Police Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Where's the Apology?

So…Where is the apology from all the people who smeared Wilson? I mean when you spend seven months accusing a peace officer of being a racist, murdering cop who shot an 18-year-old "boy" in cold blood while that "child" tried to surrender and then you find out he was actually an honorable officer of the law defending his person against a vicious attack by a huge, powerful, and enraged man, well maybe you owe that officer a "Hey, bro, my bad."

April 17, 2015
4 min to read


Last month the Department of Justice issued a report on the August 2014 shooting of Michael Brown by then Ferguson, Mo., police officer Darren Wilson. This report was the work of an army of investigators and attorneys sent to Ferguson by the DOJ to find some way to prosecute Wilson for what many people view as a racially motivated "white on black crime." So I know deep down in my soul these officers and employees of the federal government were ordered to go to Missouri and come back with something or just not come back at all.

But they did come back. And they courageously reported an inconvenient truth for the Obama Administration. They said they agreed with the St. Louis County grand jury that the shooting was justified, Wilson's actions were reasonable, Brown initiated the encounter with a violent attack on Wilson and an attempt to take the officer's duty pistol, and the people who accused Wilson of shooting Brown while the young, black man had his hands up saying don't shoot lied.

Ad Loading...

So…Where is the apology from all the people who smeared Wilson? I mean when you spend seven months accusing a peace officer of being a racist, murdering cop who shot an 18-year-old "boy" in cold blood while that "child" tried to surrender and then you find out he was actually an honorable officer of the law defending his person against a vicious attack by a huge, powerful, and enraged man, well maybe you owe that officer a "Hey, bro, my bad."

Just don't hold your breath waiting for it, Officer Wilson. President Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder, the Rev. Al Sharpton, the activists, the mainstream press, the protesters, and the other members of the mob that indicted, convicted, and hanged you long before all the evidence had even been gathered won't be issuing a mea culpa any time soon.

Maybe you don't want their apology. That's understandable. After all, what good can it possibly do you? The damage has been done. You lost your career, you lost your home when your address became public, and you lost your good name.

But even if you don't want that apology, it's still needed and should still be made. It's needed on behalf of the other 800,000 or so of your brother and sister officers still on the job in this country. It's needed because the implication from the attack on you is that all officers are prejudiced, "shoot-first, ask questions later" bastards who feel nothing when they have to kill, especially when the "victim" is a person of color.

That's a dangerous and outrageous stereotype. Saying that all law enforcement officers are brutes and racists is a damned, dirty lie built on the fact that an extremely minute percentage of officers have done brutal and racist things on the job. It's as disgusting as any other stereotype.

Ad Loading...

Such stereotypes do real damage. A belief in stereotypes is why some white people cross the street when they see a young black man in a business suit approaching because they have come to equate that man's racial background with thuggery. That's a slap in the face to the vast majority of young, black men in this country who are not thugs. And the way some people see racism in every encounter between an officer of the law and a person of color is a slap in the face to every good cop.

Frankly, I fear that police officers in this country are now beginning to feel something like the veterans of the Vietnam War did when they returned home and were spit on and jeered at by the people they were serving. Right now, a small but growing segment of the American people are literally spitting and jeering at law enforcement officers. They have even defaced memorials to fallen officers, cheered when officers have been injured, and celebrated on social media when officers have been murdered in cold blood. These people have come to believe the stereotype of police as racists and that stereotype has been reinforced by the words and actions of the president and the attorney general.

Which is why I think every law enforcement officer should write President Obama and Attorney General Holder and demand an apology for Officer Darren Wilson. Of course the apologies will never come. But these men need to be reminded of their sins so that maybe they won't be so quick to crucify the next peace officer who has to use deadly force against an African-American suspect and further entrench the beliefs of some people that all police are racists.

Subscribe to our newsletter

More Patrol

Security officer wearing an earpiece uses a handheld two-way radio at an outdoor event, with PositionPTT push-to-talk radio accessories and earpiece shown alongside for professional communications.
PatrolJuly 28, 2026

PositionPTT & Pryme Combine Communication Technologies to Deliver Distracted Driving Compliance

Pryme Radio Accessories and hardware/software maker PositionPTT join forces to advance hands-free communications and ensure Department of Transportation compliance using an integrated system of push-to-talk platforms, devices, and audio equipment.

