Comments

1
Guns are bad! Police are good, more laws will set us free.
2
"Sry for assuming you we're Mexican, but that stomping your head against the ground thing, well that was your fault."
3
Wow, I wonder when we'll here a gang banger apologize....
4
"hear"
5
Seattle police have had open season on Latinos for years and no body much cared. This Arizona thing is bringing a needed spotlight to a lot of injustice and racism outside of AZ too. 'bout time.
6
haha what did this fuck do huh? Bet he wasn't a banger. Couldn't have been. I'm positive he was just buying flowers for Mother's Day on Sunday.
7
"At no time did I ever dream that I would ever do something that would be bring such negative notoriety to my department," said Detective Shandy Cobane.


Let me correct that for the readers at home to what many of us are now seriously afraid of:

"At no time did I ever dream that I would ever do something that may possibly expose the city of Seattle to a possible seven-figure civil rights lawsuit when we're already $56,000,000 in the red."
8
"My comment that night does not reflect who I am or what I am as a person"


Yes it does.
9
@3 Gangbangers aren't serving in the capacity of a public trust. You really just compared our police force to gangsters? Idiot.

If anyone other than a LEO is standing before judgement for breaking the law and they exhibit exactly the same lack of personal culpability, if anyone under public scrutiny for breaking the law other than a LEO-in the same way as Officer Cobane does here-fails to acknowledge the full depth of their wrong doing, that person would be characterized in their probation report as a sociopath who can't admit guilty and doesn't deserve any mercy in sentencing.

By "internal investigation" they mean "crisis management and damage control". This guy is so broke up about his actions then anything short of resignation is dog and pony.

Shandy Cobane, come to Jesus as they say.
10
You know, I want to re-direct this whole issue to the heart of the matter-- this asshole's racist comments are just smoke and mirrors for the blatant abuse and lazy police-work that led several officers to abuse this man...

*That's* what this apology is trying to deter. Stay on target with the problem folks; whether he's latino or black ('cause we all know Police don't drop on white people like this), it's a clear example of racial-profiling-- as someone said earlier (and a NY Times article stated) Arizona is not *just* the problem...
11

Talk about Stinko de Mayo!

And I just watched Felix Hernandez play dodge ball with LA bats.

8-0 rout!

Will it never end??
12
I'll bet Det. Cobane went home that night & slept like a baby. I've got dollars to donuts that he had no feelings of remorse, or that he had done anything wrong until he realized the tape had gone public.

13
@8 & 12: You both hit the nail right on the head.
14
Cobane should look forward to driving a car with an amber light bar and telling laggard Target patrons loitering in the parking lot after store hours to go somewhere else.
15
Every time I kick the shit out of someone, I always apologize for anything said.

not the kicking for no reason, mind you.

or the racist motive for doing it.

Just the words somebody taped one using ...
16
I'm concerned about guileless parents who would name their child 'Shandy'.

...and how could anyone then be surprised that this hapless youngster would grow up to have problems relating to others?

No matter how many tears he sheds, when he walks out of the courtroom sadly he will still be named 'Shandy.'
17
And people are shocked when police get shot like they did in Lakewood? Seriously, people are shocked? This behavior is more normal than it is unusual people.
18
I'm glad i'm not the only one horrified that this guy was apologizing for his "comments" after beating the shit out of the wrong guy. Stomping his head against the pavement! Where's that clemmons guy when you need him?
19
I don't understand why SPD (given all their historical problems similar to this) wouldn't enact a ZERO TOLERANCE policy on racial slurs?? Not only should the two offending officers be fired, so should everyone in the vicinity who heard that and didn't say anything later. And to find out that SPD ALREADY KNEW and was just hoping it would go away - WOW. Just wow.
20
Cobane should be fired from his job, and then charged with assault in the first degree, and then he should go to jail. Because he's a criminal.
21
Slurs?

Calling someone a Mexican (which he is) is a slur?

I guess the bar for being a racist in Seattle has dropped again.
22
Mexican piss.....was he talking about Corona?
23
Why has no one yet made fun of the name Shandy Cobane?

It's comically Irish- like a character from "The Acid Matricide of Kulgaughey."
24
So how long until Corona Boy's extensive police record comes out a la Aiesha Steward-Baker and the jail bird from Tacoma?

Just askin'
25
Wow, Cato, a bit early for making completely asinine comments, isn't it? I mean, fuck this guy, and the SPD is full of assholes like him, but, really now.
26
No shit, @ 25. Yeah Cato, this really justifies shooting down cops because every last single one of them is an abusive psycho, right? And you'll never call one when you're assaulted on the street or burgled, will you?

