Joe Rogan Experience #670 — Michael A. Wood, Jr. Transcript

Transcript

0:00 And we're live. What's up, dude? How are you? uh, Sam Harris and, um, Dan Carlin just did a podcast recently together. It's a really excellent I was a cop for 11 years. Was to be more Robo cop ish like where I took my emotions out of the job and handled it strictly as enforcing the law I'm not going to be biased by separating myself from the situation

3:01 things against somebody because I'm literally not trying to see that. my numbers weren't... for it to settle in. So what about those Okay, here's one. You've seen it on TV. You have no way of doing it unless you're Terry versus Ohio was a case law that So if you thought they had a weapon on their hip, you could pull back the jacket and kind of pat it down.

5:56 with narcotics that are distributed in the area and I can justify that, We talked about that on a podcast once. It was mostly black kids. So in Baltimore, we'll do stop and frisk. Jesus. What led to you leaving the police force? Was this a buildup? It slipped, and I tore my shoulder out. the crimes i know i don't know what to tell you it's not a safe story i've got nothing i have

8:43 And then they said I need another surgery. Fixed that dude up because your shoulder So I came back and saw that somebody started paying attention. So I'm used to just going and minding my own business and not bothering anybody and then suddenly people know you are it's it's it's Yeah, I mean, it seems like that was the case. look, this is what we do.

11:14 And in a realistic, scientific way where we have some empathy and treat people like human beings because we don't. and how much violence there is there and what it's like trying to grow up there and become a normal person and they keep feeding that school to prison cycle a doctor there you couldn't if you're a black doctor you couldn't buy a house in a nice white

13:18 in certain neighborhoods. You'll see it in there. Because it's the original deed. I mean, they are institutional racism. There's no doubt about it. And it's up and down in these urban environments, in these So what people are saying, these cops aren't racist. I'm not saying they are racist. What We just arrest them, and you throw them in a cage, just like they did with Freddie Gray.

15:49 perceived threat or whatever natural resource we want to dominate and monopolize, but no that they wear weird rituals scarring of their face you know what have you we imitate what's in really We focus on who commits the crimes. the next day. So he loses his job and then he can't make it to court. So he gets his license And the number one problem is the drug war.

18:52 and don't let it hit the county. So that's our role. That's what we're doing. So your mayors What will actually have results? force in the city. There's no way around it. So I have to be aware of that and think about that. So in Baltimore, it's kind of weird. okay. It's just Baltimore. progression. I think I went into the Marine Corps to prepare myself.

21:40 I said it since I was a little kid. So you got caught up in the cycle yourself, It's just you're in it. Yeah, I think your cell phones are certainly scaring a lot of So it's got to be much smaller. There are 12 bad cops there because he just witnessed an assault on a 14-year-old girl in a bathing suit and did shit about it. that it's one of the most difficult jobs that a person can do,

25:34 with all sorts of different assaults and domestic violence and theft and robbery, what is that like I thought it was good. talking about the same things We were talking about how stressful it is. So they take that. So that's why we have to be more human bullshit you had somebody in your But it was harking back to something a long time ago. But you're in a high drug area.

28:07 We don't. curious how much force they use, but apparently they didn't use that much force. And they searched But even if you can somehow justify that, But do any of them ever get arrested? So you can fuck with the people that you want to fuck with. But then I realized, like, it's just a knife. But I assure you that everybody that's been arrested with that is 98% going to

30:23 Yeah! So if I would have caught him, I would probably chase him because I think he was dealing. Sorry about that. for drugs i'm so glad you're talking like this because i've always thought that too i was like it must be But I swear to God, there's a part of your fucking brain that wants to shoot a squirrel. Like, why do you, because people like hitting things with guns.

32:54 For, like, was I looking for the target? I'm going out there. Wow. That's the honest truth. there's a fucking video of this guy who's this big fat slob who's a cop, want to kill you like you have to have a certain amount of awareness and you have But they don't get into a lot of shootings as much as urban environments because I think it's that fear.