Read More →
Graphic announcing $25 million in law enforcement grants and resources over a photo of the U.S. Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, D.C., with large blue-and-white headline text overlaying the building.
PatrolJuly 23, 2026

Justice Department Releases $25M in Law Enforcement Grants & Resources

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services has just released $25 million in new grant Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) to support law enforcement. The recently released NOFOs include the Safer Outcomes: Enhancing Crisis Response Training for Law Enforcement Program and other grant programs.

Read More →
POLICE Topics, Tactics & Tips YouTube thumbnail asking, “What qualifies a device as rugged or fully rugged?” featuring a Panasonic Toughbook laptop on a dark street background.
Patrolby Wayne ParhamJuly 23, 2026

What Makes a Laptop Rugged or Fully Rugged?

What separates a rugged laptop from a fully rugged one? In this video, two Panasonic Connect experts explain the military testing, IP ratings, durability standards, and real-world features that help law enforcement officers rely on their computers in any environment.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Leadership update graphic featuring Team Wendy President Vasilios Brachos standing in front of a display of protective helmets, with POLICE Law Enforcement Solutions branding and text announcing his appointment as company president.
PatrolJuly 22, 2026

Avon Technologies Appoints Vasilios Brachos as Team Wendy President

Longtime ballistic helmet leader Vasilios Brachos has been selected to guide the next chapter of protection, innovation, and growth at Team Wendy.

Read More →
BRINC fundraising announcement graphic featuring a response drone in flight, highlighting a $125 million funding round to expand 911 response drones for police and fire stations, led by Motorola Solutions Ventures with additional investors.
PatrolJuly 16, 2026

Brinc Raises $125M to Put a 911 Response Drone on Every Police and Fire Station Roof

The latest round of funding, $125 million, can help fuel Brinc’s mission to deploy 911-response drones at the 80,000 police and fire stations across the United States.

Read More →
POLICE Topics, Tactics & Tips video series graphic featuring a Garmont Tactical Contact Collection duty boot against a police vehicle with flashing lights. Includes “Watch Now” callout for the video series.
Patrolby Wayne ParhamJuly 9, 2026

Garmont Tactical Contact Collection: New Duty Boots for Law Enforcement

Choosing the right duty boot can make a significant difference during long shifts. In this video overview, Kyle Ferdyn, of Garmont Tactical, introduces the new Contact Collection, designed specifically for law enforcement professionals seeking comfort, traction, and durability.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Benchmade Bailout folding knife with a bronze tanto blade, taiga green handle, and orange accents displayed open against a textured black background, highlighting its lightweight tactical design.
PatrolJuly 9, 2026

Benchmade Launches Taiga Green Bailout

Benchmade has launched its Taiga Green Bailout, which features an anodized aluminum handle, S90V stainless steel, and Burnt Copper hardware accents.

Read More →
Composite image of ADEPT's Nova Titanium tactical helmet, showing front and side views alongside a soldier wearing the helmet in the field, highlighting lightweight ballistic protection for military and tactical applications.
PatrolJuly 9, 2026

Adept Armor Launches the Nova Titanium Combat Helmet: A Metal Ballistic Helmet at Composite-Helmet Weight

Adept Armor said its new Nova Titanium combat helmet delivers rated 9mm protection at 920 grams all-in, low backface deformation, edge-to-edge coverage, and an indefinite shelf life at roughly a quarter the price of premium polyethylene helmets.

Read More →
Two healthcare professionals model 5.11 medical scrubs—one in gray and one in blue—against a blurred hospital background, highlighting the brand’s professional apparel for medical workers.
PatrolJuly 2, 2026

5.11 Expands Professional Services Line with Premium, Performance-Driven Scrubs Designed for Healthcare Professionals

The launch of high-performance medical scrubs marks another major expansion of 5.11’s growing Professional Services category, enabling hospitals and healthcare systems to outfit a wide range of roles.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Close-up of a black SOG Seal FX knife featuring a commemorative 250th anniversary engraving on the blade, displayed on an American flag to honor the United States' semiquincentennial.
PatrolJuly 2, 2026

SOG Knives Unveils 250th Anniversary Limited Edition Fixed Blade

SOG Knives has debuted its 250th Anniversary Limited Edition SEAL FX Fixed Blade, and only 250 are available. It features an advanced 4.3-inch S35VN steel blade and a tough glass-reinforced nylon handle.

Read More →