I am an African American. I am a law enforcement officer. I am an outraged African American law enforcement officer.

Over the last few years, there have been so many innocent African American lives lost at the hands of my “thin blue line” brothers (and sisters) that I have lost count. I am an outraged African American law enforcement officer.

More than 20 years ago, I took an oath to protect and serve -PERIOD! I am an outraged African American law enforcement officer.

The oath I took didn’t have check off boxes where I could specify or omit any person and or group of people. I am an outraged African American law enforcement officer.

To my dismay, I learned early on (September 8, 1989, the day I graduated from the police academy) that racism was an alive and well animal in the law enforcement arena. I am an outraged African American law enforcement officer. Over the next 20 some odd years I would go on to see faded  “white only” signs on doors in the basement of my city’s courthouse; fellow -and I use the term “fellow” loosely-officers kick, punch and spit on African American suspects while handcuffing them and calling them niggers and I even saw officers disrespect older members, 70 and 80 year old men, of our community by calling them “boy”. The most damning situation was the one in which I was placed in handcuffs, while driving my unmarked unit, wearing my police gear and en route to work. I was stopped for speeding by one of the departments most racist officers, one who is known throughout the county for harassing African American citizens. I was later told that he became pissed at me when I referred to him as John David instead of G. David. If he had handcuffed a “fellow” officer for calling him John, go figure what he’d do to a common citizen. To continue to list instances of this sort would serve no purpose here- but believe me there have been hundreds. I am an outraged African American law enforcement officer.

In my opinion, the violators in each of those situations were the men and women who ignored and overlooked the signs on the doors and the officers whose behavior must be considered nothing less than deplorable, all of whom were caucasian. I am an outraged African American law enforcement officer.

Fast forward to July, 2016. In the short span of 72 hours there have been the senseless killings of two African American men, Philando Castile of Minnesota and Alton Sterling of Louisiana, both of whom were shot by police officers.

To law enforcement officers around the world who condone, participate in or turn a blind eye to this type of BS, which clearly precipitated the senseless deaths of 5 Texas police officers who were murdered overnight in Dallas, Texas (in some sort of retaliation, sniper shooting spree) I have these words:

That oath you took came with certain rights and responsibilities. When did protect and serve become “cuff and stuff” or “shoot first, ask questions later”?  Who, exactly, died and left you God? What makes you think you can mistreat, mishandle and/or disrespect people based on the color of YOUR skin? If you took the oath, and at some point during your career you have become confused about your rights duties and obligations, I highly suggest  the following:  a refresher police academy stint, refer to the oath for clarification or take off that uniform, locate and grab those two little gems in your trousers that help you perpetuate your craft, go to Mawmaw’s linen closet, pull out her best white King size pillow case and sheets, have her cut some holes in it for your eyes, mouth and nose and slip into your fresh new uniform. Maybe if those little gems I mentioned earlier weren’t so small, you’d have the balls to either display your true colors- KKK white – or truly defend and stand for my true colors — thin blue line- black and blue!

In closing, I ask that God watch over the families of all these victims, Philando Castile and Alton Sterling’s and slain officers, Lorne Ahrens, Michael Smith, Patrick Zamarripa, Michael Krol and Brent Thompson.

I am an outraged African American law enforcement officer.