We continue to experience cruelty and violence in this country in ways tragically unique in modern, industrialized societies. Mass shootings are weekly, if not daily events in America where all are encouraged by arms manufacturers, their NRA propagandists, and cowardly elected officials (senator, congressmen, etc. in Virginia) to own handguns and assault weapons, guns designed only to kill people. Law enforcement is out of control in too many places, shooting unarmed civilians on our streets and using lethal-lite tasers and fists to beat and sometimes kill them in jails. Persons of color and those with mental illness are too often the victims. What does it take for the United States to get a grip and halt the senseless killing? It brings shame on us worldwide. It has become a major preoccupation and fear among our people. Yet, our public officials refuse to take action.
In our region, we have been fortunate. We’ve had no mass murders, apart from the two-man sniper team killings a few years ago. However, suspicious killings of civilians on our streets and in the jails continue with impunity. In 75 years, no Fairfax County Police officer has been charged for a shooting death in the line of duty. Some small portion of this amazing record is likely attributable to investigations being carried out exclusively by fellow officers. Unlike nearly all U.S. jurisdictions with comparably sized police forces, there is neither independent investigation nor civilian oversight of police in Fairfax County. For a police department that aspires to be the best, FCPD, with its lack of transparency and accountability, has a long way to go.
Take the case of John Geer, shot to death as he stood unarmed in his doorway in August 2013. Unlike many police killings, this one had several eye-witnesses — including the victim’s family. Yet police officer’s name and other information were stonewalled by FCPD and Fairfax County for eighteen months. It took a court order to turn on the light. The police officer’s supervisors remained silent the entire time, as always. The shooter remains at his desk drawing full salary.
We can compare the recent cases of two young black women who died in law enforcement custody, one in Fairfax County, one in Texas — Natasha McKenna, age 37, and Sandra Bland, 28, respectively. The 130-lb. McKenna was tasered (four times) to death last February by six Fairfax Sheriff’s deputies while strapped to a restraint chair, manacled and hooded. Ms. Bland is said to have hanged herself two weeks ago in a Texas jail three days after her arrest by an out-of-control traffic officer for an illegal lane change. Circumstances in the jail where Ms. Bland died are being investigated, but it is clear from video taken by the officer’s dashboard camera that the arrest was unjustified. There was no legitimate reason for her to be in the cell where she died.
Here is the difference between Texas (yes, Texas) law enforcement and that of Fairfax County. In Texas, the video of the arrest leading to Ms. Bland’s death was made public and on TV within days. The officer was likewise identified. Videos inside the jail were also released, although there are none from the cell.
In the case of Ms. McKenna, there are videos of her “extraction” from her cell which resulted in her death, but the FCPD still refuses to release any of the video and refuses to name the six deputies from last February. FCPD says this is because the tapes are evidence — just as the Texas videos are.
There is transparency in Texas, but none in Fairfax. The Fairfax County supervisors remain silent.