursuing transformative scholarship and creative activities”.

One might wonder how ‘future dead cops’ fits into either ‘exploring justice’ or the ‘exceptional teacher’ assertion in the ‘statement’? We might even wonder why, how and who appointed a person harboring such views, or, are there any others? Is it even imaginable that in any other institution of higher learning, centered in any other profession or trade, a faculty member would utter a thought about ‘the privilege of teaching future dead students in that context, or of any kind; ethnicity, religion, race, political views, occupation? Imagine further the public and institutional response? Better still, within our Criminal Justice System itself, would anyone dumb enough to think, much less tweet such hateful stupidity about anyone last the day? Or/and even anyone charged with management or supervision of such person/s …….? This individual was eventually suspended pending dismissal and the university apologized, but the damage has/had been already done.

Among the more critical remaining issues; the credibility of John Jay College including leadership and management is at stake and many questions need the kind of answers that can put this incident to rest. They might include:
What is the procedure whereby faculty members, including adjuncts are chosen?
Who is the individual with a final say in this procedure?
What system is in place to prevent this kind of profound hateful bigotry (and people who express it) from being chosen to influence vulnerable people eager to learn?

Confidence in what is certainly ‘an important educational institution towards development of so many’…. is beneficial to everyone, and freedom to express controversial, conflicting or even adversarial thought and ideas are understandable and even sometimes essential to the process. However, advocacy wherever presented or masked that encourages or implies ‘dead cops’ as a virtue, perpetuates a sick hatred that directly imperils us all. Indirectly, but just as importantly, we need to understand both the effect on law enforcement by this heinous incident as well as the feelings of everyone who has lost a loved one either in, or because of, the profession of protecting others…dead cops that matter!

In this modern age we’ve seen the harm done to police morale (see Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, among others) that has resulted in so much suffering to so many. New York in contrast has again recorded ‘across the board’ record lows in reported crimes but police performance should not be taken for granted much less mocked and vilified, especially by people we need to help educate future ‘live’ cops. Too many lives depend on it… Believe it or not!

Respectfully Submitted
Robert Mescolotto (Capt. ret) esq.