35:39 They say, oh, this troubled youth. And we have to face it if we want to learn how to police properly. Wonderful. Yeah, I mean, we're all the same. We know this. Scientifically, we know this. And again, it was an ex-Marine. I would trust military members more than I would trust a civilian who's never seen any real gunfire or any real shit. You know, someone who

38:08 I really do because I think there's a lot of people that would shy away from talking like that a guy who's on our side. It's internal as well. It does. hey, we need to end this drug war. Yeah, but also I support their right to get fucked up if they want. Right. develop friendships because so we could shoot the shit on the corner or something like that but the

41:55 You threw me right into the biggest war zone we have. We were totally playing. Right, because they're projects. There was always a way in. He said, these aren't my pants. So I go there, and I go to the Southern, which is an area where you would be fascinated there. And they mingle together. the the the whites in the neighborhood you would have a really hard time figuring out your reports

44:27 was all together so like there's so much inbreeding really you actually you would have these crazy If you're working there. So I'm expected to get the same amount of arrests and I'm expected to write the ticket. So I have Yeah. Shouldn't that be the metric? You'd make up some crimes. So even if there wasn't crime, So it shouldn't be just crime. And again, remember, I'm not being judged on that.

48:40 especially when i was doing narcotics so after i went from the northern i went to a unit called And it actually pulled me out So he was selling weed to just like buy diapers for his kid. out of a decent kid. And it was was it was shocking to me like I like And what was the idea you're supposed to blend in so the idea? I really don't. Go ahead. This is going to be anything.

51:26 I don't have an opinion on that. And I turn the corner and literally a four-year-old boy. cops get into where they're Yes. God damn it. why do you why do you survive if you do do it i would think you're making an enemy yeah it's a just like anybody else did you have a lot of black officers? Oh, it Baltimore is about It's about even Wow, so but there's no difference

54:49 either or certainly for different people Wow what the fuck dude what a crazy life and I had this vacant building that I would hide in, he knew I was there I knew he was there but we never actually crossed paths but they had a so see the dealer sitting there, but then I would see him take care of his kid. I would see him sit down This is preposterous.

57:12 Not Rachel. Everybody should Orange is a new black right right. He's orange. Mm-hmm. Look at her skin Some people want to be chicks. Yeah, I can imagine. When I was a sergeant, I had a pretty good sphere of influence. whether they have drugs on them or whatever but when you go through the city it's not at all what And you keep on moving. You kind of have to see the city for what it's like when you're not there.

59:55 It's it seems Now, sure, if I made enough money, if you're going to pay an officer $150,000, $160,000, yeah, he can stay in the city. Fuck, man. Is that the same thing with there, Well, I know my friends that are cops they actually did it on purpose or some that live in Santa Clarita throw flags. So in my You take his stuff, and you roll out. No, because it's the game.

1:02:19 As soon as they stop playing by the rules of the game, doing the same product. that you keep arresting people, and you keep this cycle going. going to fill it with jamie jamie's sketchy look at him Now We're gonna fill it With When that judge I think a lot of people The head of Baltimore police? he's fired because he never led in California. You find that to be coincidental

1:05:07 No So they come in Right. Like you just threw your commanders under the bus in public and you think this agency And look, I think what you're doing today is very courageous. I would consider it if we had the environment to do so, but what if we went into some sort of a situation in this country where drugs We're, How much of an impact would that have on?

1:08:13 Let's focus. I mean, that's a good step. I concur violence which is totally reasonable yeah doesn't have it doesn't matter if they're violent over Right. I mean, it's literally the definition of insanity, affect them so why should they care were you still in the force with it when that And they wrestled the ground choked him and then tried to say that it wasn't a chokehold though. I mean that one

1:12:09 So if I'm going after that guy, I can immediately see that whether there's a law or not, the idea that I'm going to take someone's freedom away. So, what, Jesus Christ, I mean, you know, he's making a little bit of a profit, but who gives a shit? I mean, it is morphing right in front of our eyes and becoming this free utopia. That's for some change.

