Emerging Unscathed From Cop Encounters
Where can a guy with a G.E.D. and a bad attitude make a good living barking at, bullying, berating, and occasionally even beating up Black people? Your local police department of course. And if you happen to be especially talented at lying, conniving, and conspiring against Black suspects or defendants, you could even wind up a millionaire minor celebrity like Mark Fuhrman. Remember him? The former L.A.P.D. detective became infamous for taking the 5th in the O.J. Simpson murder trial, got fired from the force, and then rode Fox News fame to sell books and make paid appearances all over red state America. That is a pretty good deal as long as you are cool with living in Idaho.
But we can all agree that Fuhrman is the exceptional case. Fuhrman cashed in at the highest level because his undeniably racist motives were especially stimulating to overt white supremacists and closeted bigots alike. And his racism was broadcast to the world in the most famous trial in American history. Typically, when a cop comes under fire for misconduct involving a Black person, he does not get a book deal.
However, he does get a paid vacation for a few weeks before he returns to his job where, far more often…
