Johnny Mims was tased by a Birmingham Police Department officer after he refused to stop his band performance and leave the stadium after a game last week.
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And once again, all this could've been avoided if you just followed the directions of the police officer.
A lack of communication between the cops and whoever gave permission for 3 more songs to the director.
The cop should have backed off and considered the kids when the director told him it was the last song, if the cop cant control his temper he shouldn't have a gun and a badge.
Anytime a police encounter escalates its almost always because people react emotionally when confronted by officers. A little bit of common sense and respect goes a long way.
ššš should have complied
And part of your job is to stop the music when they ask you to stop it. And I agree we should think about all the students caught up in this youāre right and you should apologize to them for the potential danger that you put them in and then resign
Saying get out of my face three times not professional other band director stopped told to leave disregarded in front of students not being respectful is not how a teacher should act an trying to throw it off on the police is ridiculous
The school district has a policy of no band playing after the game ends, the players and fans had left the stadium, the stadium staff told the band leader to stop playing and leave so they can lock up, the band leader refused so they called the cops.
The relationship between the American police and citizens is a complex and often troubled one. There are a number of factors that contribute to this, including:
History of racial discrimination:Ā The police in the United States have a long history of racial discrimination, which has led to mistrust and resentment in many communities of color. This mistrust has been exacerbated by recent high-profile incidents of police brutality against Black and brown people.
Use of force:Ā The police in the United States use force at a much higher rate than police in other developed countries. This is due in part to the fact that the United States has a more militarized police force, and in part to the fact that police officers in the United States are more likely to be armed with lethal weapons.
Lack of accountability:Ā Police officers rarely face criminal charges for misconduct, even when they use excessive force or kill unarmed civilians. This lack of accountability undermines public trust in the police and makes it difficult to build positive relationships between the police and the community.
These factors have contributed to a climate of fear and mistrust between the police and many communities. This makes it difficult for the police to do their job effectively, and it also makes it difficult for communities to trust and rely on the police.
There are a number of things that can be done to improve the relationship between the American police and citizens. These include:
Addressing racial bias:Ā Police departments need to take steps to address racial bias within their ranks. This includes training officers on implicit bias and developing policies and procedures that reduce the opportunity for racial bias to affect police decision-making.
Reducing the use of force:Ā Police departments need to reduce the use of force, especially in situations where there is no imminent threat of violence. This can be done by developing clear guidelines for when force is justified and by providing officers with more training on de-escalation tactics.
Holding police accountable:Ā Police officers who engage in misconduct need to be held accountable. This means that they should be investigated and disciplined for misconduct, and in some cases, they should be criminally prosecuted.
In addition to these steps, it is also important to build positive relationships between the police and the community. This can be done by having police officers participate in community events, by creating community policing programs, and by developing mechanisms for community members to provide feedback on police performance.
Improving the relationship between the American police and citizens is a complex and challenging task. However, it is essential to do so in order to create a more safe and just society for all.
Side note for everyone to understand, I am a NCO of the US Army. As citizens of America you should be inclined to comply with all officers and there instructions this man not only failed to comply with officers on the scene, he escalated the situation by acting in the most unprofessional way. People need to understand it doesn't matter what your doing if police are on a mission to stop whatever events or whatever is occurring citizens, people should be very compliant to do so. The reason why is very simple there for a reason perhaps there is an immediate threat of terrorism in the area and you have some A hole being all hot-headed because somehow he believes the show must go on regardless? Also it's mentioned in the video that he swung on an officer. The attitude and non compliant mannerisms the suspect was conducting himself shows that he more in likely did swing on an officer and therefore the use of force was necessary to control the situation of an non compliant citizen, who probably did swing on an officer. The situation would never had escalated to that point if he followed the instructions of officers on the scene regardless who is right or wrong it doesn't matter always comply with officers for your own safety, the safety of others and the safety of officers. Everything else can be discussed very peacefully by doing a follow up the next day asking questions of why the band had to stop or whatever. Overall I personally don't think the police is failing the citizens it's the citizens failing the police.
