Beyond The Pulpit Ministries

Mighty men of valor are the closest thing to police officers found in the Bible.  They first appear in the Book of Joshua, and their role is the armed protection of the people and property of Israel. Much like what we expect from police today.

The mighty men of valor, however, were men of honor and integrity, men of strength, courage, and passion.  They were entrusted with seeing to the business of God (justice) and the ordinances of whatever king sat on the throne at the time.

Conversely, the earliest versions of police in these United States were the slave patrols, or “paddy rollers,” of the pre-Civil War south.  Armed with guns and bullwhips these white patrolmen sought to maintain white supremacy by indiscriminately subjecting enslaved Black people to beatings, harassment, and strip searches to keep them from slave uprisings or running away from plantations. 

Which of these is most like your local police department: mighty men of valor or paddy rollers?  

The mighty men of valor were nothing like the officers of the SCORPION unit in Memphis, TN who have been fired from their jobs and charged with last month’s murder of Tyre Nichols; nor were the men of valor anything like the eight unnamed Akron Police officers responsible for last June’s street execution of Jayland Walker – firing nearly 100 rounds at the unarmed Black man.  The Akron officers are back on administrative duty, awaiting the results of a state police investigation that already has taken far too long.

Our current national anxiety around this epidemic of bad policing hinges on just what kind of law enforcement we’re willing to endure.  Mighty men (and women) of valor or paddy rollers?    

With rising crime rates, mass shootings du jour, and an increasing disrespect for the rule of law, we all want a police force that will keep us safe.  But at what price?

Officers can literally get away with murder according to the prevailing U.S. Supreme Court rulings which requires officers to act in a “reasonable manner to defend themselves … when presented with a threat that a reasonable person would consider likely to cause death or bodily harm.”

All that means is that the eight officers who killed Jayland Walker and the officers who beat Tyre Nichols to death were justified if they say they “reasonably felt threatened.” Nevermind, that upon further review the threat was non-existent or the fear of bodily harm was unwarranted.  All that matters, according to the Supreme Court is that the officer perceived in the moment that the threat was real.

Add to that the U.S. policy of qualified immunity for police officers, which means officers can’t even be sued civilly for their unlawful acts. Even O.J. Simpson was sued civil court.

Two local law enforcement experts have two very different views about this police state in which we find ourselves. Maybe one’s a paddy roller and maybe one’s a man of valor.  You be the judge.

Tim Dimoff is an Akron-based security professional who believes the Walker shooters were justified in their actions.

“The problem with Memphis is we had rogue police officers who were not supervised, not monitored and they let it get out of hand,” he said. In Akron, however, Dimoff, who is white, believes “the officers felt they were in danger; there were a series of events where he (Walker) could have hurt them.”

All five of the Memphis officers are Black. All but one of the Akron officers are white.

Joe Fouche, a Black man, also is an Akron-based law enforcement expert.  He says police often behave like street gangs.

“When I say, ‘gang mentality,’ I mean more like a mob – a mob mentality,” he explained. “The group becomes one entity, and very often individuals get lost in what is right or wrong in terms of what should or should not take place.

“They think they’re beyond reproach, and then they put together a story to defend their actions, said Fouche. “As a police officer you have to balance what you know is right and wrong with the crime that’s been committed; and doing what’s legal.  You can’t address everybody like a criminal, even when you know they might be criminals.”

Our society asks a lot of police officers.  It’s not a job for the faint of heart. We need them to be our best and brightest.  Police must make snap decisions, often in the worst of circumstances. Which is all the more reason we need more men (and women) of valor on the force, and fewer and fewer paddy rollers armed and wearing badges.

Marc A. Tibbs is the Senior Pastor of Centenary United Methodist Church, Akron, OH