What it will take to fix law enforcement

[sheshe2]

What is going on in Ferguson, MO after the killing of Michael Brown should horrify all of us. It is WAY past time that we took a long hard look at what is happening to local law enforcement. And I am very happy to hear that the Department of Justice is doing just that.

About 25 years ago I was surprised and impressed as I watched our local law enforcement embrace the concept of community policing. That whole movement developed far beyond the idea of cops walking the beat. It embraced the reality that in order for cops to do their job - they had to work in partnership with the community, not see them as a threat.

But 9/11 stopped most of that in its tracks. One high ranking officer told me that his work on crime prevention all got put on hold as the department geared up its anti-terrorism efforts. The culmination of that came into view when our local law enforcement geared up for protests at the 2008 Republican convention. It scared the shit out of me!




This is what was on display before anything happened. It was nothing but overkill and intimidation...IOW, all about dominance.

snip///

Read More: http://immasmartypants.blogspot.com/2014/08/what-it-will-take-to-fix-law-enforcement.html

[dballance]

1. Police are totally out of control.

The militarization of police departments is truly horrifying.

[Nobel_Twaddle_III]

4. the city should confiscate and sell the wannabe military toys

sell that crap and keep the money for the city budget.

[Nobel_Twaddle_III]

2. The loss of public confidence, to the point that police are no longer believed in a courtroom

[rustydog]

3. And, one would think that in the age of anti-terrorism

community involvement would be a perfect tool. Neighborhood watch-civilian crime patrol- etc.
These are great outreach programs that got sidelined in the name of Shock-Doctrine.

[Warren Stupidity]

5. demilitarization, civilian oversight, decriminalization.

this isn't brain surgery.

[Cicada]

6. Required body cameras would help

All police contact with the public should be recorded except maybe meetings with witnesses who are frightened of being revealed. I think that would stop most murders by cops.

[Uncle Joe]

7. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, sheshe.

[TransitJohn]

8. They need to stop lying too.

Cops lie under oath so much.
Personal anecdote. No statistics to back up.

[JEB]

9. Cut the law enforcement budget by at least half nationwide.

What a fucking waste of money and human effort.