Police Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Black Officers' Lives Matter, Too

From the point of view of anti-police activists, the only black lives that "matter" are those of street criminals killed by police.

March 4, 2016
Black Officers' Lives Matter, Too

Photo: Kelly Bracken

4 min to read


Protesters connected with the Black Lives Matter movement recently jammed up the streets of Seattle. And from the level of outrage you would think an officer walked up to a young black man on the streets and shot him for no reason. But nothing could be further from the truth.

On Sunday Feb. 21, Seattle police were conducting surveillance when they spotted Che Taylor, a convicted rapist, wearing a holstered handgun. Officers ordered Taylor to show his hands and get on the ground. Police say instead of following these lawful commands, Taylor reached for his gun and was mortally wounded when police opened fire. Che Andre Taylor, a 46-year-old convicted felon, died the way he lived, violently. And the police who shot him are heroes, not villains.

Ad Loading...

But now because anti-police activists have succeeded in promoting the idea that all police shootings of black men—regardless of how heinous the past or current crimes of these men or the threat they presented to the police and the public at the time of the shooting—are "murders," Che Andre Taylor has joined a pantheon of "saints" memorialized by Black Lives Matter.

Here's a look at some of the other "victims" canonized by the movement.

Michael Brown—Minutes before he was killed by a Ferguson officer in August 2014, 18-year-old Brown was throwing his considerable weight and size around, quite literally. He walked into a local convenience store with his friend Dorian Johnson, terrorized the clerk, and walked out with a box of cigars that he decided were free just because he could take them. In other words, he committed strong-arm robbery.

Jamar Clark—On Nov. 15 Minneapolis police officers were called to a domestic disturbance to aid EMTs who were caring for an injured young woman who had been struck by Jamar Clark, her ex-boyfriend. While paramedics were treating her for her injuries, Clark reportedly tried to drag her out of the ambulance and continue the attack. A confrontation with police began, and officers say Clark attempted to grab an officer's gun and was killed. Other witnesses of the events say Clark was on the ground and handcuffed when he was shot, but they are probably as reliable as the "hands up, don't shoot" crowd in Ferguson. Regardless, it's not in dispute that Clark was possessive of his exes and willing to use violence against them. At the time of his death, he had been recently released on probation after pleading guilty to making terroristic threats in an incident where he threatened to burn the apartment of another ex-girlfriend.

Mario Woods—On Dec. 2 San Francisco police responded to a call about a slashing attack. Later that day they shot and killed the alleged perpetrator of that attack Mario Woods, 26, while he was holding a kitchen knife. The shooting occurred after multiple attempts to get Woods to put down the knife and after less-lethal projectiles failed to subdue him. He reportedly said to the officers, "You better squeeze that motherf____r…and kill me." Woods had an extensive criminal record, including a prison stint for armed robbery, and he just randomly slashed somebody on the street the day he was killed. But after loud protests against police, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is treating him like a hero. The supervisors voted in January to make July 22 Mario Woods Day. Which has royally and rightfully pissed off the city's police union.

Ad Loading...

And I have to ask, would the same supervisors have voted a remembrance day for the two black officers involved in the Mario Woods incident if they had been stabbed to death by Woods? Would Black Lives Matter have marched in the streets for those officers?

Of course not. Because from the point of view of anti-police activists, the only black lives that "matter" are those of street criminals killed by police, not the lives of the many African-American officers who protect the public to the point of sacrificing their lives.

You won't find anybody from Black Lives Matter mourning the death of a slain African-American officer like Riverdale, GA, Police Major Greg Barney who was killed helping another agency serve a no-knock warrant on Feb. 11.

Barney, 50, was a 27-year veteran of law enforcement. He left behind a wife and twin 15-year-old sons. More than 2,000 people showed up for his funeral, and there was an outpouring of grief in the Atlanta suburb of Riverdale.

But not one peep was heard from Black Lives Matter. You see, some black lives don't matter at all to these folks, especially the ones dressed in blue.

Subscribe to our newsletter

More Patrol

POLICE Magazine graphic featuring a close-up of a tick on human skin with the headline “Tiny Creature, Big Threat” and subtitle “What officers need to know about ticks and alpha-gal syndrome.”
Patrol•November 4, 2026

The Threat That Fits Under Your Fingernail

What cops need to know about alpha-gal, the tick-borne allergy that can turn an ordinary exposure into a problem weeks or months later.

