Obama should have tasked the DOJ with all investigations and prosecutions

[beachbum bob]

into the shootings of all minorities by law enforcement under the civil rights act. Take the investigations away from the local authorities immediately. If police understand they face prison, some of this nonsense will stop. Until then, expect nothing to change as cops pretty well go unpunished and have little "skin in the game"....

[SickOfTheOnePct]

1. The President doesn't have the power

to take investigations away from local authorities. He can certainly direct the DoJ to run concurrent investigations into all police shootings of minorities, but he can't prohibit local authorities from conducting their own investigations.

[HereSince1628]

2. I'm not sure that would really change very much.

The stay outta jail card is really pretty easy to play. It's basically requires a declaration they thought they were endangered. And as recent police investigations have shown, it's damned hard to argue against how much fear someone experienced.

[msanthrope]

3. Well, sure, except for the Constitution. nt