A buddy emailed me this story from the other night. I say unbelievable but unfortunately I can believe it.
The next time a spokesman for the community begins hollering for a greater police presence in crime-ridden neighborhoods, heres hoping someone asks why he or she had nothing to say in the wake of what happened three nights ago on Sonoma Street in Roxbury.
If you missed it, a rookie Boston cop was in full pursuit of a suspect, whom he believed might be armed, when the chase led them through a yard where a childrens birthday party was in progress.
We could tell by his radio transmission what he then experienced, Mike McCarthy, a Boston police spokesman, said. It was difficult to make out his exact words, other than screaming for help, because while he was on the ground with this guy, partygoers began pelting him with Pepsi cans, sets of keys, anything they could find. Some actually began to kick and punch him.
But Jarrod Gero, 33, managed to scramble to his feet and resume the chase, eventually subduing Jerome Goffigan, 24.
During the melee, Geros cell phone was ripped from the pocket of his shirt, so, after the arrest was made, he returned to retrieve it.
Everyone played dumb, McCarthy said. No one knew what happened to the officers phone.
That was Sunday night, and not one political or pastoral leader in Roxbury, Dorchester and Mattapan has seen fit to acknowledge, much less condemn, the unconscionable behavior of that cowardly mob.
There hasnt been a single a peep of outrage.
Here we are, in the peak of summer, McCarthy noted, when everyones looking for more cops, and these folks had one in their own backyard, but didnt want him there. They could have assisted the officer, or at least not impeded him, and yet they did neither; in fact, they did everything they could to prevent him from doing his job.
For the kids looking on, it was a riveting display of warped values, a disgraceful endorsement of a mindset community leaders profess to abhor.
The kids witnessed adults encouraging the bad guy to get away, McCarthy pointed out. That was the message the adults gave them, loud and clear: Beat up the police and help the bad guy get away. Youd think they wouldnt want someone like that running through their childrens party. But nothings unbelievable to me anymore.
Its a story to remember the next time you hear some headline-hunting, cop-bashing community leader rushing to a microphone to rail against the system.
Remind him or her about Sonoma Street, and ask if thats how they think the system ought to work?
Damon Mercer, whos been a Boston firefighter for 22 years, once explained to an assembly of Mattapan eighth-graders how he chose his profession.
Growing up in Mission Hill, he said, Id see people applauding firefighters, knowing they had come to help. Id hear of Officer Friendly, but in my mind Mr. Friendly was always a firefighter. People would get mad at the police, especially when they came to lock up someone, but firefighters never made anyone mad.
Mercers recollection was repeated to McCarthy.
Thats pretty much how it is, he agreed. When we show up, no ones waiting to say, Hey, great to see you today!
Still, theres no excuse for what happened to Officer Gero. Imagine if one of those kids had been hurt by the suspect he was trying to apprehend; hed have been ripped for not protecting them. Instead he got beaten up for it.
Yet he was back at roll call Monday night, ready to do it again
Posted by: lokiluvr
Pretty sad isn't it?
Posted by: LA Copper
We have the same problem in our city too. We recently had a female officer shot twice during a foot pursuit of a robbery suspect. She survived but is now paralyzed from the chest down. (Her partner shot and killed the suspect )
That was three weeks ago and we're still waiting for the local activists to come out and condem the actions of this career criminal... Typical.
Posted by: BlackOps
Some of these people are still basic savages, plain and simple. Evolution has yet to weed out these monsters. Thank God that the Boston Officer wasn't hurt or worse.
Posted by: franizl
As far as appeasing these people...when you are dealing with mental midgets coupled with absolutely no morals or values, that's what you get. It's too bad that the few good people there are being made less safe because the next time one of the very people who were throwing stuff at the cop, decide they need help cuz they're getting their home broken into there might be a slight lag in the response.
Posted by: rpd896
It goes on in my city as well , nobody knows nothing until they are the ones who call and need you. Then they complain that it takes you to long to get there.
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