May 2024. BLUES Vol. 40 No. 5

GUEST COMENTARY police

GUEST COMENTARY police law news Daniel Carr Officer Involved: Dexter Reed I am still surprised at which cases the anti-police industrial complex deliberately chooses to highlight as a beacon for their “cause”. Since the vast majority of Officer-Involved-Shootings (OIS) are within law, according to department policy, and objectively reasonable - I imagine it must be a difficult task to keep this grift going. So, they are trying to make Dexter Reed the next “George Floyd”. Now, the facts of this case are a mere inconvenient issue for these anti-police activists and transitioning Mr. Reed into a sympathetic victim will be an incredible magic trick. However, the mayor of Chicago (Brandon Johnson) and the mainstream media are playing along by actively ignoring objective facts and that is giving this case some wings. WHAT HAPPENED? On March 21, 2024 Chicago police officers assigned to a “tactical team” initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle that was driven by Dexter Reed. Mr. Reed was a 26-year-old convicted felon and was currently out on bond for gun-related offense. During the traffic stop police officers gave Mr. Reed orders to: Not roll up the window. Exit the vehicle. Mr. Reed refused to follow 20 The Blues - May ‘24 those instructions and instead shot a police officer in the wrist. Mr. Reed fired a total of 11 rounds at police officers. In response, four officers fired a total of 96 rounds at Mr. Reed. Mr. Reed sustained fatal injuries. The injured officer is expected to make a full recovery. ISSUES - HOW THE COPS WERE DRESSED The involved police officers were assigned to a street “tactical” team. They were not in full, traditional uniforms. They were in plainclothes wearing vests that read “POLICE” on the front and back. This is the approved “uniform” for this assignment. Chicago police officers on these assignments have worn these “uniforms” for over two decades and everyone recognizes them as police officers - especially people who live in high-crime areas. I grew up in low-crime area in Chicago (where there was not much police presence) and recognized this as how some Chicago police officers dressed. Mr. Reed knew they were police officers. It is a denial of reality to claim otherwise. THE REASON FOR THE TRAF- FIC STOP There has been much question and criticism over the reason for the traffic stop. According to COPA (civilian office of police accountability) the reason for the traffic stop was for a seatbelt violation. Police body cam does confirm that Mr. Reed was not wearing a seatbelt. Therefore, the traffic stop was legal. However, it is my opinion that the officers knew (had intel) that Mr. Reed was armed and in violation of his pretrial release conditions. And that was the real reason for the traffic stop. If true - these facts would make this a “pretextual” traffic stop - which are legal.¹ HOW THE TRAFFIC STOP WAS CONDUCTED The traffic stop was conducted by the officers approaching Mr. Reed’s vehicle from the front and the side - with their guns drawn. I do question why a traditional “felony” stop was not conducted - as that may have been safer for the involved officers. However, experienced “tac” team officers that patrol Chicago’s most dangerous streets are likely in the best position to determine what is safe for this particular assignment. I am interested in their answer to this question. THE TYPE OF VEHICLES THAT THE POLICE WERE DRIVING The officers were in unmarked cars that look like regular civilian vehicles. These cars were

outfitted with blue lights - that were engaged at the time of the traffic stop. THE AMOUNT OF SHOTS FIRED Mr. Reed fired 11 shots at police. Four officers fired 96 shots in response to the deadly threat. As long as the deadly threat is still present - nothing is excessive. THE TRAFFIC STOP WAS LE- GAL. Mr. Reed refused to follow instructions from police officers to roll down the window and exit the vehicle. Mr. Reed, instead, shot a police officer. It was reasonable that police officers perceived a deadly threat and they appropriately responded with deadly force. This OIS was within the law and objectively reasonable. The involved officers should not face any criminal charges or administrative sanctions. They are heroes who are lucky to be alive. DISHONEST HEADLINES - THE TRUE VICTIM The only true victim in this case is the officer who was shot and injured by Mr. Reed. It is difficult to find any information about the officer who was shot by Mr. Reed. Typically, officers that are injured in the line of duty and/or shot by felons are identified and hailed as heroes. This officer was unlucky enough to be: Shot by Mr. Reed. Re-victimized by the insane initiative to classify Mr. Reed as some kind of martyr. **Any headline from the mainstream media that does not include the fact that Mr. Reed shot a police officer before officers returned fire is incredibly dishonest. This is part of the attempt to misinform the public about this incident. WHO WAS DEXTER REED? Mr. Reed’s family described him as a young man who was a talented high school basketball player who had ambitions of being a sports broadcaster. At the time of the shooting, Cook County court records indicate that Mr. Reed was out on pretrial release after being charged in 2023 with three counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and one count of possession of a firearm with a revoked FOID card. BLM PROTESTS AFTER THIS OIS DISHONEST NARRATIVE It is understandable that the immediate family of an individual that is killed during a police shooting would be grieving, The Blues - May ‘24 21