What Denver Cops Really Think of the OCCUPY Movement and the Dangerous Consequences

This week David Lane, attorney for the Occupy Denver movement, obtained 30 pages of car-to-car text messages as part of a lawsuit claiming police are hostile to the movement and using city ordinances to purposely disrupt free-speech.

The messages were an unvarnished look into what city law enforcement really think about the citizens they are sworn to serve.

"i say we just baton the people who start to incite anyone," said one officer. Another officer blamed democratic Denver Mayor Michael Hancock saying, "This occupy shit has got out of hand because this liberal administration has allowed them to."

Many of the comments were denigrating and dehumanizing. One Officer called protesters ''retards.'' Another officer called them, "down right stupid." To another officer they were ''grungy hippies.''

Lt. Matt Murray, responding for the Denver police department wrote that the department, "regrets the tenor and tone of some of these texts." Hancock responded to the incendiary messages by saying? "I am really disappointed that some officers chose to communicate in this way."

Many of the messages go beyond frustration and name calling to actual threats of violence against Occupy protesters. When told that some demonstrators had squirt guns an officer wrote, "lf they point one at me I will shoot."

These texts highlight the abusive violent culture within the Denver police department and the lack of human respect officers have for those they are sworn to protect and serve.

Former Denver Safety Manager, Al LaCabe, testifing this week in the unrelated police beating of a 16-year-old boy that resulted in liver and kidney damage, said that Denver police have a culture that is accepting of officers beating suspects.

Lacabe goes on to say that not only is there an acceptance of violence, but it is common practice to cover it up. ''If you can write a report that says this is consistent with falling down, this is consistent with running through branches,'' the victim's complaint will be dismissed and the officer won't be punished, Lacabe said.

The messages sent by police about the Occupy movement are disturbing. The officers looking for an opportunity to shoot and beat protesters is predatory and criminal. How long will this behavior go unpunished? Maybe there is more need for the Occupiers than we thought.

In Related News: New Chief in Town

Robert White, the new Denver police chief, took the oath of office Monday at the City and County Building. White told reporters prior to the ceremony that he will change the culture of abuse in the Denver police department and hold those accountable who use excessive force. White is the first Denver police chief to come from outside of the department.