Thrasher on Blast

Residents in the 22nd respond to a police officer's comments.

by Taara Savage-El

[ aftermaths ]

A few weeks ago, a student journalist from Temple named Shannon McDonald went on a ride-along with 22nd District police officer William Thrasher. In the story she wrote about the ride, McDonald quoted Thrasher saying some uncharitable things about the residents of the North Philly neighborhood he patrols: "These people are fucking disgusting. It's like they're animals," he reportedly said, and described one dispute as "TNS ... typical nigger shit."

The Thursday after the article came out, City Paper visited the 22nd District to see how residents felt about the quotes. A 37-year resident nicknamed "D" sat on a bench at the neighborhood recreation center, watching a children's basketball game. He hadn't heard about Thrasher's comments, but he was upset to learn of them.

"I hope he's fired. He deserves to lose his job after a comment like that," D said. The comments particularly bothered him because "if a racist cop catches you by yourself when no one else is around, imagine what they would do."

A few blocks away, across the street from the police station, Ronald B. Giles, 37, said he thought the sentiment expressed by Thrasher was typical of 22nd District officers.

"It's gotten so bad that it doesn't even faze me," he said. "A lot of these law enforcers are racist, and even some of the black cops."

On Bouvier Street, a 60-year-old resident named Tank sat on his stoop, dressed in a sweat suit and with glistening rings on each hand. Tank and some of his friends said there were repercussions to the attitude Thrasher expressed: Numerous times, they claimed, they've called the police about emergencies to no avail.

"It takes three hours for a cop car to show up," Tank said. "We could say a man is out here dying and they still would take their time getting here. It's like they can tell what color you are before they get here."

S.B., a woman in her 20s who's lived in the 22nd District for six years, made a face at the mention of the word "police." She echoed Tank's complaints.

"For the cops to come on this block it would have to be drug-related," she said. "I guess you have to sound like an old white person."

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This is not to say that everyone here believes cops never respond quickly. Hunter Butler, a longtime resident in his 40s, says there's a disparity between how district officers treat permanent residents and Temple students, who also live in the area.

"I can call the police and it will take them hours to get here, but if a Temple student calls, they'll be here in less than five minutes," Butler said, standing on the corner of 18th and Montgomery. That wasn't his only complaint.

"I've been seeing a trend for a long time now. When the white kids party with their kegs and loud music and the residents complain, the cops just brush it off and say, 'Oh, they're just having fun. It's college life.' But when community members have their cookouts and parties, cops immediately rush to break it up. Police are doing their jobs, but more so for Temple students."

As for those students, a 17-year-old white girl named Molly, standing with her roommates outside their apartment at 17th and Norris, laughs and jokes while arguing that the local officers are helpful, and have the community's best interests at heart.

"The officers aren't threatening at all and you know they're here to keep you safe," Molly says. "One of the cops helped drive my friends and me home when it was really late. Another cop helped me get a taxi and made the taxi driver take my credit card as payment since I didn't have cash. I think they're doing a good job and you see them patrolling all the time. I feel safe with these cops." 

There is hope amongst some of the predominantly black residents that they could one day feel the way Molly does about the police. After complaining about the disparate treatment of residents and Temple students, Butler said he believed the district has been trying to improve. He's been seeing more cops patrolling, he said. "I think they're doing a better job."

Thrasher has been placed on desk duty. Commissioner Ramsey has said of the reported comments, "It's not supposed to happen. You can't serve people you don't respect."

(editorial@citypaper.net)