Former Marine, Officer Calls Pike "Cowardly" in Open Letter

Captain Souza,

My proudest accomplishment in life was earning the title United States Marine.  Today, I continue to espouse the Marine qualities of honesty, integrity and courage. 

I have worked many protests as a DC policeman and as a United States Marine fighting in Iraq. I am perplexed as to how a non-violent demonstration would necessitate police in riot gear or their use of pepper spray.

I understand that was a U.S. Marine.

The vast majority of former United States Marines would never have taken the cowardly action of pepper spraying non violent, sitting protestors.  Former Marines should carry their Marine training, ethos, and Marine attributes into civilian life.

This training (way of life) is represented by honesty; integrity; courage and staying fit among other things and qualities.  Marines are not supposed to be cowards. Lt. Pike is an embarrassment to the men and women who take an oath to not engage in bullying or cowardly acts. The vast majority of policemen (myself included when I was on the job) would not have acted as Lt. Pike did.

My hope is that Mr. Pike is indicted for Battery. If he were still in the military, although his recklessness was a civilian act, he would still be subject to UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice).

The UC Chancellor should without delay.  She showed extremely poor leadership, as did the incompetent UC Davis Police .  The fact that the cowardly cop may have made a decision to use single handily does not erase the fact that the chancellor and police chief failed as leaders.

These two people whose veracity is justifiably in question due to videos that tell a different story, were wrong for sending police there in full riot gear to a non-violent protest involving students who were sitting down.

Thank you for your time Captain Souza.  I look forward to your response.

Christopher C. Cooper