New song: On the Beat in Richmond, California

Subject: RE: New song: On the Beat in Richmond, California
From:
Date: 12 Feb 06 - 12:21 AM

This song is about afriend of mine. Do you have any info on where to find it recorded, who wrote it and how to contact him? Thanks.
-John MacDevitt

Subject: New song: On the Beat in Richmond, California
From: John Kelly (inactive)
Date: 25 Jan 99 - 01:05 AM

A new song, thanks to the Muse, the Richmond Police, and Arthur Sullivan (who let me steal the tune from "The Pirates of Penzance"):

I was on my beat in Richmond, California,
(California)
When the call came in upon the radio,
(radio)
That there was a fellow standing on the sidewalk,
(on the sidewalk)
And he didn't seem to have a place to go.
(place to go)
I quickly summoned two of my companions
(my companions)
And speedily proceeded to the site,
(to the site)
And there we found the shameless perpetrator
(perpetrator)
Just a-standing there as if he had the right.
O, when constabulary duty's to be done, to be done,
A policeman's lot is not an happy one!
(happy one!)

I stepped right up to this vicious hardened criminal
(hardened criminal)
And declared I'd like to search him there and then,
(there and then)
He said "Show me first your warrant, or arrest me"
(or arrest me)
So I gently flung him up against a fence.
('gainst a fence)
I twisted up his arm and searched his pockets,
(searched his pockets)
His demands for explanations did not stop,
(did not stop)
I felt no need to explain my course of action--
(course of action)
He was young and black and male, and I'm a cop.
O, if I cannot stop and search them just for fun, just for fun,
A policeman's lot is not an happy one!
(happy one!)

Now the captain's called me in and chewed my ear off,
(chewed my ear off)
And it seems now that I've really pulled a boner,
(pulled a boner)
For this young man I was having so much fun with
(so much fun with)
Is an aide to State Assemblywoman Aroner.
(Ms. Aroner!)
How was I to know that he was someone special?
(someone special?)
He looked just like any other common bum!
(common bum)
When young black men think they've got their rights like anyone,
(rights like anyone)
A policeman's lot is not an happy one!
O, when the Constitution's got you on the run, on the run,
A policeman's lot is not an happy one!
(happy one!)


The first two stanzas are as close to the facts of the case as rhyme and meter will allow; the third, of course, is all speculation. According to the East Bay Express, Ardarius McDonald was standing outside a friend's apartment when three patrol cars pulled up and Officer David Monahan (1) asked McDonald if he'd mind being searched; (2) when McDonald said he would, searched him anyway, by force; (3) asked McDonald for his driver's license and checked his name for warrants; (4) threatened to cite him for blocking the sidewalk; (5) threatened to cuff him and take him downtown; (6) gave no reason for this treatment; (7) told McDonald to file a complaint. Officer Monahan apparently didn't know that McDonald is a field representative for Dion Aroner, member of the California State Assembly. McDonald has filed a complaint, which is now under investigation by the Richmond PD's internal affairs bureau.

Please feel free to sing this song anywhere, anytime.

--John Kelly

Line breaks <br> added by Joe Offer, who was in Richmond this afternoon.