The sheriff for Illinois’ Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, which employed the former deputy who shot and killed Sonya Massey in her home earlier this month after she called 911 to report a possible intruder, said during public comments Monday night that they had “failed” her.

“Sonya Massey – I speak her name and I’ll never forget it,” Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell said during a “Community Healing & Listening Session” Monday night at Union Baptist Church in Springfield. “She called for help and we failed. That’s all she did: call for help."

“I’m going to say something right now I’ve never said in my career before: we failed,” Campbell continued. "We did not do our jobs. We failed Sonya. We failed Sonya’s family and friends. We failed the community. I stand here today before you with arms wide open to ask for forgiveness.”

  • FireRetardant@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    47
    ·
    4 months ago

    Imagine if the police used some critical thinking. Discharged from the military for his conduct, 2 DUIs (thats just when he got caught). How the hell did this guy keep his job as law enforcement after the first DUI? That should pretty much immediately take you off the force. If they can’t be trusted to drive sober and responsibly, how can we trust them as a law enforcement officer? What if they showed up drunk to work as well?

    This situation could have been avoided if the police were more critical of themselves as an organization and had stricter rules and regulations for themselves.

    • Samvega@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      23
      ·
      4 months ago

      Imagine if the police used some critical thinking.

      Intelligence is liberal, elitist wankery.
      Education is a threat to good, rightwing common-sense.
      Critical thinking is an Alphabet Mafia agenda.

      I would not be surprised if the Supreme Court banned critical thinking.

    • octopus_ink@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      4 months ago

      The thing is - I’m a big believer in redemption (not in a religious sense) and self improvement. I could believe all that could be true and the guy could become a decent person at some point in the future. But you don’t (or shouldn’t) get to have a job where you have the power of life or death over everyone you interact with until after you’ve completed your redemption arc.

      • FireRetardant@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        9
        ·
        4 months ago

        Yea i get that. You got 1 DUI when you were 22 and now you’re 35 and applying to be a cop? That sounds okay people can change. 3 DUIs in the 2nd year of employment as a cop? Comepletely different story.

    • Adderbox76@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      4 months ago

      How the hell did this guy keep his job as law enforcement after the first DUI?

      The answer is “Police Union”

      This situation could have been avoided if the police were more critical of themselves as an organization and had stricter rules and regulations for themselves.

      Police Union automatically fights any and all attempts at imposing more accountability to their members.