NY Times: Thompson Sees No Need to Bar a Police Tactic

[markpkessinger]

I voted for Thompson in 2009 (against Bloomberg). I was considering voting for him this time around as well, until I read this:

[font size=4]Thompson Sees No Need to Bar a Police Tactic[/font]

The aggressive era of stop-and-frisk policing in New York City is, in every sense of the word, on trial: the subject of a high-stakes federal court case, scorching denunciations from civil rights leaders and emotional calls for its dismantlement by liberal lawmakers.

But in a stand that is surprising black leaders and worrying some allies, William C. Thompson Jr., the sole African-American candidate for mayor, is steadfastly unwilling to join the tear-it-down chorus.

Instead, Mr. Thompson is embracing elements of the polarizing crime-fighting strategy and winning praise from an unlikely duo deeply associated with it: Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani.

< . . . >

But in a city whose racial politics are never far from view, Mr. Thompson’s moderate stance on an issue that has consumed the city’s black and Latino community is inflaming a number of high-profile African-American Democrats, even holding up the endorsement of a party stalwart, the Rev. Al Sharpton.

<. . . . >

[Dawson Leery]

1. Again, why I oppose law enforcement unions:

"On Wednesday, Mr. Thompson’s restrained approach paid by far its biggest political dividend when a coalition of unions representing about 100,000 city law enforcement officials voted to endorse his Democratic campaign, making clear that what appealed to its members was his comparatively conservative posture on criminal justice, according to people told of the decision."

[Logical]

2. Police "unions" protect corrupt cops. They are not real unions. n-t

[Bluenorthwest]

3. Thompson's stance is not moderate, it is right wing.

It is also supportive of what is in practice the most racist police policy in the US and also the least productive of actual offenders.

[markpkessinger]

4. Agreed. n/t