Thursday, August 28, 2014

EXCLUSIVE: St. Louis Police Officer Blows the Whistle on Rampant Corruption Within the Department

“I wouldn’t have come down here (to Ferguson) and stood on those front lines, I would have taken my uniform off and have resigned.”

"I am Mike Brown, I just wore a uniform."
“I am Mike Brown, I just wore a uniform.”
Officer and veteran Dawon Gore, 44, of the St. Louis County police department is currently suspended without pay and facing charges of second degree assault after allegedly breaking three fingers of a 24 year old man with his baton during a confrontation.
“Officer Darren Wilson is White, I am a Black Officer. Wilson didn’t do a report, I also chose not to do a report. Both subjects were black males, Wilson’s subject had cigars but was unarmed and my subject was found not to be armed as well. Wilson drew a weapon (gun), and I drew my metal baton.”
On Tuesday, August 27, The Free Thought Project’s Cassandra Rules, met up with the officer on W. Florissant in Ferguson where protesters have been gathering in the streets since the murder of unarmed teenager Mike Brown.  Gore wanted to explain the parallels, and differences, between him and Darren Wilson. He also wanted to show how rampant racism in the police force is not only directed at the people, but also at officers themselves. Anyone with the guts to speak out against them also faces a slew of backlash.
“I’ve been embedded in St. Louis County for 14 years and I am going to tell you this on camera, that’s the worst entity I have ever worked for. I’ve been in the military, I’ve served the St. Louis metropolitan police department… but when I got there I ran into this big wall of cultural bias that I had never seen before.”
Gore began by candidly giving The Free Thought Project the play by play on the events leading to his charges. He explains the corruption during his investigation, points out his PTSD, and speaks out against seeing our streets littered with the weapons that he saw on the field at war.
Gore tells the Free Thought Project how he would have reacted, had he been told to come and oppress the protesters in Ferguson.
“I wouldn’t have came down here (to Ferguson) and stood on those front lines, I would have taken my uniform off and have resigned. I didn’t have to come down here, but I would not have come down here and oppressed these people.”
Gore explained the intimidation happening within the force. When asked if it was directed at black officers Gore replied, “Black officers, or any other officer, I won’t just say black; anyone who pushes back or stands up for themselves.”
Officer Gore is currently suspended without pay after using non lethal force on a man who attacked him in front of witnesses. Gore later gave this same man a ride home, and didn’t charge him with anything. Now, let’s compare that to Officer Darren Wilson, who is on a PAID suspension after he shot and killed an unarmed man.
Gore had also requested help from the organizations who have raised over $400,000 for Darren Wilson, and claim to support all cops, yet his gofundme account currently sits at $25.
While we support NO violence or brutality, what this officer has to say really does make you think.
After being exposed to the corruption in the St. Louis police department, this officer vows to never put a uniform on again.
End the blue code of silence, blow the whistle and redeem yourselves.
h/t Tyson Manker for filming this and hitting the streets of Ferguson with me.

2 comments:

  1. Imagine my shock.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would like to donate to Mr.Gore's fund, please provide a link. Thank you for being a light in the darkness Mr. Gore!

    ReplyDelete