Read More →
Bradenton, Florida, Police Department’s September 2026 Officers of the Month: Sergeant Andres Perez and Officers Rosey Bautista, Michael Wall, and Alexandra Fallacaro, pictured in uniform beside American flags.
Patrol•October 30, 2026

NLEOMF Honors September 2026 Officers of the Month

Four Bradenton Police Department officers were selected as the NLEOMF Officers of the Month for September 2026 for a nighttime water rescue.

Read More →
BLACKHAWK! Mini EDC multitools displayed in tan and black, showing open pliers, knives, and other tools alongside their folded configurations against a textured gray background with the BLACKHAWK! logo.
Patrol•October 29, 2026

Blackhawk Debuts Mini EDC Pocket Multi-Tool

The Blackhawk Mini EDC Pocket Multi-Tool stows easily in pants pockets thanks to a sturdy stainless steel pocket clip and incorporates several essential/emergency tools into a single, high-mobility unit.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Team Wendy EXFIL Endurance ballistic helmet in olive green with tactical rails and chin strap, displayed alongside the Team Wendy logo and product headline against a textured black-and-gray background.
Patrol•October 23, 2026

Team Wendy Introduces the EXFIL Endurance Ballistic Helmet, Engineered to Reduce the Burden of Extended Wear

Team Wendy has launched its EXFIL Endurance, a new lightweight ballistic helmet engineered to deliver protection, comfort, and fit during demanding, extended operations.

Read More →
Collage featuring paramedics, firefighters, police officers, and emergency vehicles surrounding the First Responders Children’s Foundation logo, highlighting the organization’s support for families of first responders.
Patrol•October 22, 2026

The First Responders Children’s Foundation National First Responders Day Roll Call of Heroes Ceremony Returns to Times Square, NYC

First Responders Children’s Foundation (FRCF), in collaboration with T-Mobile, will host the Roll Call of Heroes ceremony in Times Square to commemorate National First Responders Day on Wednesday, Oct. 28. During the event, FRCF will present 18 Hero Awards.

Read More →
Streamlight promotional graphic showcasing four lighting products: TLR-3X, PolyTac 1X, ProTac Rail Mount 1L-X, and ProTac Rail Mount VIR Pro, displayed against an orange and black background with the Streamlight logo.
Patrol•October 22, 2026

Streamlight to Showcase Newest Lighting Products for Law Enforcement Professionals at IACP 2026

Streamlight will showcase its newest lights for law enforcement at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference & Expo. Featured lights will include the TLR-3 X, the PolyTac 1X, and more.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Streamlight Portable Scene Light III featuring a tripod-mounted LED work light and close-up product view, with a badge recognizing it as the 2026 OH&S New Product of the Year winner.
Patrol•October 15, 2026

Streamlight Portable Scene Light III Wins 2026 OH&S New Product of the Year Award

Streamlight’s Portable Scene Light III has won the 2026 Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) New Product of the Year Award in the Lighting category.

Read More →
Hands insert an Adept Armor protective plate into a camouflage tactical plate carrier, demonstrating how the armor plate fits inside the vest.
Patrol•September 17, 2026

Adept Armor Introduces Two New Rifle Plates

Adept Armor has launched two new Level IV ballistic plates, the Emperor and the Archon Mark 2, which brings Adept Armor’s new Quatroid ceramic to the high-threat, performance-value center of the range at 5.2 pounds.

Read More →
Open Benchmade folding knife with a bronze-colored blade, textured dark handle, and braided lanyard resting on weathered wooden boards.
Patrol•by Wayne Parham•September 17, 2026

POLICE Product Test: Benchmade Bailout

The Benchmade Bailout is a slim, lightweight carry knife with a deep-ride pocket clip and comes in a variety of blade steels and scales. Here is a detailed review of the Taiga Green Bailout, released earlier this year.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Officer of the Month graphic honoring Deputy Lorne Juday of the Osceola County, Michigan, Sheriff’s Office for July 2026, featuring a portrait of Juday in uniform.
Patrol•September 17, 2026

NLEOMF Announces July 2026 Officer of the Month

NLEOMF honored a Michigan deputy sheriff as the July 2026 Officer of the Month for rescuing a trapped driver from a burning vehicle following a Fourth of July crash.

Read More →