Baltimore Activists Recount How Police Unions Crushed Accountability Reforms

[Cheese Sandwich]

Only weeks before Freddie Gray’s death while in custody of Baltimore police, cops from around the state filled a committee hearing room in Annapolis to aggressively lobby against a wave of reform bills aimed at increasing police accountability in Maryland. The police won: every bill to make it easier to investigate and prosecute police misconduct went down to defeat, leaving the state’s extraordinarily cop-friendly laws in place. (It’s a measure of the egregious circumstances of Gray’s death and the public outcry afterward that six police officers have nevertheless been indicted.)

Civil rights advocates say they were heavily outgunned — metaphorically — by the police.

Police unions play a significant role in Maryland politics, from campaign endorsements to influence peddling. According to public records, the largest police associations, including the Baltimore Fraternal Order of Police, donated $1,834,680 to state politicians over the last decade and retained several of most prominent lobbyists in the state.

The Maryland State FOP organized its members to show up in force during the hearing on the police reform bills. The Facebook page for the group shows officers packing the legislative room when the reform bills were debated.
...

more: https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/05/01/police-union-influence-maryland-runs-deep/

[hifiguy]

1. If the kkkops want to keep their unions

let them self-insure for misconduct and not pass the buck to the taxpayers. That will not be cheap and might rein them in a bit. Thanks to SamKnause for first making this suggestion.

And it is well past time for fully independent civilian review boards with NO police representation which have the power to fire.

[Oktober]

2. Government employees deserve government support and funds for representation

[SamKnause]

5. Tax payers dollars

should not be used to pay fines or judgments against police

misconduct or murder.

Why should the tax payer foot the bill ???

Our tax dollars pay their salaries.

There should be some type of insurance that they would be required

to purchase. (on the order of malpractice insurance for doctors)

It could be taken out of their checks or unions could pay for the

insurance.

If they have skin in the game, maybe they will adjust their behavior

accordingly.

They should not be above the law.

When found guilty their sentences should be doubled.

They are armed to the teeth.

They are killing people in the streets.

They are beating people in the streets.

They should be held accountable.

[Oktober]

6. If a city worker drives his truck through your living room...

... The city us going to pay.

As long as the work for the government, the government is on the hook.

[SamKnause]

4. Thanks

Go Bernie

[99th_Monkey]

8. Exactly! Cops need to self-insure, NOT require taxpayers to pay for getting murdered.

It's become a classic protection racket.

I've posted before that I thought all 'settlements' with aggrieved families of murdered citizens need to be paid out of the police retirement funds; but self-insured is probably more likely.

[JustAnotherGen]

9. Another member suggested licensing them

She's a nurse - and that is as dedicated to the public as law enforcement. She's licensed.

So I'm going to add onto her suggestion.



A license.

And then they should have to pay a certain amount towards an 'insurance fund' that covers themselves if they do the wrong thing.


If they make it through retirement without f*cking up - they get their money back.

I just have a hard time with having to pay for the mistakes of others who ought to know better.

It's a monumental waste of tax dollars.

[99th_Monkey]

10. I'd love to see how much has been paid out annually at a NATIONAL level

by ALL local jurisdictions (who are already strapped for money) to families
of citizens murdered by police.

It would probably be a tidy sum.

[Downwinder]

3. Why should they have "rights" they don't afford others?

Extend the “Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights,” to cover everyone.

[msongs]

7. organized crime is alive and well in the USA nt

[JonLP24]

11. Same here in Phoenix -- they basically got support from city hall to call for his firing

The big thing that really caught fire was when he fired a cop for getting arrested for DUI -- Arizona a state that gives mandatory jail time for a misdemeanor -- killed himself & slammed the police chief for not having enough compassion because of his prior PTSD diagnose but they also criticized him when he showed compassion to the mother of someone killed in an officer involved shooting. He actually called DPS to investigate the shooting so an independent would be involved rather than the self-investigation we so often seen. He also brought in body cameras which was responsible for this

Phoenix Thug Cop Fired: “I’ve Got one Tool, To Beat People Up And Take Them To Jail”

Body camera evidence leads to the firing of a Phoenix cop. Chief Daniel Garcia stands by his decision to fire Officer Richard Greco. He watched all of the videos in question and says the officer showed a pattern of bad behavior.

