By BRIANNA ROBLES
Staff Writer
It’s a scary world when those who are put into authority to protect you are the same ones plotting against you.
Todd Shaw, a former Kentucky assistant police chief, was caught sending out racist Facebook messages to recruits regarding black adolescents. Shaw and the Louisville Metro Police recruit were discussing a paper the recruit had to complete for training regarding the “right thing to do” if he were to spot three adolescents smoking weed. In a response to the recruiter’s scenario, Shaw wrote, “F**k the right thing…If black shoot them.”
Not only did Shaw say racially offensive comments towards black teenagers, but he also included instructions on how to handle their parents by writing, “…if mom is hot then f*** her… if dad is hot then handcuff him and make him s**k my d**k. Unless daddy is black… Then shoot him…” Although the messages were sent to the recruit in 2016, they were dug up as a result of Shaw being charged for other reasons.
Being raised in New York where the use of recreational marijuana is illegal, I’ve seen countless of black adolescents, black boys specifically, targeted for smoking a joint in pubic. Not only do I have a problem with the disgustingly racist comments the officer made, but more specifically who he made it to. The officer was already teaching the recruit to target certain groups and to use bad techniques if he were to ever encounter a situation like this.
He was already training the recruit to be a bad cop when in reality this country already has far too many of those. I’m not sure if when he made these remarks he was aware that because he was a person of apparent power he not only represents himself, but every single police officer who hold a badge. Police officers in general have been represented bad as a result of the killings of innocent people, which makes it harder for those officers who are actually doing their jobs correctly and ensuring the safety of everyone despite their race or religious beliefs.
The saying “what’s done in the dark, comes to the light” is relevant to this situation because everyone had the opportunity to see the officer’s true intentions and feelings not only regarding black adolescents and their parents, but about his position as chief as well. He found it okay because he figures no one would find out that he goes about situations like this.
On Facebook Messenger, everyone says just about anything hoping that it would stay between them, but in this case, it didn’t. This situation is 10 times worse due to the fact that he was a police chief, meaning he supervised all other police officers in the same unit. People with this type of power sometimes abuse it and let it go to their heads because they believe they are exempt from consequences. It is for the best that these messages came up because people like him need to be eliminated from positions such as this one.
Instead of creating “bad cops,” I hope the justice system trains up officers who are faithful and dedicated to their job, eventually eliminating the stigma that all cops are bad cops.
