LETTER FROM A NEW YORK POLICE OFFICER

Hermed viderebringer jeg et brev fra en politiofficer i New York, der har studeret optagelserne fra søndagens politivold.
Han vil bruge optagelserne i sin undervisning af politiaspiranter, som et eksempel på hvordan man IKKE skal gøre....

I had a chance just now to digest what you've written. You are indeed
in a tight spot!

But I have some ideas that might be acceptable to both the police and
the protesters. Why not arrange a meeting between the police
administration, and some of the more responsible protesters, with the parents as
mediators to set up some ground rules. This may go a long ways towards
easing some tension. Clearly, the bigger problem of what the christian
group is doing is not going to be easy to solve - especially since there
is a court order in their favor.

I think that the protesters have the right idea in that in order to get
the politicians to move, they need to create some controversy. However,
you are absolutely correct that increasing tactics like paint bags,
bottles, and stones will only alienate the mainstream. It is always
difficult when you combine the enthusiasm and immaturity of youth - They are
convinced of their own righteousness, and so cannot understand why
others are not convinced as well. (Kind of like what President Bush has
gotten us into.)

A technique that I learned when I worked as a union organizer was for
the leadership of the group to advise the other party (in this case the
police) that they are having a hard time controlling the more radical
elements, and so need their help. This strengthens their bargaining
position, in that a) if the rowdies don't act up, then the leaders are
heroes, and the police feel good about controlling the problem, and b) if
the rowdies get out of control, they can go back to the police and say,
"I told you so, NOW are you going to help us?" If the protesters feel
that they must be confrontational to get their point across, then
passive civil disobedience will allow them to be martyrs (youths love to be
martyred for a cause celebre) and at the same time provide a measure of
protection against violence, especially if the police know exactly
what's coming, and what to expect. Then, it just becomes a matter of them
physically picking the protesters up and carrying them away, while the
news cameras roll.

It sounds like all sides are convinced that they are in the right.
Until the various groups are able to understand where the other sides are
coming from, I think it will continue to escalate. But if the protesters
are able to see beyond their concerns, and understand what motivates
the other parties, then they will be much more successful and wise when
planning strategy. However, it won't be easy, especially with the
anarchists. To them, the police will be seen as the enemy, even more so than
the christian sect, and it will be very tough to get them to buy into
the idea of a negotiated agreement.

If the kids barricade themselves in the youth house on the 14th, then I
would suggest to the police not to go in by force, but to cut power and
water, and place a perimeter around the building, and wait it out.
Being cold, tired, hungry, and filthy wears down even the most enthusiastic
person's morale, and eventually, they will come out. This is what the
ATF should have done at the Branch-Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, but
instead they rushed in with guns ablaze, and all of the cult members
died in a firery blaze.

I hope very much that your fears aren't realized. Please let me know
how this works out. I intend on passing the video on to our ESU (kind of
like SWAT) team commander as a training aid.

tjh