In yet another case of police brutality, a Tulsa, Oklahoma reserve deputy sheriff officer shot and killed an African-American after mistaking his taser gun with his firearm. The Oklahoma reserve deputy Robert Bates is an insurance salesman who performs such reserve functions.

Eric Harris, 44, was reportedly attempting to flee officers during an undercover sting operation in which he was filmed apparently trying to sell an illegal weapon.  He was killed by Robert Bates, who has been charged with manslaughter.

 

The Tulsa World reported that supervisors in the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office were ordered to falsify training records for Robert Bates, to give Bates credit for field training he never took and firearms certifications he should not have received.  So when our police are instructed to falsify records in one area, who is also to know whether they are falsifying other records?

We need to operate a trust basis for the law enforcement with whom we entrust the authority to act as the public’s representative in enforcing the law.