I'm sorry but i call BS. There were no fans left In the stands for them to play to. I can almost guarantee this is a situation where the game had been long over the band continued to play, and someone in the residential areas surrounding that football stadium called the police because of the noise. And I'm sorry but when you show up to ask someone to stop playing and bothering residents, you don't tell an officer to get out your way. Especially when you are responsible for showing children how to behave and respond to police requests. If he had just followed directions and shut it down he would never have been tased, children would not have been traumatized. End of discussion. I don't care what's been agreed upon by the school board. If the police approach you and ask you to stop what you are doing then you stop what you are doing. So for him to stand at this press conference and act like he's a victim is ridiculous. It makes you wonder if this is not the first time the police have been called because they've played for an hour after the game is over and the stands are empty. This is services and pride masquerading as being a victim.
Very important story
When does he head to rehab?
Good news: 145 kids wanted to play music together
Good news: Band director seeks every opportunity to allow these kids to rehearse playing together
Bad news: America is a blood thirsty gun loving country and it needs armed officers in itās schools
Bad news: The game ended and it seemed appropriate to use these same armed officers to force the kids to stop playing
Good news: 145 kids wanted to play music together
Good news: Band director seeks every opportunity to allow these kids to rehearse playing together
Bad news: America is a blood thirsty gun loving country and it needs armed officers in itās schools
Bad news: The game ended and it seemed appropriate to use these same armed officers to force the kids to stop playing
Why the people can t comply
Bad music.good police work.
Telling the cops to "Get outta my face!" seems pretty defiant to me. A band is easy to stop. You can do it with the wave of a hand. It's a group of kids with horns, it's not a train or a tank column.
"Get out my face."
Thats more than "doing your job".
Money money money grab. Thats all this is . The band director should have left when he was told to. End of story
Police are of exceptionally low quality and character these days. If Police actually acted with professionalism and weren't such a menace due to such poor training and permissive criminal culture within the ranks… more normal and intelligent people might consider joining.
As it is, the job is filled with reckless thugs with a poor understanding of what their duty to the public actually is. Of course the DA and Police view any criticism as an attack, and they would rather double-down than come clean about their mistakes and fix them. Typical fk-ups in action, no leadership.
With all the shootings that happen at these highschool football games where rival gang members get shot or whatever, this band leader should have allowed the police to empty the stadium. Instead he told them to "get out of his face" to a police office. This is an attempt to make Alabama appear to be hostile.
Cop was on a power tripš did not need to escalate to physical violence at all
Now he out here trying to be the victim no Sir you got your self into this mess telling a female black officer to get out your face and defying authority , great example to them kids .
Rule #1, When confronted by a "King's Man" OBEY! COMPLY! or Die!, time for talking is in Court IF the Judge allows. Defying the LEO is criminal, He used his Black Power, to not quit. and got his comeuppance. There is a time to be uppity and dis was not it.
I'm as pro police as it gets (both of my kids are police cadets) and I'm also a band director. The lack of respect the police showed to the kids who were performing is disgusting and is a symptom of our decaying civility. It's obvious that they have no idea how much work goes into a performance like this. Waking up at 6am for a 0-period rehearsal, staying after school for sectionals, fundraising for equipment and uniforms, countless hours locked away in your bedroom practicing while all of your friends are playing video games, etc…. They work for weeks, sometimes months, for the opportunity to play a few songs after a football game and they get the lights turned off on them, shouted over, and the band director gets tased and arrested. There was no way he was going to stop conducting and cut off the end of the song because he was honoring the commitment of the kids and the integrity of what it means to play in a band. I would have done the same thing. I wouldn't have resisted after, but I blame the police for letting it get to that point. Had there been a medical emergency mid-performance and I was asked to stop, of course I would. But I'm not going to stop 30 seconds before the end of the piece just because they want me to. For those of you who don't see that, imagine the police walking onto the field during the last drive of the football game (mid-play!) and taking the ball away and turning off the lights. How do you think the coaches and players would respond? It wouldn't happen because people understand the dedication that is required in athletics. Unfortunately, we have a failing arts education in this country and people have no respect, understanding or appreciation for the dedication that goes into music. Support the arts in our schools!
Stunning performance
Class act
Citing the safety of its students, Birmingham City School said it prohibits the 5th quarter, stating that BCS High School bands are instructed to exit the stadium at the end of football games. "As a safety precaution, fifth quarter performances are not allowed," Birmingham City Schools said in a statement Wednesday.
You made poor choices, you were held accountable for those poor choices, and now you are trying to play the victim.
Robocop to the rescue. To hell with humanity!
If the Police ask you to stop itās probably for a good reason. You trying to āDo your jobā almost costed your life too. If someone with a gun give u directions you better follow them
So was the cop you dope