You always hear that looters and vandals need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, but what about when it’s the police? The authorities shouldn’t be above the law, but officers just got caught doing something that should never take place.
Stephen Martinsen and Thomas Dowling were police officers that got upset with someone that filed a complaint. So, they came up with a plan to get even, and now the officers are pleading guilty for doing something absurd.
The officers admitted to slashing the tires of two cars and breaking the windows on one all because of an internal affairs complaint against them. They have to pay damages and probation was recommended, but these officers reveal a problem that must be addressed.
These two got fired this time, but it’s not always the case. Officers that retaliate are not isolated incidents. The institution of policing makes authorities feel they can get away with anything and for Black people, this can be deadly.
One of the officers was fired and the other was suspended after vandalizing a man’s car. So why do cops keep their jobs and escape punishment after KILLING one of us? We shouldn’t tolerate it if our lives truly matter.