1:13:31 That's gonna make it safer for their kid to go to Fourth of July in the city. I'm listening to you talk here, man. How do I? neither. Our entire mentality is that we are somebody that's separate. We're not the good guys done that and that it is wrong or that it was wrong. It seems to me that like, whether it's politicians or whether it's a military or whether it's, whether it's someone like fucking Bill

1:17:01 you need to lock up more people, these streets are too safe. Either you're doing the right thing or you're not doing enough. and patrol the streets. Yeah. That sounds like a great idea. And, but you see it, right? You see taking my gun. It's right in front of him. The other guy see the taser? Well, that's nice. D-Ray was booked. Making wolf blitzer look like a fucking idiot on TV, but he had me blocked for some reason

1:19:29 No, his blocking has something to do with something he thought that you said. No, I mean, I just don't know enough, and I didn't dig. He's fine. He's one of the good guys. Well, he should be, but why not? When I see that guy show up at any fucking event that has anything to do with black people I think things are slowly but surely turning. Because oversensitive can be corrected.

1:22:15 You know they say equality in science is more important like that that motherfucker is curing cancer He can kind of correct And I think symptoms like that like like these issues that we face, and so terrified that they're worried I think even though I've been a victim of oversensitivity, I shouldn't say victim. it's evidence that society as a whole and our culture in America is tipping towards

1:24:58 I mean, it's a different world. I think this is a great time to be a human being. We just have to be human and recognize all of our flaws And it's going to be better. The fact that you actually were there on the street arresting a dude by good leaders and doesn't have to start arresting people just for drugs, That's are you are we saying that we're perfect or are we saying that it's futile?

1:28:27 philosophy where you were like it doesn't matter what you do just fucking be nice just be nice It doesn't make any sense. that's i i support that 100 you know good financial decisions or that is a conservative thing I think when we look back at this time, 100 years from now, And then second of all, someone would probably tell us we can't talk about these things.

1:30:43 You can go to jail if you don't pay that fine. And the powers that be And you influence, like I'm genuinely honored to have you on the show. I'm genuinely, I really admire what you've done and What do you hear? You don't hear any soul. If we don't fix that, the communities that are fucked. Go to these deeply entrenched in crime areas and fix them. Goddamn shit that everybody's been doing for the last hundred years. It's striking how much we do things similar

1:35:18 corners being the same problems with the same families and doing the same things and the police lift up the country. and doing all these things. that prosecutor's a criminal he criminally covered up that indictment there's no way around it that's is if there's four of us in the room right now, And you would have had an indictment. with nothing. The law says that if you're in fear of your life as an officer, you can pull that trigger.

1:38:38 So they run around with fear No, because it's not that anybody's rushing the judgment. I think the evidence would say that it would be rule justified. Right. But it would just be questioning witnesses. We have, we know that we have a history That guy's being indicted on murder charges, right? and then stand over that boy, What am I going to do Are we kidding me?

1:41:41 There's no doubt about it. So if you took an officer out of Philly, you can put him in Baltimore. They just can't use it. It's mostly black ghettos, right? I know you said something about that. No, we're arguing about the Dukes of Hazzard. And then people are freaking out. Oh, I said it about Daisy Duke. you're hunting for dick. That's the real fucking travesty.

1:44:19 the Avengers bounce through buildings and shit. It's bullshit. That's the real Well, it's like raising a flag. They wanted to win fighting to keep racism you know Dan Carlin said that they should add to the and the star of Texas, It doesn't have any connotation that you hate black people I like that one. Yeah. Snake? in one, and then the other one Ideally no nationalism.

1:47:19 They have pride in their community. The canyon I can remember was called Malibu Canyon. Yeah If they can bring fucking oil down from Alaska, why can't they bring water? You can make a hyperloop that can get to San Francisco in five seconds like what Elon Musk is trying to do you can't put Why not? And a lot of people have pools. There's some change.

