Surprise, Surprise: Off-Duty Cops From All Over the Country Were in D.C. During Capitol Coup Attempt

[Major Nikon]

Several police departments across the country have opened investigations into cops among their ranks to find out if they were involved in the siege on the U.S. Capitol on Washington, D.C. on January 6th.

The growing number of probes follows an announcement from the Seattle Police Department on Friday that two of its officers have been put on administrative leave pending an investigation into allegations that they were in the nation’s capital during the raucous events.

The New York Times reports that cops from Texas, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire are now under similar scrutiny after social media posts placed them near the riots that took place in the nation’s Capitol.

Some of the potentially incriminating posts were made by the MAGA-supporting officers themselves.

https://www.theroot.com/surprise-surprise-off-duty-cops-from-all-over-the-cou-1846029959

[sagesnow]

1. Quelle Non Suprise!

We need a watchdog committee to police the watchdogs!

[SheltieLover]

2. Blue Lives Matter?

Until they don't?

[TigressDem]

3. WELL, another way to REFORM the Police.

Get rid of the violent, seditious tRumpies in their midst.

[Hortensis]

36. Yes, a very good, targeted way! By definition, unfit in many ways. nt

[crickets]

53. It's a start. nt

[BeyondGeography]

4. And now two cops are dead

Walk with pride, lads.

[doc03]

5. If you are a Trump cultist and they beat a COP to death it is justified

because he was a traitor that didn't back Trump.

[yardwork]

10. That's a pretty difficult position to defend tonother officers, I would guess.

You've accurately summarized the QAnon type mindset, I agree. The trouble is that the "mission" went badly wrong, and two officers are dead. That's going to cause angst.

It's time for LE leadership to review who is in their ranks. How many officers are endangering the force because of their beliefs?

[hkp11]

16. actually Officer Sicknick supported Trump

per his father:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/father-slain-capitol-officer-hopes-son-s-death-brings-end-n1253686


The elder Sicknick said that his son died because of a blood clot in his brain and that "if they had operated on him, he would've become a vegetable."

Sicknick's first assignment was to protect President Barack Obama's 2009 inauguration and though he was a supporter of Trump, his father said, “he just got along real well with everybody because he was a gentleman."

“If any good comes out of my son’s death, I just hope that it stops all the lunacy that’s been going on in this country,” his father said.

Sicknick said he received condolence calls Friday from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Pence. Biden called fallen Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick’s brother Sunday, according to two Biden officials. Trump has yet to reach out to the family as of Sunday night.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

54. Well, there you go. If you support Trump, despite his obvious racism,

misogyny, belligerent ignorance on countless topics (especially the US Constitution), along with his laziness, blatant lies, etc., etc., etc., take your chances on what disasters and tragedies will happen under his "leadership."

[TigressDem]

43. Was the second one the cop dragged down the stairs?

I had heard about the first but not the second.

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

48. The second killed himself. nt

[TigressDem]

49. OH dear.

Was he party to letting the mob inside?

Was it that kind of guilt thinking he'd be destroyed?

Tragic anyway.

Anyone caught in the undertow of the tRump monster's rage-a-thon may be responsible for their actions, but if at heart they actually have some integrity and are horrified at what happened enough to kill themselves, it's even more to hold tRump and his enablers accountable for destroying.

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

52. I haven't heard of a name or reason, I wonder myself. nt

[cannabis_flower]

6. I think...

If they went to the rally and marched to the Capitol that’s alright. In they went in with the mob it’s not. No one should be punished for merely attending an event protected by free speech but if they participated in an insurrection that’s not acceptable.

[JT45242]

11. As soon as they passed those gates they broke the law

Everyone who went past the original barricades broke the law and is liable for everything that happened inside as co-felons. The law is pretty clear on this.

If they stayed outside the grounds they were exercisisng their 1st amendment rights. As soon as they trespassed onto the capitol grounds, they are part of a criminal enterprise and all the deaths should be attached to all those who broke the law.

Some may plea down to lesser charges, but you start every arrest with the top counts of felony murder and terrorism if they crossed that barricade.

If they helped plan it on parler, etc. add conspiracy charges.

I have said it many times, these people need to be charged as terrorists and have assets seized. Spend lots of time in jail.

