Detroit police special units could be disbanded [[?)

[Detroitnerd]

Well, what would have happened had they not been deployed? the riots were quelled 48 hours after their arrival.

A lot of innocent people wouldn't have died. The east side was guarded by the Army, which had been in worse situations. The west side was "guarded" by the MNG, who were a bunch of jumpy country boys who kept hearing "snipers" -- which were actually other MNG troops firing on "snipers" -- and shooting at innocent Detroiters. Clifton Pryor was trying to keep sparks from a neighboring fire off his building and was shot as a "sniper." Four-year-old Tanya Blanding was shot from a National Guard tank that was, again, responding to "sniper fire." More of this "return fire" killed Albert Robinson, who was a former member of the National Guard himself! Or George Tolbert, who was just walking by a checkpoint and was hit with a bullet that killed him, hitting his friend too. Another National Guardsman took a security guard to be a looter and shot him dead too.

Bear in mind, although many of these victims were unarmed and committed no crime, no one was held criminally responsible for many of their deaths, and even in obvious cases where it was murder and the killers were lying, most of those who went to trail were ultimately exonerated.

Nice pat little stories about "quelling the riot in 48 hours" don't show the whole story, do they? I suggest you read up on 1967, what happened with the National Guard on the west side, and perhaps read John Hersey's "The Algiers Motel Incident."

Because if we understand our past, we understand why it's a piss-poor idea to call the Michigan National Guard into Detroit for any reason.

[kenp]

I agree 100% with Detnerd. The National Guard left a mark that hasnt gone away. ANyone around them in 1967 are and always will be bitter.

[Meddle]

Sending in a bunch of rural, white, trigger-happy Michigan National Guardsman in 1967 didn't do a whole lot of good.

You don't know much about the makeup of the Guard today, do you? Most of them are probably from Detroit and surrounding suburbs now anyways, or at least the MP Battalions that would most likely be activated.

[bailey]

A lot of innocent people wouldn't have died. The east side was guarded by the Army, which had been in worse situations. The west side was "guarded" by the MNG, who were a bunch of jumpy country boys who kept hearing "snipers" -- which were actually other MNG troops firing on "snipers" -- and shooting at innocent Detroiters. Clifton Pryor was trying to keep sparks from a neighboring fire off his building and was shot as a "sniper." Four-year-old Tanya Blanding was shot from a National Guard tank that was, again, responding to "sniper fire." More of this "return fire" killed Albert Robinson, who was a former member of the National Guard himself! Or George Tolbert, who was just walking by a checkpoint and was hit with a bullet that killed him, hitting his friend too. Another National Guardsman took a security guard to be a looter and shot him dead too.

Bear in mind, although many of these victims were unarmed and committed no crime, no one was held criminally responsible for many of their deaths, and even in obvious cases where it was murder and the killers were lying, most of those who went to trail were ultimately exonerated.

Nice pat little stories about "quelling the riot in 48 hours" don't show the whole story, do they? I suggest you read up on 1967, what happened with the National Guard on the west side, and perhaps read John Hersey's "The Algiers Motel Incident."

Because if we understand our past, we understand why it's a piss-poor idea to call the Michigan National Guard into Detroit for any reason.

I guess someones sarcasm detector isn't functioning.

[Honky Tonk]

"Bear in mind, although many of these victims were unarmed and committed no crime, no one was held criminally responsible for many of their deaths"

Reminds me of the last 4 murders I read about in Detroit, in the last two weeks. Including Chris Best of Redford.

[Detroitnerd]

You don't know much about the makeup of the Guard today, do you? Most of them are probably from Detroit and surrounding suburbs now anyways, or at least the MP Battalions that would most likely be activated.

I do know this: Those who don't study the mistakes of the past are bound to repeat them.

[softailrider]

In the eighty's there was a lot more funding as the war on drugs was shifting into second gear,but seriously minibikes? Could have at least gave the guy a horse.

I think the reference is to smaller Honda cycles, full size [[around 250cc) but much smaller then the full size Harleys that are in use. The thought of a full-fledged cop riding around on a minibike is pretty funny though- kinda like the Keystone Cops!

[Honky Tonk]

In the eighty's there was a lot more funding as the war on drugs was shifting into second gear,but seriously minibikes? Could have at least gave the guy a horse.

Those were indeed small motorcycles, [[90-150 cc?), and not "minibikes" per se. The idea behind those were the DPD could move quickly among crowds @ the Ethnic Festivals, Jazz festivals, and concerts @ Hart Plaza, unobstructed. Last fall, there were about 20 such State Police motorcycles, parked like a biker style, side street from Evies. They were MI State Motorcycle Troopers in training, that had stopped for lunch.

[Meddle]

Yeah, not mini-bikes in the sense most people think. Scooters I think they were called, but identified by the "Ranger" call sign on the radios.

[aj3647]

Sending in a bunch of rural, white, trigger-happy Michigan National Guardsman in 1967 didn't do a whole lot of good.

Here's what they are doing in Mexico to defend their communities against drug violence in the absence of any competent law enforcement presence.

Mexico Self-Defense Squads Battle Violence Where Authorities Fail:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_2519837.html

Now he has joined hundreds of other men in the southern Mexico state of Guerrero who have taken up arms to defend their villages against drug gangs, a vigilante movement born of frustration at extortion, killings and kidnappings that local police are unable, or unwilling, to stop.
Vigilantes patrol a dozen or more towns in rural Mexico, the unauthorized but often tolerated edge of a growing movement toward armed citizen self-defense squads across the country.

The similarities are shocking. Rampant crime and murder, criminals have free reign, the police are either unwilling or unable to stop them, etc. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

[Honky Tonk]

I do know this: Those who don't study the mistakes of the past are bound to repeat them.

Consequently, those who continue living in the past, never move forward into the future.

[Detroitnerd]

The similarities are shocking. Rampant crime and murder, criminals have free reign, the police are either unwilling or unable to stop them, etc. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

I completely agree. Legalize drugs already, and end the stupid drug war instead of ramping it up. We already learned that lesson in 1933.