1:49:41 You don't find a lot of fucking people. But all it would take is one of those, the rock style earthquakes from that new fucking movie. Hey, that's the Teslas. It's nothing. for five months a year yes that's true i went in summertime so i'm talking about my ass a bit You experienced 90. It's nice. It's July. Right now it's brutally hot i want to hear all your funny car chase stories okay how many you got three

1:52:33 Yeah, you ride by yourself. Just ask him. I would. He looked that bad. You were kind of a Sinatra when he was younger. Oh, gosh. You ever see Other people did. He looked that back. You know, Sinatra only weighed like 125 pounds. they arrested him for? Because there was like a little car that had the, there's a thing below it. It's just larger than life. You know I mean like Tom Cruise kind of thing

1:54:47 Like, nobody noticed him. like what you think a cop is. hilarious. I don't know why. It was just a running a tag in a car, And it starts to turn green, and he's getting ready to go. What kind of gun? Right. So he gets the key. Yeah, but they're stupid. So we go down the road. I'm like, fuck Kareem, get out. and he's like coming hard and he left his cell phone in the car

1:57:51 I'll try to get it back to her. I'd be like, like that. What? can't do more than 10 miles an hour over the speed limit They don't like it, no. So who lets you do high-speed chases. They don't like it, no. That is so fucking crazy. You don't have to be accurate or anything? Right. Right. Somebody would be like, why don't you shoot the knife out of his hand?

2:00:49 a knee. Right. And you can pass the course by doing everything from the 3 to 5 and I think the 7. So you're dealing with like a two and a half foot, three foot target? We're talking about, I mean, some of these are from three. So you can actually qualify before you even go deep. I know. People don't understand what we're talking about. They tell you all these things, but they don't have time.

2:02:57 There's no standard. Maybe 20%. they're judging the ineptitude to do the job. God damn it. He's got some great stories about pulling over Eddie Murphy. You don't have to have, like, a certain degree of proficiency in hand-to-hand combat? It's just not gonna happen. Beautiful fucking machine of hand-to-hand combat. Why can't you do that? the victim in this situation.

2:06:10 I thought he was, too. Did you ever hear him talk? They don't even let him in the UFC because he's too deadly. He'd be in a different weight class. That's a very vulnerable spot. We don't do this. Well, I could you know, I can't give my opinions about some shit But as far as what I would teach police officers, you've got to understand striking. some sparring you have to you have to definitely learn the mechanics of striking but you also have

2:08:58 We're not going to really teach cops to strike. Judo is good for cops too because people most of the time are wearing clothes. gets ahold of you. Some Jimmy Pedro And I think if a judo person gets a You're not getting up. This is just it. You're stuck. You might be like really physically strong. And why did he get him? You know, you'll instinctively have like a path that you'll go to to preserve yourself.

2:12:01 I really thought that there was like a weekly thing that you guys had to do. You know the physical standards as well. What do you have to do to get through the academy? So you have to lower the physical standards? I would be the prototype. I really think in most areas where, like in Baltimore, you have 3,000 officers, Incredibly hard. It's harder for them with fighting, but I've seen some of them hold their own just fine.

2:14:38 He's the queen. And he's, day and night But he was, He had a purse for a while. I wear a fanny pack. But I thought about that in the airport, like you say. I wear one of those motherfuckers everywhere. That's because I'm married. fucking trying to tip the scales in their favor. kids. That fucking stupid fanny pack. you don't want her in your life. I promise.

2:17:34 they wouldn't but not from him. No? So harder for him than women? So how you balance that, I can't say that would require a little more nuance, but definitely have their role. a single cop has been killed where the killer wasn't called which is embarrassing for our No way. How about you just say from the comfort of your car, put down the gun? So they're not saying that white lives don't matter.

2:20:44 It's not a up to everyone else. That's it. Just equality. It's not a DeRay, please come Instigator. That's what they would call DeRay. Instigator. Do you know who's making money? The incident happened. Violence in Baltimore. Well, nothing ever happens without It was an uprising. They live in an area that has food deserts, that doesn't have good schools, where the

2:23:45 It's stupid. argument. It's just such a dumb one. Well, the last thing I wanted to say too, is that conservatives and right-wing people are the ones that are going to argue with me the most. But if I don't like this kind of language because people are going to keep their guns. People are doing it. Imagine if it turns out they all had guns wrap this up, but I really

2:25:58 You could catch him on Twitter, Michael A. Wood Jr., M-I-C-H-A-E-L-A Wood, W-O-O-D Jr. Twitter? See you soon.