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Rochester, NY Police officer Kaela Pitts, the Hopscotch Cop: Should be an Example to All Police officers!

Davy V. 1196 Views , , , , , , , , , , ,

By Davy V.

Since April of 2012, when he announced his billboard campaign, Rochester, NY Police Chief James Sheppard has been desperately trying to win the community’s trust, and respect.

First, it was the billboards.

Strategically placed in areas of the city where there is a high concentration of Americans and Latinos, the billboards feature paid minority actors “photo-shopped” standing next to actual minority Rochester, NY Police officers, with the slogans “We’ve Got Your Back” and “On the Same Team.”

When that didn’t work, Chief Sheppard tried several other attempts.

He came up with several cop and kids outings, such as “Fish with a Cop”, where Rochester Police officers took a few inner city kids fishing on the banks of the dirty Genesee river, and “Skate with a Cop”, where officers went bmx bike riding and skateboarding with a few kids in an indoor skatepark.

When that didn’t work, Chief Sheppard turned what he called “twitter town hall”, where every Tuesday in January, for one hour, the Chief would be available questions, and concerns from citizens, of course Chief Sheppard made sure to selectively pick and choose which questions, or concerns he would respond to.

When that didn’t work, Chief Sheppard announced the Rochester, NY Police department Facebook page, which has turned out to be another dud.

It was that last move by Chief Sheppard which prompted me to create my own Facebook page, “Rochester, NY Police Department Exposed.”

The page, which I officially launched on March 2, 2013, exposes the misconduct, corruption, and questionable activity by Rochester, NY Police officers, which the RPD, and the City of Rochester don’t want taxpayers to see.

The response to the page has been overwhelming, with just over 1.5 million views in less than a month.

Even though the page is essentially about exposing dirty cops, I have no problem featuring the few Rochester Police officers who seem to really care about the community they have sworn to “serve and protect.”

Rochester, NY Police officers like Kaela Pitts.

After I posted the photo to the right, which shows officer Pitts playing hopscotch with youth on a city sidewalk, the response has been amazing.

As of the writing of this post, the photo has been viewed more than 40, 864 times, has received 2,359 ‘likes’, and over 260 comments.

Comments such as “That’s how it use to be back in the day’s, when the police in the was a part of the community. Not looking at us like we are criminals!”, or “Can we clone her about….. 5000 times. Plz.”

I think Rochester, NY Police officer Kaela Pitts, represents for the community, what we want and need.

Caring, good police officers.

Officers who use their authority to make a positive difference in the lives of youth.

Not profile or abuse them.

I know for me, seeing this photo reminded me of a much happier time in my life.

A time where I was taught to respect police officers.

A time where I was taught that police officers were your friend, and that they were they to help you.

Like that time in second grade when “officer Friendly” from the Rochester, NY Police department visited our classroom at Jonathan Child #21 School.

A time when I would sit on my porch and Rochester, NY police officer Ron Fontaine, a great man, and an even greater police officer, would stop his cruiser in front of my house on Child Street, just to say hi to me.

So you see Chief Sheppard, with all your desperate, failed attempts to win the community’s trust and respect, through billboards, outings, twitter and even Facebook, the answer is simple.

You need to get rid of the dirty, corrupt, rogue, racist cops on your force, and hire more officers like RPD officer Kaela Pitts!

 

Visit my facebook page: 


“Rochester, NY Police Department Exposed!” by clicking the link below

 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rochester-NY-Police-Department-Exposed/113595408828562

 

Follow me on twitter https://twitter.com/davyvara

EPN

Davy V.

Davy V. is a Cuban-American Filmmaker, Video Producer, Photographer and Freelance Writer, best known for using the power of video and film to expose Police Brutality, Corruption and Misconduct. The son of the late Mario Vara, a community activist who for years fought against Police Brutality and Misconduct in Rochester, New York, Davy V. got his start in Television and Video by tagging along and working camera for his father's cable access television show, "La Voz Del Pueblo" (The Voice of The People). Davy V. later went on to produce and host "KEEP IT ON THE REEL", a cable access TV show with a mix of Hip Hop as well as issues affecting African-Americans and Latinos in Rochester, NY, such as Police Brutality and Misconduct. Some guests on the show included Treach, KayGee and Vinnie of Naughty by Nature, Method Man, Funkdoobiest, Da Youngstas, and the Rottin' Razkals. Davy V. won the U.S. ACM Video Festival Award for his Documentary, "R.P.D. EXPOSED!" about the Rochester, New York Police Department and their long history of misconduct, corruption and unnecessary killings of unarmed innocent citizens. "R.P.D. EXPOSED!" and Davy V.'s follow up, "R.P.D.: Badges of DISHONOR, CORRUPTION and MURDER!" were both screened at the National Hip Hop Political Convention at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey. Davy V.'s work has been featured in publications such as THE SOURCE Hip Hop Magazine, URBAN AMERICA Magazine, The Ave. Magazine, Insider Magazine, La Voz Newspaper, Minority Reporter Newspaper, CNY LATINO Newspaper, DOWN Magazine, as well as on television news stations, and programs such as CNN and Inside Edition. In addition to his freelance writing, Davy V. also writes a monthly Op/Ed Column for LA VOZ Magazine and Minority Reporter Newspaper. In June 2012, Davy V. joined Cop Block as a regular contributor.