I would not offer plea bargains to military and police who participated unless they gave up someone high up the food chain. My guess is that the online presence of these folks will reveal many other crimes -- particularly for the cops who were there. (Lots of civil rights, excessive force, etc that will be bragged about).

[Duppers]

17. Exactly!

TY.

[cannabis_flower]

42. I did say

If they didn’t go in. If they passed the barricades they went in. There were a lady on the news that was at the speech and went back to her hotel. If she had marched to the Capitol and stayed outside the barricade fine. Yes, once they pass the barricade they are in violation of the law.

[TigressDem]

44. Yeah, I've been to DC protests. Usually the protest leaders make sure you really know the risk.

I was there during GW's time protesting with the Mother of Casey Sheehan, Cindy Sheehan, not like she knew me personally, but we were there and anyone who was going to sit behind the barrier after the last warning was talked to by lawyers and needed a buddy on the outside so they didn't get lost in the system.

But that's a DEM protest. Peaceful but in your face not going anywhere.

I think anyone who organizes these things, gets the permits and such should post an outline of what is ok and what isn't both on their side and the legal response.

I also think that it should be VERY clearly written up so that police can be held accountable for Nuking peaceful protestors and people practicing 2nd amendment rights should know YOU GO TO JAIL FOR THAT when you turn on your own country, doofus.

[yardwork]

13. Except that's usually not how it works with law enforcement.

Sworn officers are usually discouraged by their leadership from participating in any public demonstrations that might raise questions about their ability to fulfill their oaths faithfully and without bias.

Police officers, like many other employees, are limited in their public speech by the terms of their employment and requirements of their jobs.

[meadowlander]

39. And apparently many of them were flashing their badges to get access.

That's beyond a no-no. If they were using the trapping of their office, they were no longer "off-duty" and they were purporting to represent their organisations when they undertook those acts.

[KS Toronado]

18. If they walked past the outside barrier that was broken down and were not attempting to get

the crowd to stop, I have no empathy for them, as law enforcement officers they should have known better.

[Hortensis]

40. Disagree, Cannabis Flower. They KNEW many people were going there

specifically to commit violent, treasonous, criminal acts and the rest were excitedly joining to be part of what they were promised would happen. I haven't read the typical standards of behavior and ethics officers agree to, but I'm pretty sure joining those crowds violated most of them before they even committed their first trespass.

Btw, the First Amendment says the federal government can't pass laws abridging the right of free speech. OF COURSE employers can and do all the time.

[AllaN01Bear]

7. the then must be stripped of all rank. bucked back down to cadet and fired. or put in jail.

a national police force must be formed . and sutdown all of the state level police and have a national database on which these perps can be found and never serve on a leo dep again. we used to get the trash from la ca alto and then supervisors said no more .

[ffr]

8. And what did these Men in Blue do to help their fellow officers in Blue?

Link to tweet

[NoMoreRepugs]

9. I'll say it again - "Are there ANY smart RePutinicans??"

[yardwork]

15. Elise was yapping lies about the "stolen election" in the House on the night of Jan 6.

I saw her on the news, trotting out all the usual Trump lies. She should be investigated for treason.

[PatrickforO]

12. Ah, the reforms on police departments nationwide now begin.

[BlueIdaho]

14. Fucking Cops

Time to root these insurrectionists out root and branch.

[Harker]

19. Lawlessness from the top...

[pandr32]

20. They did to be shit-canned

[Bear Creek]

21. Now What

Yes most of law enforcement, fire Department types are right wing extremist. You can include military and ex military also though it's usually ex Navy. Where I worked was full of them. I believe that anyone holding these beliefs should not have a security clearance.

[Turin_C3PO]

56. Military not

as much but it depends on the branch. There was an article I read that posted the political breakdown of the rank and file armed forces. The slight majority actually preferred Biden. Air Force was the most Republican with Army soldiers having the most Democrats. Remember, there’s a ton of minorities in the military who aren’t so keen on Trumpism.

[Bear Creek]

57. Navy

I worked with ex Navy. 90% or more of the workforce was ex Navy. Only the ones who were in way before Reagan aren't extreme.

