NYPD officer condemns Derek Chauvin: ‘He is my enemy’
Detective Dmaine Freeland broke the ‘Blue Wall of Silence’ and it would appear that he has been retaliated against for speaking out.
Detective Dmaine Freeland answered a question earlier this week on Facebook that many in the Black community have asked: As a Black police officer, what side of the coin do you land? Are you a Black man or a police officer first?
Freeland says that he is Man of Faith first —moving in action that is honorable.
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Derek Chauvin (Credit: RAMSEY COUNTY ADULT DETENTION CENTER)
It is from this posture that he took to social media to condemn the actions of former MPD officer Derek Chauvin and his use of excessive force that ultimately added to the death of George Floyd. The New York City officer maintains that not only did Chauvin disgrace the badge and uniform, that the two of them took an oath to wear honorably, but that he was his “enemy.”
At the beginning of the video posted on Thursday and now has been shared almost 160K times, Freeland introduces himself. He tells the world why he is speaking out.
“In light of what has happened in Minneapolis, I felt compelled to say something,” he confesses. “I realized by saying nothing, that I am indeed saying something.”
Freeland shares that he will not apologize for being a police officer, an occupation oftentimes frowned up in the Black community because of the high occurrence of racial profiling, harassment, and police-involved violence perpetrated against people of color. Yet, he says that his work affords him the opportunity to serve his family, friends, and the church of God.
For him, and with no motivation, he asserts his faith as the leading influence for his decision to be an officer. It also is why he speaks out against any officer that does not “serve and protect.”
Then his remarks were directed at Chauvin and any other police officer who operates from a space of bigotry and with a lack of integrity.
“Although we wear the same uniform and … the same badge … and our job descriptions may be similar in many ways … me and every good cop in the department are different than that heinous act that transpired in Minneapolis.”
He continues, “I wanted to state … every cop is not a bad cop.”
Freeland informs the viewer and still reminds those officers listening, that in the beginning, they take a particular oath to serve and protect. He also notes that Chauvin did neither.
“I want to say that that officer failed on both aspects and because he has failed, he is not my friend, he is not my brother, but he is my enemy,” he says. “He is not my enemy because of any race, creed, or color. He is my enemy because he brought dishonor to the uniform and the badge.”
Freeland bravely broke what is called the “Blue Wall of Silence,” speaking out against another cop. The backlash is rumored to be swift, including isolation, intimidation, and more.
It seems that backlash is already happening.
New York City Police gather at an active crime scene on 32nd Street (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
READ MORE: Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin mugshot released
Freeland, who is a Detective Third Grade working out of Brooklyn, has been on the force for approximately 14 years. Currently, he is working in Narcotics Borough Brooklyn North but has encountered issues of his own.
According to the New York City Police Misconduct Data — CAPstat, he was named in several lawsuits, including four federal claims that allege that he and his partners have used excessive force in their drug busts. In total, over $800,000 in citywide damages can be expended should he lose his case. He is being sued by alleged drug dealers.
This news has been widely populated since his public rebuke of Chauvin. The cases range from 2013 to 2017.
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