Champaign police union defends officers' actions
CHAMPAIGN — The Champaign police union is urging people who are angry about the arrest of Calvin Miller to wait for all the facts.
"The union is deeply disappointed by certain members of our community who feel the need to rush to judgment and discredit Champaign police officers with fabrications and half-truths regarding Calvin Miller's arrest on Monday, Oct. 24, 2011," says a written statement released Friday evening by the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council.
The union said officers were required to use force to stop Miller, who had taken them on a "dangerous chase" that included Miller's vehicle running over a curb, running red lights and hitting and damaging the front of a house after Miller jumped out and ran.
Miller, 18, was arrested after leaving an apartment complex in Champaign early Monday morning. He was charged Monday with two misdemeanors, resisting arrest and criminal damage to property.
Miller's father, Martel Miller, contends his son was terrified of police because of previous incidents of police violence against black men in Champaign. At a press conference Thursday, he said his son never resisted police and urged the community to speak out at Tuesday's Champaign City Council meeting.
The police union says it is confident facts will demonstrate the officers' use of force was appropriate and reasonable under department policy and the law.
"Each and every citizen of the city of Champaign has the right to express his or her opinion as he or she sees fit," the union statement goes on to say. "However, until all the facts have been revealed, it is dangerous to perpetuate anger and public outcry based on incomplete and inaccurate information as well as conjecture. Such irresponsible behavior does not help but rather further fractures the relationship between the police and the Champaign community."
Such irresponsible behavior does not help but rather further fractures the relationship between the police and Champaign community.That is exactly what Martel Miller and his racist minion want to accomplish.They know that image is everything when it comes to public opinion and if the police force can be painted as the enemy in these matters,his criminal offspring and all the thuggers will almost be untouchable to commit crime.Open your eyes people,this Martel Miller has a criminal history and is an antagonizer of the black community.
Martel Miller was elected to the board of directors of the Independent Media Center a week or so ago. Do our taxes support the grants this group receives? Ironic that he is now calling for all this attention to himself by press conferences and what not. Are we paying for his 15 minutes of fame?
Judging from the comments on previous stories, I don't think CPD has anything to worry about in this case. In my experience, Champaign (and Urbana and UI) officers/staff often lack manners and people skills and think they are quite a bit smarter and more astute than they actually are; that doesn't really make them popular with anyone. But even with that, no one except this guy and his family are really going to take them to task for stopping a guy who behaved like this. He got what he deserved and everyone - probably even the father - knows that's true. This had nothing to do with race and everything to do with behavior. I wish the cops would make it easier to support them by losing some of the arrogance, but that is what it is. They just make it harder on themselves.
Champaign, Urbana and the UI are very fortunate to have professional police departments with outstanding officers and support staff. Unfortunately, the Champaign mayor does not appreciate having the excellent police department that Champaign has. The mayors lack of public support sends a strong message to the officers and support staff of the Champaign police department that he does not appreciate their work nor does he understand the difficult job they frequently have.
There is no doubt that the honest and law abiding citizens of Champaign support the police officers in this recent incident. But those who have been arrested and had police problems in the past have come out of the woodwork to make their complaints heard by the media.
I suspect if you did a search of the criminal files at the Champaign County Circuit Clerk's Office you would find that many of those complaining have an arrest record and some have a prison record. Check for yourself.
If your house or business is being broken into, who will you call, one of the complainers or the police department? The next time you see a police officer, thank them for their service and the excellent job they do often under very trying circumstances.
What do you want him to do? Jump to conclusions? I thought that's what the union was condemning.
Hey, I have a question. Where does the union stand on video cameras? Dashboard? Body cams on all cops? How does the union feel about third parties' audio-video recording of police activity?
It seems like the best way to demonstrate the outstanding job done by the CPD. Right?
I may be in the minority here but I think if you break into someone's house the police should be able to shoot. If you don't obey an officer's command to stop they should have the right to use force. And I don't care what color you are, that goes for everybody. This town has turned into the wild west in the last couple of years and it needs to stop. There's no deterrent for committing crimes anymore. The state is closing prisons and reducing sentences so there are more thugs on the street now than ever. I say build more prisons and lock all these losers up for as long as it takes to keep the rest of us safe. But back to this topic. The Police tell you to pull over, pull over!
We'll never know what happened that night. Each party has their own version of the truth, and neither are likely fully correct.
I will say this - It's a sad fact that police throughout the US are among the most corrupt public officials out there. Look at what just happened in Brooklyn - Cops were indicted for fixing tickets and other more serious crimes and their "band of brothers" showed up in force to jeer the DA, harass the press, and generally demonstrate that they think they're above the law because they wear a badge. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/29/nyregion/officers-unleash-anger-at-tic...