[czarjak]

22. Don't forget retired firefighters...

Pensions? They don’t need no stinking pensions!

[wryter2000]

23. Real law and order types, huh?

I guess they don't give a shite about their brother and sister officers in the capitol police force. And they claim unarmed black people are threats. Beyond disgusting.

[calimary]

24. How many of them are white supremacists?

I saw an article a couple of years ago about that infiltration of police departments. Gonna try to find it.

Here’s one from October 2016:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/nation/fbi-white-supremacists-in-law-enforcement

[calimary]

26. And another (more recent):

https://www.google.com/amp/s/static.theintercept.com/amp/police-white-supremacist-infiltration-fbi.html

[calimary]

31. And another...

From 2017:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/static.theintercept.com/amp/the-fbi-has-quietly-investigated-white-supremacist-infiltration-of-law-enforcement.html

[calimary]

37. And another...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/07/capitol-mob-attack-rightwing-rallies-trump

[Major Nikon]

55. I have never met a Trump cult member who wasn't

I'm not talking about rank-in-file Republicans, but rather people who are rabid adherents to Trumpism (AKA cult members).

If you just listen to any one of them for very long, there's no question they are racist as fuck.

[Hotler]

25. Of course, racist, nazi and school yard bullies become cops so

they can hand out beat downs with out question as desired.

[llashram]

27. I can't believe our LEO's

would back tump...tell me it ain't true!!! No surprise here. The word "bloodlust" used in an OP here is the closest I got that describe the intent of the Trump Insurrectionist lynch mob. Just looking into the eyes of some of them tell me to keep my powder dry. Yes, I live in a purple area and I won't take down my Biden/Harris sign until 12:01 pm 20th of January.

[TNNurse]

28. You will have to admire the level of ignorance

and cluelessness that made them take photos and post things online.

Perhaps some more testing for employment might be beneficial.

[Crunchy Frog]

29. Police reform has to be a MAJOR priority.

Aside from the issue of racial justice, the survival of the republic depends on it.

[VA_Jill]

33. Absolutely

There need to be national standards for LEOs and a national database so that when a cop is disciplined or fired for behavioral issues s/he can't just jump to the next town.

[Crunchy Frog]

41. More than that. They need accountability, transparency,

and they need to be completely under civilian control.

The police unions need to go.

This moment gives us a unique opportunity to take on the mantel of law and order, and support for the lives of cops, and carrying out reform in the name of those things. I hope this opportunity will not be squandered.

The images of police getting beaten and crushed are powerful. Let our side use them to promote our agenda for once.

[pwb]

30. It would not surprise me if our little town cops went.

Real dumb fucks who couldn't get a better job. We are stuck with the short angry guys city departments don't want.

[mantis49]

32. "raucous events"?

What, just a big party? Minimize much?

[Dan]

34. Having read "Willing Executioners" a long time ago,

Nothing surprises me - about “some” in law enforcement.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

35. "raucous events" sounds like a frat party getting too loud. It was a violent insurrection.

[Joinfortmill]

38. Time to cull out the bad cops.

[Progressive Jones]

45. Round 'em up. Strike fear in their hearts. nt

[Initech]

46. Some of those who work forces are the same that burn crosses.

[Cha]

47. FIRE their Seditious Asses!

[pecosbob]

50. Cop on cop violence is no laughing matter!

[JonLP24]

51. Reform has been said for years

It shouldn't take an insurrection to figure out which cops to fire and even then you are not getting them all.

I have been following this issue for years and I often see the same proposals.

I respect the organizers and activists that have been at this for years and trust that they know what they are talking about.

I keep thinking about the bible photo OP. There was no dispute that protest was peaceful but Trump had law enforcement crack down on them just so he can go on a stroll. Compare that to January 6th shows that law enforcement presence & tactics are much harsher on BLM protests than these White Supremacist insurrections. The Whitmer riots show this as well.

What I support is housing for the homeless instead of having police watch the homeless. I support having psychologists respond to mental health crises rather than police. Use treatment to handle issues of drug addiction. We need to stop relying on the police for everything and this also helps them by freeing them to work on more serious crimes.

[DeminPennswoods]

58. Saw Mayor Kenny interviewed yesterday

He said the Philly cops identified are transit cops.