Uugghh! Louisiana cop fatally shoots 14-year-old ‘four or five times in the back’

[eggplant]

72. Um, I'm pretty sure I never said that.

I believe that my comments have been pretty consistent. Unions protect the due process rights of their members, and negotiate and defend the contract that was agreed upon with the city. A union acts in the interests of its collective members. Unions don't have any direct control over management. Firing someone requires action by management, and previously agreed upon rules have to be followed.

Even if there is a clear case where the cop is in the wrong, the union is still obligated to provide them with counsel as part of any arbitration related to their job (firing, demotion, etc). It is *because* the union doesn't evaluate the alleged event, but instead provides support to their member on their way towards mediation, that makes them a union.

If the DA decides a crime has been committed, they proceed with it. If not, it isn't the union that prevents it.