You know how we often tell tea-baggers that Somalia is the perfect regulation-free paradise they seek? Same goes to those of you who want a world without cops.
27
12: I've got dollars to donuts that he had no feelings of remorse, or that he had done anything wrong until he realized the tape had gone public.

Same is likely true for Tiger Woods. It's pretty typical to not feel bad about being an asshole unless you get caught and exposed.
28
I don't see a justification for violence against cops in Cato's comment, only one possible explanation. And the fact is that while most cops might not be violent racists (might), most cops do turn a blind eye towards the abuses of power committed by cops every day. That means most cops have no business being cops.

Here's a fun link which clearly illustrates how thoroughly corrupt police forces around the U.S. are:

http://www.injusticeeverywhere.com/

And it's very silly to suggest that criticizing cops, even most cops, is to advocate for having no cops.
29
Well, Cato's broadbrushing but that's how all you really need paint a picture of an institutional dysfunction. A broad brush.

My old friends was one of those good cops you assume exists. He spent 14 miserable years trying to make a difference in the L.A.P.D. before he admitted to himself it was a hopeless endeavor that came at the expense of his own sanity and happiness so he quit.

This was no ordinary human being either. He was a very charismatic, intelligent person. A former Olympic diver. IF anyone could've risen in their ranks and affected some change it was him. 6 years shy of drawing pension he came to his senses and quit. Couldn't stand the cognitive dissonance of being a drop of humanity in an ocean of evil. He sells electronics in the Valley now and he is nowhere near the man he was prior to it all, bless his heart.

I know for the sake of appearing rational we're to at least feign belief that our police apparatus is salvageable and worthy of some empathy and understanding but they are prejudiced through and through. Prejudiced against and suspicious of anyone who isn't in law enforcement and your next traffic stop will-not maybe, it will-end up like this is you are anything less than a nodding agreeable, obedient subject.

The good old days are long gone. The department brass fan on every golden opportunity to show demonstrate compassion and responsibility by making an example but they think to do that comes at the peril of officer safety and the protective mesh of fear they cultivated in the general public.

This dude will get reprimanded for a racial slur. (He's a gang cop. In Seattle that means he is trusted to work pretty much exclusively with minorities. That's a problem.) He won't be griefed in the least over stepping on the guy's head and arm. He'll get some sensitivity training (read: fall asleep in a seminar for a week), some paid leave to shake off all the shame he brought on the department by getting caught and then he'll be right back to doing the only thing he's good at on this earth. Supporting his family with a paycheck he earns by abusing innocent and guilty alike.

Systems normal: All fucked up.
30
He's sorry for getting caught doing what he's probably done for years without video.
31
the woman cop was an asshole as well as every other cop who stood around not doing a damn thing.

this is how they operate.

there are tons of decent cops, ive met some of em, but man there are a lot of assholes. the guys were inocent, but to them they were just two spicks walking on their turf. and this asshole using the word homey? what is he doing his impression of pac man from colors? what assholes? they see a latino, they assume he is a gang banger so they begin to talk like theyre down, using old slang, no one uses. the gang unit is full of racist pieces of shit. they just happened to have gotten caught this time. and how about that tool from the guild. "cops have to act this way" yeah asshole, but you forgot to add, only around inocent people of color.

assholes. bring in a new chief. fuck diaz. he knew about this and he didnt put these assholes on leave until the video came out.

spd has been doing this for a looooooooooong ass time, and now they got caught.

no, this not justifies violence against any officer, but they need to fix this culture of cover up. it is bull shit, and is time to stop kissing their asess. they knew, they stood around, and they werent going to say anything. that is a culture, is not just a few bad apples like some people say.

32
really nice, seattle's finest who stood around and did nothing while this happened. who knew our cops were a bunching of pathetic fucktards.
33
Hey ladies, if you don't like cops, next time you get jacked on your fixie, wearing your tight little capris and studded belt, and you're left whimpering in the gutter peeing on your leg because someone just robbed you at knifepoint, do us a favor...

....call a hippie to help you.
34
@33:

IME, that would probably STILL be more effective than calling SPD, which in the case you posit, MIGHT get around to sending an officer over to your place - a couple of days after you report the incident, if ever. And at best, all they're going to do is file some paperwork and bury it in a file cabinet where it will gather dust until the cabinet gets cleaned out some years later.
35
@31 --

Can you imagine how a police officer's job -- particularly the gang unit's job -- affects how the police officer views the world?

