Courts
Local police study committee gets backing from La Crosse DA
La Crosse County’s top prosecutor expresses his support for county watchdog groups that look into police practices.
District Attorney Tim Gruenke told the county study committee on policing Tuesday that it’s good to have a panel which can investigate complaints from the public.
The idea of a policing study was promoted in the last couple of years, after George Floyd was killed by then-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on his neck for over 9 minutes.
Gruenke said he doesn’t hear many negative comments about police in this area, but he has heard complaints that law enforcement can be “rude” and “mean” and engage in profiling when investigating crimes.
Gruenke told the committee that officers may feel they’re following the rules, and might be unaware that citizens feel unhappy or threatened after contact with police.
He cited one recent incident where area officers searched a home for evidence in a crime investigation, and a woman living there wrote a letter saying she and her children were traumatized and afraid after police with guns came to the house.
nick
October 26, 2022 at 11:15 am
The police came to a house with guns; I assume they were armed. Does not say iff the guys were drawn or holstered? Does not say why they came to that particular house. Another example o f shoddy reporting and little facts. When we about Michael Brown of Ferguson, MO it is an unarmed black man shot and killed by police; true. However, Michael Brown fit the description of an individual that just robbed a store; placed the clerk against the wall and put his hands around his neck. The police officer sitting in this car heard the incident over the police radio and saw Michael Brown walking down the street.
A struggle ensued and he was unfortunately killed. The officer was not only cleared by the local police but a federal investigation spearheaded by the Attorney General found no fault even though they wanted to do so. Finally, police who cross the line are being arrested, tried and convicted across the country.
Anyone who serves on this “commission” should have to ride along with the police and at different hours of the day and night including week-ends .