Standing Down

For the past fourteen years, I have been engaged in a nearly continuous state of war. On one front were the drug dealers who encroached upon my property, putting me in physical danger from their violent behavior as well as subjecting me to legal liability for their activities. On the other front was a police department which for too long refused to help me with this problem, while simultaneously holding me accountable for it.

In my determination to defend myself, I have been forced at times to act in an uncivilized manner. I was pushed to the edged, and I did what I had to do to keep from going over. Some observers may feel that I have gone too far, but I know that I only did what was absolutely necessary. However, I believe that the flurry of activities has caused me to lose sight of my goals and to be slow in recognizing and adapting to the dramatic improvements which have recently taken place.

An examination of human history shows that, once mobilized for action, it is difficult for people to reverse course and far too easy for them to continue fighting even after the battle has been won. Being mindful of this, I now realize that the cost of pressing my campaign further would outweigh the benefits for myself as well as for others who I hold in high regard. And so, rather than continue fighting to the point where I would ultimately become the tyrant that I opposed, I choose instead to stand down.

I have certainly made mistakes along the way, but I offer no apologies for my actions. Both the drug dealers and the Fort Wayne Police Department attacked me, and my position was entirely one of self-defense. I regret that I may have irritated some individuals who themselves did no harm to me but, having aligned themselves with cowards, they must rightfully share in the scorn that is due for the irresponsible actions of their comrades.

Specifically regarding my comments about FWPD, I regret that my anger towards a few bad officers had to be feltby the rest. But it is they who have chosen the corporate identity. And while I realize that some may feel the personal nature of my recent posts was inappropriate, I did this because I wanted every officer to remember it the next time a citizen asks for their help. If they decide to just ignore that person, or if they choose to follow a leadership that orders them to do so, I want them to remember that sometimes there is a price to pay for such a lack of integrity.

My journal of observations from this neighborhood spans fourteen years and includes nearly a hundred pages of concisely written notes. It contains the names of over forty individual Fort Wayne police officers (nearly ten percent of the entire department), who’s ranks range from patrol officers to members of the Command Staff. My effort to understand this department has not been a casual or superficial endeavor, and I believe that qualifies me to give the following opinion.

I have been disarmed by the FWPD four times. Once, I actually lunged at the officer (in an excited, but non-aggressive manner) with my weapon visibly tucked into my front waistband. Another time, I was standing at the window of a car speaking with one officer when another officer noticed my weapon peaking out of my back pocket. There have been other occasions as well (when I was not noticeably armed) in which I acted in a defiant manner towards the police. The simple fact that I have never been thrown to the ground or shot by any of these officers reinforces my belief that the majority of them are able to quickly differentiate between a person who poses an actual threat, and one who is simply agitated.

Additionally, on many occasions I have seen these officers apply their discretion in a very magnanimous way. I have witnessed them at times practically begging a person not to force their hand, giving them far more than a reasonable chance to avoid arrest. The totality of my experiences and observations shows me that the main goal of most FWPD officers is not to bully others or even to make arrests, but rather to bring peace to the neighborhoods that they patrol.

The most important attribute for someone who is authorized to use deadly force in the commission of their duties is self-control. People who can not stand on the line without allowing their anger, fear or other emotions to pull them over the line should not be cops or soldiers. Such persons pose a threat to civilians as well as their comrades. And in this respect, my experience leads me to conclude that the vast majority of FWPD officers are true professionals.

Obviously, I have also seen some bad policing here. Whether the individuals in question were bad cops or just good cops having a bad moment I can never know for certain. What I do know is that a few officers have confided in me that they believe that there are some ‘bad apples’ among them, and that there are problems with the way their department is run. And this begs the question of exactly what those good cops are doing about it.

I would have really liked to close this blog by paraphrasing President Clinton to say “Whatever is wrong with FWPD can be fixed by whatever is right with FWPD. Unfortunately, the evidence I have seen leaves me unable to form such a positive conclusion.

As a final note, I would like to thank the many members of our local blogosphere and Michael Summers, of The Fort Wayne Reader, for their help in publicizing my plight. I know that both the police and the drug dealers have been reading my blog, and I think that has had a positive impact on the situation here. Considering the extreme complacency of our mainstream media, without your help my voice would probably have never been heard.

Phillip Marx