@17 --

Cato, you should be ashamed of yourself. You have posted thoughtful comments before so I know you to be more intelligent than this. If you did not mean to imply random, innocent police officers deserve to be murdered, you should post a clarification or retraction.

Otherwise, shame on you.

@10 --
we all know Police don't drop on white people like this


Really? Really?
36
I don't know the details of the situation outside of the video we've all seen. I find it hard to imagine any situation where these officers' behavior is justified.

They bring dishonor to their profession and their fellow officers. They make it harder for police around the city and state to do their job.

I hope SPD conducts a transparent investigation. If these officers are as guilty as they appear, I hope they receive swift and decisive punishment.

The officers who stood by and did nothing are cowards. I hope they act differently in the future.
37
You guys that're saying "call a hippy" or "don't call SPD" when a crime occurs are being disingenuous.

If the law provided for a citizen to be his or her own police apparatus there are plenty of us who would be fine with that and do a damned site better than what we're stuck with.

Thing is, if I drop in on some criminal with my u-lock for stealing mine or the next person's bike in this state I'll be summarily thrown to the ground and beaten 'til the mexican piss is leaking out of me.

This isn't an issue of left or right. We depend on the police to do their job without prejudice and without endangering the innocent public their charged with protecting because they're the only legal ball game in town.

I'd totally call a hippy instead of the cops but that's illegal and I just want my bike back or whatever the scenario is you're imagining.

If I could afford a phalanx of armed Xe personnel in Hummers to roll with me everywhere I'd do that and I'd dare even a cop to try and pull me over but I'm just getting by on the annuity from my trustfund and 12 hours a week as a barrista so I kinda need the cops to do their job right 'til the bubble payment comes in (/sarcasm).
38
Speaking of what the department and community has worked hard to build and the colleagues this guy says he let down, there were at least a half-dozen of them standing nearby. What were their reactions at the time?
39
38, that's the larger, more important problem. If any one of those cops was worthy of being a cop, they would have have stopped the guy, or reported him to internal affairs. We know they didn't stop him when he was abusing the suspect, but whoever didn't report Cobane doesn't deserve to be a cop.
40
Not only should this be the nail in the coffin for Interim Chief Diaz's quest to become permanent chief, but it should nail shut Pugel and Kimerer's also.

The last thing we need is an internal appointment. Pressure should be brought on members of the search committee to select an outside candidate who will unequivocally state that if this happens on their watch any officer involved in a similar situation will go through immediate dismissal procedures.

41
Hey, thanks for apologizing for the words unbecoming of a police officer.

Now how about the part where you kicked a guy who was subdued in the head-- and he didn't even turn out to be a suspect.

I've seen better police work on The Wire.
42
This guys sorry cause he got caught. And he's crying because he's about to lose his job. This happens all the time though. The words make this racist but police abuse their power on all Americans. I got shot and the police never talked to me about who did it they just assumed a young Mexican it must be gang related so who cares. Lazy cop work is a big problem. So did they ever catch the real thieves?
43
@38

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_exp…

44
I was on a jury where Cobane testified against the defendant. Our impression of Cobane was that he was an effective cop but not the type to piss off or be with alone in an interrogation room. He also had the "dirty" cop vibe.
45
"So did they ever catch the real thieves?"

Pick a Mexican, any mexican.
46
@34 and you're more likely to be treated as a suspect and harrassed yourself.
47
Since there were several officers standing around while the racial slurs were being said and an innocent man was being kicked, I can only assume that this is widely accepted behavior within the police department. All the other cops standing around allowing this to happen are equally racist and abusive. If nobody there was hesitant or embarrassed by this, the entire police department should be investigated and retrained.
Am I surprised by this attitude towards minorities?
Not in the least.
48
@47 is correct.

The Thin Blue Line is never an "ok" response.
49
To think that police officers get PAID to treat people of color who haven't done anything wrong this way. To think that police officers like Ian Birk are being PAID to kill people just because of the color of their skin. How is this possible, when we are in the middle of a RECESSION and the state is cutting back on funding for social services everywhere??? The state wants to pay sociopaths in uniform to do what they do best, murder and beat men of color, but we can't afford to provide healthcare to the elderly, or disability lifeline to people unable to work. I see.
50
#10 Yes they do drop on white people. Cobane dropped on a white guy one week later.

Please wait...

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