This was less than a week after eight of their "brothers" were arrested for smuggling slot machines and guns into their own jurisdiction. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/26/nyregion/new-york-officers-accused-of-...
Sad, yes. True, also.
We actually *DO* know what happened that night, thanks to Chief Finney releasing the unedited video footage from the squad cars of several officers involved in this incident.
Calvin Miller committed several traffic offenses and refused to pull over when signaled to do so by police. He fled from the area in a reckless manner, endangering the lives of himself, the police, and the general public on the roadway. He jumped out of a moving vehicle, leaving it to ram a house. He fled on foot and was captured a few moments later. During his arrest, he struggled with officers (note the audio of "Put your hands behind your back!" multiple times). Once subdued, he was treated with a surprising amount of restraint by the police.
He was NOT targeted by police without cause.
He was NOT obeying the traffic laws while he drove.
He was NOT obeying the orders of police officers.
The van was NOT rammed by a squad car.
He was NOT compliant with officers when they attempted to arrest him.
He was NOT beaten after being subdued and arrested by officers.
Yes, SOME police are corrupt, just like some doctors are corrupt, or some clergy are corrupt, or some teachers are corrupt, etc. Until you find some way of taking people out of the mix, some will fail and taint the remainder. But this case is not one of corruption or brutality or of "out of control cops." This case is one of a young man breaking the law several different ways, then crying -- lying!-- foul after getting caught.
I just don't understand. I think there are people who just enjoy drama, stirring trouble and being in front of people getting attention. I work with 911 dispatchers all over the United States. Comments from citizens about there local police forces. We have the best here in Champaign County. Thank you and keep up the good work.
Why will the police dept. not release the video? It can still be used as evidence in court if needed. Anybody ever have the police stop you and ask to look in the trunk? They like to point out that if you don't have anything to hide, then you shouldn't have a problem with it. Does the CPD have something to hide? if not, then open up! Good point earlier about the video of police on duty. Why can WE be taped, but not the police? If the are doing their jobs correctly, then there will be nothing to use the video for. And as for the "take-down" that night...was it really necessary to punch him in the face? I believe that there are a number of methods to gain submission that are not as brutal. And by the way, it sounds like from what I read about the struggle, that it was a good thing the officer did not get to his pepper spray. I find it hard to distinguish the described intention for the pepper spray in this case from torture. Perhaps I have it wrong, but what can I say...release the ENTIRE report to the media so we all can read it.
While I also agree that there are less violent ways to gain submission than punching, Mr. Miller grabbed at one of the Officer's duty belts (which holds his holster and firearm) during the struggle. With that being said, I believe that the officer's were fully within their use of force to punch him or do whatever they needed to do to gain control of Mr. Miller and guarantee he did not gain access to their weapon. We must not forget that they have families to go home to every night and in a situation like that where their safety is compromised we need to think about putting ourselves in their shoes and what we would do in that situation. Because if it was me, and I was carrying a firearm, if I was in the middle of a struggle with an individual who had up to that point showed no respect for the law or to any of the requests I had made to him as an officer of the law, and he then went and grabbed at my duty belt which held my firearm, I can pretty much guarantee that for the safety of myself and everyone else involved in the situation, I would do whatever I had to to make sure he did not get ahold of my weapon. That includes punching him, spraying him with OC, and hitting him with a baton. Regardless of who it is, the safety of the officer and everyone else involved is always more important than the safety of the individual who's wreckless, negligent & asanign behavior put them all in that dangerous situation in the first place.
Mr. Miller provoked his demise by disobeying and running, it seems obvious knowing police have cameras his best place to be was on camera and not off camera by running away. Left to speculation what may or may not have happened. Most all others would prefer to be in front of the camera hamming it up... sorry but your loss. When law enforcement threatens and or arrest third parties videotaping their actions it is very clear they look down on justice as a tool for those under the law leaving themselves exempt or above the law. Such acts are exactly what encourages discontent, anger, riots, etc. As long as people play by their rules they truly have little hope of equality or fairness or control as those in authority change the rules and laws to benefit their agenda to control the masses without being held accountable. This should serve as a strong warning to any one not to trust those you elect or those serving in authority. Like beef to slaughter, they do your thinking for you.
It's not the kid or the parent who is at fault, it's the champaign school system's fault the way they treated the elder Martel when he was a child. he has to blame somebody.
http://www.will.uiuc.edu/community/ourjourney/millertext.htm
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