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I know that people have issues with harassment, misconduct and corruption, but that's different than not wanting Police in their neighborhood.
I think if Policing for profit was stopped, the Drug War was ended and there was complete transparency on our forces people would once again gain respect for the Police.
Right now however the Police routinely violate our Constitutional rights with impunity.
I suspect that there is less harassment, misconduct and corruption within the Police than at any point in history, given dash cams, body cams, cell phones and more surveillance , everywhere. What has changed is the amount of one sided stories posted on the internet and social media.
It's overwhelming and creates the perception that everything, everywhere has gone to hell in a handbag.
Imagine if the internet had been around in Roman times.Imagine seeing upfront and personal how Europeans stole the lands from American indians, native Alaskans and Hawaiians. Imagine if the Nazis had posted videos to youtube.
Last edited by middle-aged mom; 08-24-2014 at 12:17 PM..
I suspect that there is less harassment, misconduct and corruption within the Police than at any point in history, given dash cams, body cams, cell phones and more surveillance than at any point in history. What has changed is the amount of one sided stories posted on the internet and social media.
It's overwhelming and creates the perception that everything, everywhere has gone to hell in a handbag.
Imagine if the internet had been around in Roman times.
I've had personal experiences and have talked to many others who have dealt with some of the things I have. I agree that there may be less corruption now, but that's unproven too. I'd say in the 50's before there was a Drug War and there was a more defined American culture the Police were less corrupt (if you were white at the time). I could be wrong though.
Point taken about your claim though. But it could also be that corruption has stayed consistent and just now we are finding out how widespread it is.
It's not just citizens complaining. It's officers, public defenders, politicians...
The DEA was caught working with the freaking Sinola Cartel. I think the issue started during the Drug War and has spiraled out of control.
The entire criminal justice system needs to be changed from the bottom to the top.
In the first place we need to clarify the difference between breaking a law, and committing a crime. Breaking a so called law does in no way necessarily constitute committing a crime.
In order for a crime to be committed someone must be victimized is some manner. In the majority of citizen / law enforcement encounters, no crime has been committed, the police are enforcing laws in which the government really has no jurisdiction to begin with.
Drug laws are a prime example.
Government unlike any other entity must create problems to justify its own existence and to grow and prosper.
I agree that what most people don't realize is that there is more transparency in actions of any governments, police or military forces than EVER before in history. There are cameras, cell phones, journalists everywhere. There is youtube and independent internet media. We don't have more abuse, we simply hear about it more than before and then there is this hysteria driven by the crowd portraying cops as oppressors, in many cases simply because they interfere with people's illegal activities: the cops are bad because they gave me a ticket for speeding, they're bad because they caught me with illegal substances, they are animals because they do not agree with my own perception of what is legal and what is not.
Never before in history the cops had to deal with a society that treats them like an enemy and rallies public support behind those openly defying the law. Law is not something that you accept or not, law is something that you obey or try to change.
Quote:
Originally Posted by middle-aged mom
I suspect that there is less harassment, misconduct and corruption within the Police than at any point in history, given dash cams, body cams, cell phones and more surveillance than at any point in history. What has changed is the amount of one sided stories posted on the internet and social media.
It's overwhelming and creates the perception that everything, everywhere has gone to hell in a handbag.
Imagine if the internet had been around in Roman times.Imagine seeing upfront and personal how Europeans stole the lands from American indians, native Alaskans and Hawaiians. Imagine if the Nazis had posted videos to youtube.
Last edited by pocalujmniewdupe; 08-24-2014 at 11:41 AM..
Location: Subconscious Syncope, USA (Northeastern US)
2,365 posts, read 2,148,041 times
Reputation: 3814
Quote:
Originally Posted by donsabi
One of the major reasons police fail especially in minority neighborhoods is that that they usually don't reside in that area.
One way to correct the problem is to require all public official to reside in the area that that are hired, appointed, or elected for and to.
That is true. There is also a good reason for that. Its hard for police and their families to enjoy some level of reasonable relaxation and comfort in the same areas that they work, especially if those areas are notorious for crime.
It can also open the door to corruption. Im the one guy in the neighborhood all the criminals buy their 'pass' from. I could be just a random cop (no great rank or influence), but I own the street I live on.
Maybe we need 'rainbow coalition' squad cars. A red, yellow, black and white policeman in each car. Try to match up with whatever race the person that needs to be dealt with is so that no claims of discrimation can be randomly thrown out there. If they encounter a brown person - they can assign the nearest match skintone wise cop to approach them, or flip a coin.
Its stupid. The video I just watched is stupid. Why not just have public service messages to get the word out there on how to deal with the Police? It seems like a lot of kids are clueless, or watching the wrong 'public service messages'.
Or maybe you should just get a decent textbook on law? Drug laws are there for a reason, there are anti-drug laws in every civilized country on the planet. Maybe its not the society that has to change but you?
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimhcom
The entire criminal justice system needs to be changed from the bottom to the top.
In the first place we need to clarify the difference between breaking a law, and committing a crime. Breaking a so called law does in no way necessarily constitute committing a crime.
In order for a crime to be committed someone must be victimized is some manner. In the majority of citizen / law enforcement encounters, no crime has been committed, the police are enforcing laws in which the government really has no jurisdiction to begin with.
Drug laws are a prime example.
Government unlike any other entity must create problems to justify its own existence and to grow and prosper.
Or maybe you should just get a decent textbook on law? Drug laws are there for a reason, there are anti-drug laws in every civilized country on the planet. Maybe its not the society that has to change but you?
A lot of Developed countries are re-thinking their drug laws because the current laws aren't fixing their problem.
If we are indeed fighting a war on drugs we are failing miserably. Not only that but because of our Drug Use we have now drug other countries into this 'war' where whole countries are being destroyed.
Remember when alcohol was outlawed? Remember all the "gangsters" created during that period?
People talk about Chicago now but forget it was violent back in the day as well.
I agree that what most people don't realize is that there is more transparency in actions of any governments, police or military forces than EVER before in history. There are cameras, cell phones, journalists everywhere. There is youtube and independent internet media. We don't have more abuse, we simply hear about it more than before and then there is this hysteria driven by the crowd portraying cops as oppressors, in many cases simply because they interfere with people's illegal activities: the cops are bad because they gave me a ticket for speeding, they're bad because they caught me with illegal substances, they are animals because they do not agree with my own perception of what is legal and what is not.
Never before in history the cops had to deal with a society that treats them like an enemy and rallies public support behind those openly defying the law.
You confuse transparency with technology. If the police had their way it would be illegal to record their actions because they fear people knowing just how corrupt they really are.
It is law enforcement which has declared war against the public, not the other way around.
Location: Subconscious Syncope, USA (Northeastern US)
2,365 posts, read 2,148,041 times
Reputation: 3814
If the use of marijuana is an issue that leads to this, it should be taken out of the hands of criminals and law enforcement for the most part. In Washington and Colorado state, it already has. Police only get involved with bootlegging weed, and underage sale and use at that point.
Legalize it. Obama first ran on legalization, and hasnt quite come through. His approach might be the best though, in allowing the States to make the call, just like they do with the harder drug of alcohol.
I dont think anyone wants to see Cocaine and Heroin legalized, although some might want to see it decriminalized and placed squarely into the category of "a public heath problem".
If all this violence and death is coming from a fear of being found in possession of some weed, then the marijuana issue truely needs to be revisited and looked at for what it is.
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