A demonstration against the death of Eric Garner. Photo: Spencer Platt/2014 Getty Images

There has been no shortage of community outrage in the days since the death of Eric Garner, a 43-year-old father of six suspected of selling loose cigarettes, during a violent, videotaped arrest in Staten Island last week. Mayor de Blasio delayed his vacation and called the circumstances “very troubling,” while NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton said “this would appear to have been a chokehold,” an illegal maneuver.

Two officers involved, including eight-year veteran Daniel Pantaleo, who administered the neck-grab to bring Garner down, have been taken off the streets (as have four EMS workers, who were placed on modified duty). And while the PBA union has requested the police be given “the benefit of the doubt,” emotions are running high not just among the public but for police officers, too.

In internet communities for law enforcement, like PoliceOne.com, “the One resource for Law Enforcement online,” and Thee Rant, an NYPD message board, the Garner story has stirred up racial, political, and professional tensions, most of them quite ugly. While all of the comments below are anonymous, and therefore not verifiable, both sites do require registration for membership (“No ID card, No Approval!” says Thee Rant). By no means a comprehensive view of law-enforcement feelings about the incident, the postings do provide a different — if beyond upsetting — perspective.

To comment on http://t.co/ZEQeVULSYI, they verify that you're employed as a cop. That said, read these comments: http://t.co/LEWBwfUUFC — Mike Riggs (@MikeRiggs) July 21, 2014

PoliceOne

reltubs3314:

Anytime a person says “I’m tired of it. It stops today.” That will almost always end with the use of force. He made that decision, not the Police. The Police must effect the arrest and rise above any resistance. That resistance or lack of resistance is determined by the suspect. This was a huge man and it appears to me they used minimal force. Sometimes people with pre-existing conditions die when they exert themselves. There are Police Officers that have heart attacks and die every year during physical altercations with subjects. You will not see main stream media featuring those in their headlines. This is nothing more than petty blame shifting and fuel for extremist with an agenda.

joe hoffman:

“This makes all cops look bad because, as far as the public is concerned, this man was murdered because he sold some cigarettes.” In the first place, if it turns out that the force used by the officers was legal and within departmental policy, it doesn’t make ANY other cop look bad. If the public isn’t willing to accept the fact that the officers did nothing wrong, they can go to hell. I could care less how the public perceives us when we’re in the right and if YOU were any kind of law enforcement professional, you would understand that officer safety is FAR more important than public perception.

SAPDMAS:

Again if Mr walking heart attack had simply put his hamburger shovels behind his back, he wouldn’t have had a heartbattackmfor over exerting himself. The NYPD did absolutely nothing wron. Tomthe guys slamming these NYPD officekrs, I and many here wouldn’t want any of you guys around us on a critical,incident. Hopefully you guys are desk jockeys.

esu5:

I think they were very generous, maybe too generous in the amount of time they allowed this guy to vent. I wonder if that was because of his size? Or that they were awaiting backup, again due to his size. I also didn’t see any kicks, baton strikes, punches, nothing that could be construed as excessive.

sgt2278:

was not a choke hold. he resisted arrest, and was twice the size as the two who tried initially to arrest him. once again, if he would have just turned around and put his hands behind his back, he may still be alive today. he resisted and his heart gave out, not the police fault.

tpaw7:

You may say “f&ck the police” but you may not f&ck with the police. It’s sad that he died, but that blame goes to he and he alone. The police generally don’t show up ten deep at your door just to say hey. This pervasive mentality that these assholes seem to have about not listening to the lawful orders of the police is what leads to these deaths and injuries. All he had to do was comply and he would not be dead. Tough shit and too damn bad.

samuelx:

Of course the media isn’t going to point out how many thousands of dollars of untaxable income a mope can make in a week selling illegal cigarettes (while also receiving welfare benefits)…

pike942:

If he could talk, he could breath. He resisted arrest; they took him to the ground. I didn’t see anything improper about the arrest.

Go to any online forum that serves police officers, find the Eric Garner story, and read the comments. Those are your police, America. — Mike Riggs (@MikeRiggs) July 21, 2014

TheeRant

Santos:

Dont resist. I don’t understand why these people don’t simply comply. He would be out already with a DAT. What would his penalty have been? A fine perhaps? More than likely, he would have been cut loose with a warning. Unreal. I wish the officers well, its gonna be a bumpy ride.

kopinyc:

A more accurate headline would be “Non Compliant Fat Bastard Gets Just Due In Resisting Law Enforcement Officers”

DisGraziato:

I guess it’s the best thing for his tribe. He probably never worked a legit job. They city will pay off the family and they will be in Nigggaaa heaven for the rest of their lives!!

MY TWO SENSE:

Fat fck perp who was anointed a Saint by all who knew him. Married, noticed how they put that in there, because 9 times out of 10 it’s not the case. This video will gain a lot of traction and heads will roll. Pretty much every cop there will be modified. As far as the grab around the neck, I would have done the same thing. That piece of sh!t was too fat and wide to grab anywhere else.

Seems it was conveniently edited as well. Maybe missing a few details of the mutts action?

PH1nAlLY Phr33:

As they go down, one can clearly see the cop (Green Jersey) holding-on to his neck with his left arm ONLY while trying to grab perp’s right hand with his. Within 1 second he lets go completely and twists to a seated position next to the perp. There was no continuous “Chokehold” of any kind. Though not surprised, I like how these rags try to portray/describe something that never happened.

NYPD finest:

Hopefully I am totally wrong but they are going to try to crucify these cops for doing their job. If the fat fuk just put his hands behind his back none of this would have escalated into what it did. I think the cops are going to have a long uphill battle but thankfully this happened in Staten island and not the Bronx.

Career Path:

Fuckin Bratton threw the cops under the bus by declaring it as a choke hold.The cop grabbed him from behind yes but did not hold this guy in a position where the breathing of this fat bast*rd was blocked.The medical examiners report will be in the cops favor.Tell Deblowzio to get his azz to Italy.

Officer Joe Bolton:

It’s going to be an up hill battle for the cops, you can clearly hear the fat bastard crying out “I can’t breath”. If ever a person wanted to know why police work is so difficult, here is a good reason. Best of luck to those guys who’s lives (and their families) have just been turned upside down for all eternity.

offlinepbadad: