1/21/20

RCPD still struggling with racism


The Rapid City Police Department is staffed by white supremacists and bigots. A former police chief now Mayor Steve Allender has been accused of managing "a bunch of racists."
“I would be eating lunch and Steve would say, ‘What’s on the menu today, a bowl of guts?’ Or if I was eating a sandwich he would say, ‘What you eating, a slab of lab?’ You know Labrador, a dog,” he said. “Then it rubbed off on the secretaries. I was right out in the squad room and I’d be sitting there eating a sandwich and the secretaries would say, ‘What you having today Glen, a slab of lab?’” [Native Sun News: Retired police officer speaks out on racism]
One reason that Republicans don't like Common Core history standards is that the curriculum includes the near-extermination of Native Americans by European colonialism long-ignored by textbooks. Rapid City's population is about 11% Native but South Dakota's jails and prisons are overwhelmingly warehousing American Indians. Journalist Tim Giago sees little difference between Rapid City and Ferguson, Missouri where Michael Brown's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against that police department. Daniel Tiger chose to take out two Rapid City police personnel with him rather than be gunned down in cold blood like Christopher Capps was. After another high profile racism incident the Rapid City Rush has an alcohol-free family section in the civic center.
With the purpose of reflecting the community it serves, the Akicita Mentorship Program pairs local law enforcement with criminal justice students at Western Dakota Tech. "It's a partnership to solve the problems that we have, such as a lack of diversity, or shortages in the workforce, and so what better place to go to the place that already has these students that have this particular interest," said Peter Ragnone, director for the Criminal Justice Program at Western Dakota Tech. [KOTA teevee]
As hypocrisy reigns supreme at the highest levels of power in South Dakota residents endure Policing for Profit and civil forfeiture so the sitting governor can crow about her leadership and self-reliance while moral hazards pay the bills.

American Indians in the RCPD are ridiculed, reviled and rejected by their relatives because the fact is: cops' lives suck. Little wonder they abuse their families, alcohol, drugs, food, power, detainees and occasionally murder their wives.

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