“This footage wrenches the gut, but ‘shocked’ wouldn’t be the right word.”

Sacramento, CA — Public exposure threatens to engulf the Sacramento Police Department in controversy, following an audit that exposes rampant civil rights violations. Adding fuel to this impending inferno is a video depicting officers arresting a 10-year-old girl, an act that leaves indelible marks on the already tarnished image of the department.

This disturbing episode dates back to February 2022, with the police body cam footage only recently surfacing. It displays a nerve-wracking scene wherein officers seize a young girl right after she opens her door. Her cries pierce the silent ambiance as an officer coldly inquires about the other house occupants.

“This footage wrenches the gut, but ‘shocked’ wouldn’t be the right word,” remarked Meg White, co-founder of Justice Unites Individuals and Communities Everywhere. She asserts that Sacramento’s police have an egregious record of brutality, especially towards Black residents, reflecting a deeply ingrained systemic bias.

To underscore this, the Sacramento Office of Public Safety released a damning audit featuring more than 100 complaints against Sacramento officers, amassed over two years. White is convinced the real figure exceeds this number, as these complaints only represent those officially filed.

Unsettlingly, the city’s police chief conceded to the wrongdoings, promising improvement. But the question remains whether this pledge extends to a policy governing handcuffing children. As per CBS13, Sacramento police are supposedly contemplating such measures.

Police experts chime in to justify handcuffing as a safety measure for officers, other citizens, and the person in custody. Such a rationale, offered by Dr. Shelby Moffatt, a professor at Sacramento State and ex-officer, seems blatantly tone-deaf, given the context.

The audit shockingly exposes that constitutional rights were infringed in over a third of these cases. This violation is not restricted to grave scenarios but extends to petty issues like minor traffic infractions due to illegal window tints. However, the real issue isn’t the absence of a ticket but the flagrant racial profiling, as most complainants were Black or Latino drivers.

In a mind-boggling defense, ex-Sheriff John McGinness questions the legitimacy of the racial bias claim. He also trivializes the absence of citations by attributing them to the benevolence of verbal warnings.

For critics like White, the mistrust between police and communities of color won’t dissipate unless the department sincerely commits to community-driven policies. A tough task ahead indeed, given the ever-widening chasm of trust and graphic videos like the one below.

Article posted with permission from Matt Agorist