this one's been recorded
(Had to remove links to this article. Apparently, links to articles get your blog flagged. Especially, if the links are outdated.)
First, I'd like to state that I don't have anything against police officers. I wouldn't want their job. Every call they never know what they are walking into. Second, I'm not for defunding the police. Give them better training. Make sure they have access to counseling. They should all have body cams turned on while they are on duty. The body cams are for their protection as well as a visual record of what really happened. Third, police officers make mistakes as they did when responding to Raymond Rachal's call for help.
A customer who was drunk came charging through a barrier that separates the front desk clerk from the hotel guests. Rachal defended himself and subdued the guest. He then called the police.
I've worked the front desk at a hotel. I don't know what I would have done had some guest charged after me in this manner. Guests aren't allowed to cross the barrier where clerks are working. It's a safety issue.
Unless you're a bank robber, you wouldn't go beyond the teller barriers at a bank where the tellers are working. And you don't do that at a hotel.
However, if I would have called the police, I would have gotten a different reception from the responding officer because I'm white not black. They would have listened to me. They failed Rachal. It's clear from the video Rachal never pushed back at the officer who was pushing him.
Not only that, Rachal was arrested and not the white customer who caused the incident to begin with. Eventually, the charges against Rachal were dropped. He never should have been charged.
I don't know what was going through that officer's mind but the mindset that's out there needs to change.
front desk clerks we take the peaceful evenings for granted
january guest log we have the right to defend ourselves against violence
because you're drunk isn't an excuse you made that choice
hotel security camera thankful this time it was on and working
extra pillows and more towels no one ever has enough of anything
sometimes meth if they only stay a few hours and bring trash bags into the room
another day in america the victim calls you for help and you arrest the victim
injustices often follow those who pursue justice
