Response to Rep Johnson’s (R-LA) CSPAN Washington Journal Segment
Yesterday on CSPAN Washington Journal, Representative Mike Johnson from Louisiana, had a lot to say to the American people. He made it crystal clear Republicans have no interest in true police reform, nor did he have empathy towards the people taking to the streets to have their voices heard.
When questioned about qualified immunity he mentions qualified immunity being out of the question for police reform because “the police recruiters tell us that if you get rid of qualified immunity, you make it very difficult to recruit new law enforcement officers.” He goes on to talk about how policing is a low wage job and without qualified immunity no one will want to maintain Law and Order.
He implies people who choose to be officers will quit if they are not protected from being held accountable for their actions, yet asserts most police conduct is appropriate. Rep Johnson seems to be correct based on police resigning in solidarity with fired officers across the US. For example, many officers on the SWAT team in Buffalo, NY where Martin Gugino, an elderly man, was knocked to the ground have resigned in solidarity with the officers who used excessive force against him. Several Minneapolis police have quit for various reasons, the chief among them — feeling pressured on all sides. There are examples of this behavior in Atlanta, California, and other areas.
Police feel the power dynamic shifting and like many who feel the loss of power — the instinct to protect it kicks in. The shift is long overdue since police have failed to police their own people. For instance, yesterday in Wilmington, NC police were fired after a supervisor accidentally came across footage with racist tirades. The racist epithet targeted fellow Black officers and judges. The officers relish at the thought of a Civil War where they can slaughter fellow Black Americans. If they had not accidentally triggered their camera, the incident would have never been discovered. Their fellow officers did not step up and report the behaviors — not even when caught. This is only one instance. Across the US there are even more serious acts of misconduct uncovered by USA Today. They are still trying to figure out how police hold their fellow officers accountable. The police are currently like huge corporations — they cannot be trusted to do the right thing, so they must be forced through reform or legislation.
One way to force accountability is through the deconstruction of qualified immunity. As a comparison, the military does not have qualified immunity if they commit murder or rape. Since the militarization of police forces against the communities they serve, it is only sensible to hold departments to the same high standards. They are tasked similarly with protecting and serving the US people — much like our Armed Forces.
Rep. Johnson goes on to say the Democratic bill is out of the question because it eliminates no-knock warrants. He argues no-knock warrants are rarely used, which runs contrary to a Senate hearing on Police Use of Military Equipment. Rep Johnson asserts when utilized, no knock warrants, prevent violent interactions. This idea is easily disproved — especially by a recent event — the murder of Breonna Taylor. A warrant was issued for her residence based on surveillance of a separate suspect who had picked up packages at her house. When the warrant was executed, the police went in, startling Taylor’s boyfriend who fired at the intruders while fearing for his life. The police returned fire, killing Taylor. Rep Johnson said when a no-knock warrant is issued it is to protect the suspect and police by detaining the person when they are asleep so they do not have time to “grab their automatic weapons and start firing away.”
The history of the no knock warrant has a basis in the Nixon administration. The administration wanted to show how tough they could be on crime. Since then there have been several deaths or severe injuries from no knock warrants. Rep Johnson’s logic on this topic is flawed. One aspect to consider is the psychology behind being surprised. When a person is asleep and are suddenly jolted awake it is like pushing a gas pedal in the body. That gas pedal is the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the fight or flight response. It is an involuntary response. Some people will automatically fight, while others will look for an escape route. This goes for all situations where a person perceives danger. It is another reason the topic of police reform is important — the police are subject to this response as well. It is imperative that no knock warrants are rigorously evaluated for relevance in conjunction with the science on the body and brain’s response in stressful situations for both the police and suspect.
Lastly, Rep Johnson has used the current removal of statues as a basis to disregard credible complaints from the community and push a bill that is superficial. He goes so far as to call the protestors “a mob” and “ignorant young people.” This type of branding does not communicate the intent to listen or solve problems. I leave Rep Johnson with this question — Do you honestly think the community would be tearing down anything if they had been listened to decades ago? They have your attention now.