Video: “Turn around and look at me because I’m [expletive] talking to you, you piece of [expletive] now get the [expletive] over here.”

“I was very disturbed,” said Chief Garcia.

And on another call talking to a possible victim of domestic violence: “I’ve got one tool, that tool is to beat people up and take them to jail.”

“I was very disturbed…from what I saw from one of our Phoenix police officers,” said Garcia.

Garcia is referring to the videos captured by Greco’s body camera.

Video: “He looks retarded.. he looks like another MMI student.”

After an internal investigation, Garcia fired Greco for unprofessional conduct.

http://www.copblock.org/35482/phoenix-thug-cop-fired-ive-got-one-tool-to-beat-people-up-and-take-them-to-jail/

Phoenix Police chief Garcia there were so many reforms I can't remember them all just that the unions really hated the guy. He'd also have officers to take their oaths every year, the Republican city council wanted him fired. I'm not sure giving the fiery press conference was really the reason for firing him "insubordination for giving the press conference after being told not to" is the official reason it seems like there was more than that.


Phoenix Police Chief relieved of duty after requesting 2-year contract

PHOENIX (KSAZ) -

Phoenix Police Chief Daniel Garcia is out of a job tonight. He was fired after publicly speaking out when ordered by the city not to.

"I won't stand for it... my officers in the City of Phoenix want the highest policing standards," said Daniel Garcia. "I'm here because the union board is using a vote of no confidence to have me terminated."

It was a fiery last stand. "And to give you the public trust... it's time to silence the critics," he said.

His exit may have been quick, but some say it wasn't entirely unexpected. Garcia's time as Chief over the past three years was filled with ups and downs. Most recently he was embroiled in a public battle with the police officers union.

Garcia appeared fed up with the demands of the union and the city. He said city officials needed to decide who runs the police department; the Chief or the union.

The City Manager told Garcia not to hold a news conference; he denied that order, and they fired him.

And within minutes of the Chief holding his news conference Ed Zuercher held his own press conference to announce that Garcia had been relieved of his duties as police chief.

"I asked the Chief to work collaboratively and respectfully, and to communicate with me. That is the Phoenix way, and we cannot expect the officers to follow orders if the Chief cannot do the same and lead by example," said Ed Zuercher. "Today, the police chief disobeyed a direct order given to him by me through a supervisor, the assistant city manager, and, as a result, I fired him."

"We have a big job in front of us right now keeping the residents safe and working to establish trust between the community and the police department. I gave Chief Garcia my full support, and I am disappointed in his choices. He's a good man, but I'm disappointed in his choices. I have full confidence in the men and women of the Phoenix Police Department, and I know they will continue to provide excellent services to the residents of this city," he said.

http://www.fox10phoenix.com/story/27664957/2014/12/18/chief-garcia-fires-back-against-police-unions

Saying he didn't like his choices implies there were other issues besides the press conference also

Now former Police Chief Daniel Garcia took his complaints to the public, blasting the police unions and demanding some type of job security. "I'm asking for a two-year contract. It's time to silence the critics, it's time to silence the police unions and make sure they understand they have a right to collaboration, but they cannot run the Phoenix Police Department," said Garcia.

As if he knew his days as a Chief were numbered Garcia defended his record as a leader in the department. He pointed out that homicides and violent crime rates in Phoenix went down in the 2 1/2 years he was in charge.

"All 3 years that I was here, that I have been here we've had a crime reduction," he said.

The unions really get in the way demanding increased due process & protections something they don't demand for the civilians they police.